head, red
glow on the cheeks, and all the rest white hot, with here and there a
little eruption of black bubbles, spirting out lighted gas. It was the
shape of a huge man, who walked up with a most friendly expression in
his face, evidently intending to give me a warm reception.

"And so he did, as I will tell you presently. It needed not the aid of
his natural qualities to throw me into a great and sudden heat; his
supernatural appearance was enough for that. Then I was seized with a
great fear lest, in his friendliness, he should expect me to shake
hands. That was as if I should have thrust my fingers into this tap-room
grate. Well, ma'am (your good health, Mrs. Pittis), the strange thing
came up to me quite pleasant, with a beaming face, and said, in
something of a voice like a hoarse blast pipe, 'Glad to see you, Mr.
Spruce. How did you come here?' 'O,' said I, 'Sir,' not liking to be
behind-hand in civility, 'I only just dropped in.' 'Cold, up above, Mr.
Spruce? Will you walk in and take a little something warm?' A little
something warm! What's that? thought I. 'O yes,' I said, 'with all my
heart, sir.' 'Come along, then; you seem stiff in the bones, Mr. Spruce,
allow me to help you up.' 'O Lord!' I cried, forgetting my manners. 'No,
thank you, sir. Spruce is my name, and spruce my nature. I can get up
quite nimble.' And so I did, with a leap; although it made my joints
ache, I can tell you. The thing bowed and seemed to be quite glowing
double with delight to see me. Take a little something warm, I thought
again. O, but I won't though! However, I must not seem eager to get away
just yet; the beast seems to think I came down on purpose to see him.
'After you, sir!' said I, bowing and pulling my forelock. 'If you will
be so good as to lead, I'll follow.' 'This way, then, Philip.'

"So we went, along a gallery, and came to a vault which was lighted by
the bodies of a great number of imps, all made of brisk live coal, like
my conductor. 'I dare say you find the room close,' said the king--for I
found afterward he was a real king, though he was so familiar. 'What
will you take to drink?' I calculated there was nothing weaker than
vitriol in his cellar, so I begged to be excused. 'It is not my habit,
sir, to drink early mornings; and indeed I must not let my wife wait
dinner. We will have a little gossip, if you please, and then you will
let one of your servants light me out, perhaps. I merely dropped in, as
you are aw