a harsh and brazen voice, to enter.

The room in which the Prince now found himself, was the private
apartment of the sorceress, where had been concocted all the wickedness
with which she had cursed the subjects of her son.

At first, the Prince could scarcely distinguish the objects in the room,
as it was lighted only by a small brazier which burnt dimly on a table;
but the Afrite thrust his javelin into the brazier, and the flames, all
green and red, burst forth luridly, lighting up the apartment with
unearthly colors. The Afrite, after informing the Prince that the great
Mahbracca would soon attend him, left him, and returned to his station
on the other side of the door. Somewhat fearful that all this
willingness to admit him boded no good, the Prince still determined to
push boldly on in his adventure (that being, indeed, the only course
possible for him), and to take things as coolly as possible.

Looking around him, he saw, by the bright light which now filled the
room, that against each of the walls was a row of cages, containing
snakes of various grades of venom, placed in order, according to their
deadly properties. Standing on their heads, in various places against
the wall, were many of those dreadful green lizards which poison the air
of the deep valleys of Sumatra, and whose bite causes their victim,
together with all his blood relations, to gangrene in an instant. These,
although standing so stiffly against the wall, were all alive, and some
of them, perceiving the Prince was looking at them, winked at him. But
he paid them no further attention, and proceeded with his inspection of
the room.

There were great numbers of horrid-looking furnaces, and cages, and
grotesque lamps, with the flames out, but with wicks still smouldering,
and smelling vilely. Upon a shelf near the ceiling was a row of great
jars, and out of one of them was continually popping the head of an
excessively shining and black little demon, who had evidently, for some
offense, been put there in pickle. From the other jars came groans, but
no heads. These had been in longer. While the Prince stood, scarcely
able to refrain from laughing at the comical countenance of the young
demon in the jar, he heard the opening of a door, and, turning, saw the
sorceress Mahbracca enter the apartment. This worthy dame presented a
remarkable appearance. Short, with a large head partly covered with
stubbly white hair, she had a face of the color and smo