nning about the floor. Curdie's
heart ached to think of the lovely child-princess living over such a
sty. The mine was a paradise to a palace with such servants in it.

Leaving the kitchen, he got into the region of the sculleries. There
horrible smells were wandering about, like evil spirits that come forth
with the darkness. He lighted a candle--but only to see ugly sights.
Everywhere was filth and disorder. Mangy turnspit dogs were lying
about, and grey rats were gnawing at refuse in the sinks. It was like
a hideous dream. He felt as if he should never get out of it, and
longed for one glimpse of his mother's poor little kitchen, so clean
and bright and airy. Turning from it at last in miserable disgust, he
almost ran back through the kitchen, re-entered the hall, and crossed
it to another door.

It opened upon a wider passage leading to an arch in a stately
corridor, all its length lighted by lamps in niches. At the end of it
was a large and beautiful hall, with great pillars. There sat three
men in the royal livery, fast asleep, each in a great armchair, with
his feet on a huge footstool. They looked like fools dreaming
themselves kings; and Lina looked as if she longed to throttle them.
At one side of the hall was the grand staircase, and they went up.

Everything that now met Curdie's eyes was rich--not glorious like the
splendours of the mountain cavern, but rich and soft--except where, now
and then, some rough old rib of the ancient fortress came through, hard
and discoloured. Now some dark bare arch of stone, now some rugged and
blackened pillar, now some huge beam, brown with the smoke and dust of
centuries, looked like a thistle in the midst of daisies, or a rock in
a smooth lawn.

They wandered about a good while, again and again finding themselves
where they had been before. Gradually, however, Curdie was gaining
some idea of the place. By and by Lina began to look frightened, and
as they went on Curdie saw that she looked more and more frightened.
Now, by this time he had come to understand that what made her look
frightened was always the fear of frightening, and he therefore
concluded they must be drawing nigh to somebody.

At last, in a gorgeously painted gallery, he saw a curtain of crimson,
and on the curtain a royal crown wrought in silks and stones. He felt
sure this must be the king's chamber, and it was here he was wanted;
or, if it was not the place he was bound for, something