The Princess and Curdie

Em

leading out of the mountain, and the other to the left leading far into a portion of it which had been long disused. Since the inundation caused by the goblins, it h

but the light, which was like a large star, with a point of darker colour yet brighter radiance in the heart of it, whence the rest of the light shot out in rays that faded toward the ends until they vanished. It shed hardly any light around it, although in itself it

em to move, and yet they moving did not approach it. Still they persevered, for it was far too wonderful a thing to lose sight of, so long as they could keep it. At length they drew near the hollow where the water lay, and

they discovered, by the light of the lanterns they carried, that there the water had broken through, and made an entrance to a part of the mountain of which Peter knew nothing. B

t once their eyes seemed to come suddenly to themselves, and they became aware that the light wh

lted away, and in a moment or two, instead of the star, a dark, dark and yet luminous face was looking at them w

w me, Curdie,'

en I know you,' said Curdie. 'Bu

pouring down from her head, and, like the water of the Dustbrook, vanishing in a golden vapour ere it reached the floor. It came flowing from under the edge of a coronet of gold, set with alternated pearls and emeralds. In front of the crown was a great emerald, which looked somehow as if out of it had come the light they had followed. There was no ornament else about her,

rs in the sides and roof and floor of the cavern-stones of all the colours of the rainbow, and many more. It was a glorious sight-the whole rugged place flashing with colours-in one spot a great light of deep carbuncular red, in another of sapphirine blue, in another of topaz yellow; while here and there were groups of stones

veliness in the person of the ancient lady who stood before him in the very summer of beauty and strength. Turning from the first glance at the circuadjacent splend

e once bef

t, Curdie,'

walls gleamed, but nothing as they do

re the light comes fr

, ma

t of the cavern. Do not

e moment she was out of their sight the place was black as night, save that now the smoky yello