Wet Magic
the Infantryman threw the net onto a great table, which seemed to be cut out of one vast diamond, and fell on his face on the ground. It was his way of saluting his sovereign.
"Prisoners, your Majesty," he said when he had got up again. "Four of the young of the Upper Folk—" and he turned to the net as he spoke, and stopped short—"there's someone else," he said in an altered voice, "someone as wasn't there when we started, I'll swear."
"Open the net," said a strong, sweet voice, "and bid the prisoners stand up that I may look upon them."
"They might escape, my love," said another voice anxiously, "or perhaps they bite."
"Submersia," said the first voice, "do you and four of my women stand ready. Take the prisoners one by one. Seize each a prisoner and hold them, awaiting my royal pleasure."
The net was opened and large and strong hands took Bernard, who was nearest the mouth of the net back, and held him gently but with extreme firmness in an upright position on the table. None of them could stand because of their tails.
They saw before them, on a throne, a tall and splendid Queen, very beautiful and very sad, and by her side a King (they knew the royalty by their crowns), not so handsome as his wife, but still very different from the uncouth, heavy Under Folk. And he looked sad too. They were clad in robes of richest woven seaweed, sewn with jewels, and their crowns were like dreams of magnificence. Their throne was of one clear blood-bright ruby, and its canopy of green drooping seaweed was gemmed with topazes and amethysts. The Queen rose and came down the steps of the throne and whispered to her whom she had called Submersia, and she in turn whispered to the four other large ladies who held, each, a captive.
And with a dreadful unanimity the five acted; with one dex-
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