Wet Magic
He looked kindly on them and went out.
"He is a dear, isn't he?" said Mavis.
"Yes, indeed," said the Princess absently.
And now next day the children, carrying their tickets-of-leaves, were led to the great pearl and turquoise building, which was the Museum of Foreign Curiosities. Many were the strange objects preserved there—china and glass and books and land-things of all kinds, taken from sunken ships. And all the things were under dome-shaped cases, apparently of glass. The Curator of the Museum showed them his treasures with pride, and explained them all wrong in the most interesting way.
"Those discs," he said, pointing to the china plates, "are used in games of skill. They are thrown from one hand to another, and if one fails to catch them his head is broken."
An egg boiler, he explained, was a Land Queen's jewel case, and four egg-shaped emeralds had been fitted into it to show its use to the vulgar. A silver ice pail was labeled: "Drinking Vessel of the Horses of the Kings of Earth," and a cigar case half full was called "Charm case containing Evil Charms: probably Ancient Barbarian." In fact it was very like the museums you see on land.
They were just coming to a large case containing something whitish and labeled, "Very valuable indeed," when a messenger came to tell the Curator that a soldier was waiting with valuable curiosities taken as loot from the enemy.
"Excuse me one moment," said the Curator, and left them.
"I arranged that," said Ulfin, "quick, before he returns—take your coats if you know any spell to remove the case."
The Princess laughed and laid her hand on the glassy dome, and lo! it broke and disappeared as a bubble does when you touch it.
"Magic," whispered Ulfin.
"Not magic," said the Princess. "Your cases are only bubbles."
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