which was, to my mind, not at all the sort of place where an English lady might feel at ease. I was uncomfortable with Mrs. Bamfield leaving, but she did not allow me a say in the matter, for before I could raise objection, she was gone!
In the end, Mr. Longville and I found our way to the palace of Abdullah Al-Khāfid, together, where his captive genie was on display. The palace was very much like a mausoleum: sleek and marble-white, with gilded domes of various sizes, and passages one might wander through for days without seeing another living person. The exhibition was empty, and there was no sound at all, other than the soft clapping of our footfalls.
“ Remember, they warned us not to speak to it, Missus,” Mr. Longville said.
The cheek! I was still a Miss, and I’ d talk to it if I wanted! When we neared the end of the passage we began to hear a voice. We slowed our steps so that we might not announce our arrival in an uncouth manner.
The Viewing Room was empty of visitors, for the other hunters had gone to luncheon. There was only Abdullah Al-Khafid himself, but that voice was still speaking. I looked beyond Al-Khafid, and gasped.
I cannot put into words how I felt, then, standing before this creature that was as ancient as the earth. I cannot deny there was a small, small part of me that wished to go on my knees before it, and beg for my life as the heathens do.
The Genie towered over his mortal master. The chain that bound the monster in perpetuity to its lamp seemed suddenly a fragile thing. Its voice...
“ Abdullah Al-Khāfid,” the monster spoke.“ Wilt thou make thy wish today? Wilt thou receive my gifts on this day of days?” Al-Khāfid only stared in silence.“ For today is an important day, is it not?” continued the monster.“ Today is the day thou wilt die.”
At that, Al-Khāfid left the room, nodding briefly at us. We approached the Genie slowly, and its head fixed upon our movement— watching us with the look of a bored cat.
I asked Mr. Longville to draw it for me, so that I could always remember the Genie, its lamp, and the mechanical apparatus that forced the Djinn to remain outside and on perpetual display. I may not be able to have a lamp, but I will always have his picture.
As he drew, it seemed to me that the Genie sometimes observed us and sometimes looked off into the distance. When Mr. Longville was finished, we decided to go find some lunch and we left the palace. However, Mr. Longville had dropped one of his books or pencils or some such thing, so I headed back to get it for him. I wanted to get one more glimpse of that spectacular creature.
But when I returned to the great hall the Genie was gone! The strange machine that kept the lamp open was completely devoid of any lamp. I climbed onto the pedestal to inspect the complex machinery. Its disappearance was a mystery for only a fleeting moment, however. As I looked toward the opposite side of the room, I spied the slender form of a young man carrying the lamp. It was a boy dressed in a thief’ s costume. He winked at me and ran! To be so bold!
“ Stop right there!” I cried, and began to take chase. I pursued him down five very long passages, up three flights of stairs, across four balconies, and through two gardens— one of which had a stone wall I was forced to climb. It was all extremely vexing. I mean, I wouldn ' t have minded the chase, but the obstacles! He leaped over a balcony and out a window, and as I had followed him thus far, I saw no reason to yield pursuit, so I heaved a weary sigh and followed.