regions--a small irregular shape of something shining. Going up to it,
he found it was a piece of mica, or Muscovy glass, called sheep-silver
in Scotland, and the light flickering as if from a fire behind it. After
trying in vain for some time to discover an entrance to the place where
it was burning, he came at length to a small chamber in which an
opening
high in the wall revealed a glow beyond. To this opening he managed
to
scramble up, and then he saw a strange sight.
Below sat a little group of goblins around a fire, the smoke of which
vanished in the darkness far aloft. The sides of the cave were full of
shining minerals like those of the palace-hall; and the company was
evidently of a superior order, for every one wore stones about head, or
arms, or waist, shining, dull, gorgeous colors in the light of the fire.
Nor had Curdie looked long before he recognized the king himself, and
found that he had made his way into the inner apartment of the royal
family. He had never had such a good chance of hearing something!
He
crept through the hole as softly as he could, scrambled a good way
down
the wall toward them without attracting attention, and then sat down
and
listened. The king, evidently the queen, and probably the crown-prince
Madhuri Noah
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