that young ruffian there on the other side, struggling in the agonies
of--"
He dropped his voice so low that Curdie could hear only a growl. The
growl went on in a low bass for a good while, as inarticulate as if the
goblin's tongue had been a sausage; and it was not until his wife spoke
again that it rose to its former pitch.
"But what shall we do when you are at the palace?" she asked.
"I will see you safe in the new house I've been digging for you for the
last two months. Podge, you mind the table and chairs. I commit them
to
your care. The table has seven legs--each chair three. I shall require
them all at your hands."
After this arose a confused conversation about the various household
goods and their transport; and Curdie heard nothing more that was of
any
importance.
He now knew at least one of the reasons for the constant sound of the
Madhuri Noah
C:\Users\MNoah\Documents\The Princess and the Goblin1.docx
Page 78 of 634