"You can smell them, can't you?" said Bartimæus.
"You can smell them if you go slow enough," said the Harvest Mouse, "but when do you go slow? Now mark my words. It's just about your sleeping time. You'll sleep for your full hour, then you'll wake hungry. You'll rush full tilt until you reach your slant. You'll rush down that, you'll rush along your gallery. Won't you now?"
"P'raps," muttered Bartimæus. He had withdrawn his nose below, and sleep was stealing over him.
"Well, don't!" said the Harvest Mouse.
"Don't!" said the Meadow Mouse.
"Don't!" said the Pygmy.
"Don't what?" said Bartimæus in his sleep.
"Don't rush!" said the Harvest Mouse. "Don't rush. Don't rush!"
*****
He slept for his full hour and woke to find the Pygmy at his side. "It's in your centre gallery," she whispered. "I've slipped right through it twice."