Out of his satchel he drew forth the two bracelets in which were no catseyes.
"Used them quite all, I see!" he remarked blandly. "These others, poor things, thought they could change back the other side of my domain!" And the Wizard laughed most unpleasantly loud—just like his knocker.
"Please, sir," ventured Dulcie coaxingly after his hilarity was over—"please, sir, do let us go home."
"But your brother—I'm sure he wouldn't be satisfied."
"Indeed I would," said Cyril.
"Tush! Nonsense!" exclaimed the Wizard. "I never say 'Don't' here—so you are going to live with me and be oh so happy and free! free to do everything I tell you. You would have been more useful as a Crab. But now you shall both tend my little Zoological Collection—they are not always so still, oh no! You shall help me do my tricks. You shall help me ruin that fishy old King; and help me keep that Bird-Fairy in order till she shall rue the day that she ever tried to——"
The Twins heard no more. Locked in one another's arms they had suddenly sunk down in placid slumber. The astonished Wizard stopped in his flow of eloquence. He walked round and round them. His face grew blacker and blacker, whilst the Twins slept calmly on, Dulcie's head resting peacefully on Cyril's shoulder.
"Well I'm blessed!" muttered the Wizard, "or should be if I weren't so...."
