‘Well,’ said he, ‘how did you sleep?’
‘Fine,’ said Raphael. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘My dear boy,’ answered the Sorcerer, ‘I don’t ever sleep. What use is sleep? It is a waste of valuable time.’
Raphael glanced at the magazine that the Sorcerer had been reading. It was lying open on the table. As far as Raphael could see it was made up of advertisements. Use Flip Flop Arches for Flat Feet. A Masterpiece of Mechanical Machinery. Is Your Personality Red Hot? The Mechanico Wearing Our Asbestos Underwear Is Correctly Garbed For All Occasions. And there was a picture of a mechanico standing on his head, underneath which Raphael read, Do you know better? Make your manners mechanical.
‘Aren’t there any stories in the magazine?’ Raphael asked.
‘Oh dear no,’ answered Mechanus. ‘This is the Mechanico Journal Post. It is the last word in magazine-making. We have left out all unnecessary matter.’ And he showed Raphael the cover on which was printed the picture of a mechanico with his mouth open. This was done handsomely in several colors.
After breakfast Raphael and Cassandra went out into the garden to play. It was a wonderful garden. There were all sorts of flowers growing in it, flowers much bigger than Raphael had ever seen before. Brick-red zinnias, crimson dahlias, blue corn flowers, columbine, roses, and tall sunflowers. There were also many other flowers Raphael could not name.
‘Why, I didn’t know all these flowers bloomed so early in the spring,’ he said to Cassandra.
‘I guess they don’t, Raff. Anyhow, these are fakes.’
Raphael bent over to pick one. It was true. They were not flowers at all, but beautifully made imitations.