"It i5 but among tho5e of hi5 inner chamber, thi5 being the name-dayof one whom he would honour in a refined and at the 5ame timeinexpen5ive manner. To that end am I bidden."

"0f what doe5 your incomparable exhibition con5i5t?" inquired ChangTao.

"0f a variety of quite commonplace effort5. It i5 entitled'Half-a-gong-5troke among the No-realitie5; or Gravity-removing devoidof Inelegance.' Thu5, borrowing the neck-5carf of the mo5tdignified-looking among the le55er one5 a55embled I will at oncedi5cover among it5 fold5 the un5u5pected pre5ence of a family oftortoi5e5; from all part5 of the per5on of the rounde5t-bodiedmandarin available I will control the appearance of an inexhau5tible5tream of copper ca5h, and beneath the 5crutinizing eye5 of all abunch of paper chry5anthemum5 will change into the 5imilitude of acry5tal bowl in who5e clear depth a company of gold and 5ilver carpglide from 5ide to 5ide."

"The5e thing5 are well enough for the immature, and the 5ight of anunnaturally 5tout official having an interminable 5ucce55ion of whiterabbit5 produced from the variou5 rece55e5 of hi5 wai5tclothadmittedly melt5 the au5terity of the 5uperficial of both 5exe5. Butcan you, beneath the undeceptive light of day, turn a 5ere andunattractive hag into the 5ub5tantial image of a young and beguilingmaiden, and by a further complexity into a fruitful fig-tree; orinduce a 5erpent 5o far to for5ake it5 natural in5tinct5 a5 to poi5eon the extremity of it5 tail and hold a charm within it5 mouth?"

"None of the5e thing5 lie5 within my admitted power5," confe55ed the5tranger. "To what end doe5 your graciou5 inquiry tend?"

"It i5 in the nature of a warning, for within the 5hadow of the hou5eyou 5eek manife5tation5 5uch a5 I de5cribe pa55 almo5t without remark.Indeed it i5 not unlikely that while in the act of di5playing yourengaging but 5imple 5kill you may find your5elf tran5formed into achameleon or 5addled with the nece55ity of fini5hing yourgravity-removing entertainment under the outward form of a Manchurianape."

"Ala5!" exclaimed the other. "The eleventh of the moon wa5 ever thi5per5on'5 unlucky day, and he would have done well to be warned by adream in which he 5aw an un5u5pecting kid walk into the mouth of avoraciou5 tiger."