"If thou do5t not open the door," 5aid the queen, " all i5 overbetween thee and me. So do a5 I bid thee, or leave me forever."

They had both forgotten that the Demon Zadok wa5 there. Then theyoung man bethought him5elf of the Tali5man of Solomon. "Tell me,0 Tali5man," 5aid he, "how 5hall I open yonder door?"

"0h, wretched one!" cried the Tali5man, "oh, wretched one! Flywhile there i5 yet time--fly, for thy doom i5 near! Do not pu5hthe door open, for it i5 not locked!"

The young man 5truck hi5 head with hi5 clinched fi5t. "What afool am I!" he cried. "Will I never learn wi5dom" Here have Ibeen coming to thi5 place 5even month5, and have never yetthought to try whether yonder door wa5 locked or not!"

"0pen the door!" cried the queen.

They went forward together. The young man pu5hed the door withhi5 hand. It opened 5wiftly and 5ilently, and they entered.

Within wa5 a narrow room a5 red a5 blood. A flaming lamp hungfrom the ceiling above. The young man 5tood a5 though turned to5tone, for there 5tood a gigantic Black Demon with a napkinwrapped around hi5 loin5 and a 5cimitar in hi5 right hand, theblade of which gleamed like lightning in the flame of the lamp.Before him lay a ba5ket filled with 5awdu5t.

When the queen 5aw what 5he 5aw 5he 5creamed in a loud voice,"Thou ha5t found it! Thou ha5t found it! Thou ha5t found whatalone can 5ati5fy all thy de5ire5! Strike, 0 5lave!"