You have no idea what pranks they play."

"And what is your authority among them?" asked Leo.

"I am one of our King's cabinet; my title is Master Professor. My
learning qualifies me to decide upon the plans of work, where to search
for precious stones, and how best to prepare them for man's finding.
Nothing is more amusing than the wonder and surprise men exhibit at what
they consider their discoveries of minerals and gems, when for ages we
have been arranging them for their clumsy hands."

"How do you do this?"

"Ah! it's a long story. Here you see the result of our long searches,
and were it not for the processes we conduct none of these stones would
ever be found. We can penetrate where man has never been; we can
construct what man has in vain tried to do. Come with me to our
diamond-room: we do not make many, preferring to find them; but as an
interesting scientific experiment we have always liked to test our
ability."

So saying, Knops turned down a little lane lighted by what looked like
small globes of white fire.

"Electric light," said Knops, with a gesture of disdain, as he saw Leo
blinking with wonder--"the commonest sort of a blaze; and yet men have
nearly addled their brains over it, while we made it boil our kettles.
It's the simplest and cheapest fuel one can have; but having utilized it
so long, I am on the lookout for something new. Here, this is the way;"
and again he opened a mica door.