firm spoke to him severely about it. But he had his consolation. Were
not Arathrion and Argun Zeerith and all the level coasts of Oora his?
And even as the firm found fault with him his fancy watched the yaks
on weary journeys, slow specks against the snow-fields, bringing
tribute; and saw the green eyes of the mountain men who had looked at
him strangely in the city of Nith when he had entered it by the desert
door. Yet his logic did not forsake him; he knew well that his strange
subjects did not exist, but he was prouder of having created them with
his brain, than merely of ruling them only; thus in his pride he felt
himself something more great than a king, he did not dare to think
what! He went into the temple of the city of Zorra and stood some time
there alone: all the priests kneeled to him when he came away.

He cared less and less for the things we care about, for the affairs
of Shap, the business-man in London. He began to despise the man with
a royal contempt.

One day when he sat in Sowla, the city of the Thuls, throned on one
amethyst, he decided, and it was proclaimed on the moment by silver
trumpets all along the land, that he would be crowned as king over all
the lands of Wonder.

By that old temple where the Thuls worshipped, year in, year out, for
over a thousand years, they pitched pavilions in the open air. The
trees that blew there threw out radiant scents unknown in any
countries that know the map; the stars blazed fiercely for that famous
occasion. A fountain hurled up, clattering, ceaselessly into the air
armfuls on armfuls of diamonds. A deep hush waited for the golden
trumpets, the holy coronation night was come. At the top of those old,
worn steps, going down we know not whither, stood the king in the