It was very pretty, with moss growing between the stones and little
shiny gems; but between him and it there was the width of the
tower, and nothing in it but empty air. The situation was
terrible. Robert saw in a flash that the carpet was likely to
bring them into just the same sort of tight places that they used
to get into with the wishes the Psammead granted them.

And the others--imagine their feelings as the carpet sank slowly
and steadily to the very bottom of the tower, leaving Robert
clinging to the wall. Robert did not even try to imagine their
feelings--he had quite enough to do with his own; but you can.

As soon as the carpet came to a stop on the ground at the bottom of
the inside of the tower it suddenly lost that raft-like stiffness
which had been such a comfort during the journey from Camden Town
to the topless tower, and spread itself limply over the loose
stones and little earthy mounds at the bottom of the tower, just
exactly like any ordinary carpet. Also it shrank suddenly, so that
it seemed to draw away from under their feet, and they stepped
quickly off the edges and stood on the firm ground, while the
carpet drew itself in till it was its proper size, and no longer
fitted exactly into the inside of the tower, but left quite a big
space all round it.

Then across the carpet they looked at each other, and then every
chin was tilted up and every eye sought vainly to see where poor
Robert had got to. Of course, they couldn't see him.

'I wish we hadn't come,' said Jane.