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170 THE SHADOWS.
former operator waved his dusky palm across his vision, and once more the king saw only the fire-lighted walls, and dark shapes flickering about upon them. The two who had spoken for the rest seemed likewise to have vanished. But at last the king discovered them, standing one on each side of the fireplace. They kept close to the chimney-wall, and talked to each other across the length of the chimney-piece; thus avoiding the direct rays of the fire, which, though light is necessary to their appearing to human eyes, do not agree with them at all—much less give birth to them, as the king was soon to learn. After a few minutes they again approached the bed, and spoke thus :—
"It is now getting dark, please your majesty.
We mean, out of doors in the snow. Your majesty
may see, from where he is lying, the cold light of
ts great winding-sheet—a famous carpet for the |
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