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It was eight-sided, having in each angle a slender pillar, round which silken draperies were twined. The
wall between the pillars was entirely covered, to the height of six or seven feet, with creepers, from which
hung quantities of ripe fruit and of brilliant flowers, that almost hid the leaves. In another place, perchance,
I might have wondered to see fruit and flowers growing together: here, my chief wonder was that neither
fruit nor flowers were such as I had ever seen before. Higher up, each wall contained a circular window
of coloured glass; and over all was an arched roof, that seemed to be spangled all over with jewels.
With hardly less wonder, I turned this way and that, trying to make out how in the world we had come
in: for there was no door: and all the walls were thickly covered with the lovely creepers.
"We are safe here, my darlings!" said the old man, laying a hand on Sylvie's shoulder, and bending down
to kiss her. Sylvie drew back hastily, with an offended air: but in another moment, with a glad cry of "Why,
it's Father!", she had run into his arms.
- "Father! Father!" Bruno repeated: and, while the happy children were being hugged and kissed, I could
but rub my eyes and say "Where, then, are the rags gone to?"; for the old man was now dressed in royal
robes that glittered with jewels and gold embroidery, and wore a circlet of gold around his head.
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By PanEris
using Melati.
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