"Numbers," he replied; " and all these in the left wing built their cells with their own hands."

"But if they come here of their own accord, I cannot see why they need make the walls so strong?" I observed.

"That certainly does appear odd to a stranger,” he replied, but not more odd than to hear those in the darkest cells boasting of the superb light they enjoy, and pitying the benighted world without. I believe they call their light the Light of Reason."

I smiled. "The light of reason is the privilege of humanity," I observed politely. "I think you are mistaken in supposing that your prisoners boast of it; they are impostors if they do. But allow me to ask, do they ever come out, and let the sunshine belie their theories ?"

"Sometimes they do," he replied; "but they always carefully muffle themselves first with black hoodwinks, called the Nox-Adumbrators."

"Are there no instances of escape, or rather desertion of the prison ?" I asked.

"Certainly," he replied, now and then such a thing happens. Some of our people alter their minds, and wish to see daylight again; and though they have blocked up door and window, and made the place strong as adamant, they will, after incredible toil, get out again, and crawl forth to bless the light, perhaps, and die. But one great reason why so few get out, is that most of those in the left wing think they are free. "And in the right ?" I asked.

"In the right wing it is different, for the inmates had their cells built for them by a class of people who think it better folks should be in prison, because if they had liberty they might abuse it. They also think it better to keep their cells dark, because their fathers always had dark cells; and, if their cells were made light, they might make a bad use of their light. There are some men hereabouts who never can let well alone, but are always trying to pull down these cells, and get the prisoners out of them. In the right wing these men are called philanthropists; but among our friends on the left, they go by the name of levellers."

66

May I see some of the prisoners ?" I asked.

"O it would be too dark for you to discern their faces," he replied; "and if you did, you might recognize some of them, for several of your acquaintance live here in the outer court, and for you to see them would be extremely awkward."

"My acquaintance!" I exclaimed," you mistake me for some other person; there is not one of my race that would deliberately choose to live in a prison."

"A common prejudice," he replied, with a smile, "they may appear to you, to love light and freedom; but I assure you it is a fact that numbers of them have cells here, and are among our most respected inmates."

I thought it was of no use arguing with the man, so I changed the subject by asking what he meant by the outer court, and did not even remind him that my friends were inhabitants of a different world.

"Why there again there are two wings," he replied; “and in one of them, while people are building their cells as fast as they can, they always declare that fate impels them to it; but they hope they shall never live in them. Others profess to be building for some neighbour or enemy, who they declare deserves to be immured for life; but it sometimes happens, while finishing the interior, they make the door so small they cannot get out again. In another part of that wing the inmates are continually burning candles."

"No wonder," I exclaimed.

"Yes, it is a wonder, when they might have the daylight,” he replied, "but we are given to understand that the Being whom they serve takes delight in their offerings of innumerable candles, and looks upon it as so great a merit in them to live in the cells, that he extends more of his favor to them than to any other of his creatures."

"And what of the other wing ?" I enquired.

"Why the other wing I don't know much about," he replied; "but it is certain that the inmates are not there of their own accord; it is true that the Queen of the Dark is the mistress of it, and that the prisoners suffer incredible pains; you cannot pass through it without hearing groans, and seeing tears, and yet from that wing people get out into the light, and escape more frequently than from any other."

"I wish you would let me see some of the prisoners?" I again entreated.

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'Well, the cells are not far from the entrance,” replied my guide, "I will let you see one or two of them, but you must not inhale the air of the first too freely, for the man within has been a poisoner."

I followed my conductor down a narrow dark passage till he stopped before a heavy door.

"This man," he said, "has partial liberty. Sometimes he goes forth with an antidote, which he scatters about as freely as he can; but there are long periods when he is forced to dwell in this dark cell in punishment of a crime that he committed. Look in."

I looked, and by a glimmering ray of light I just discerned the figure of a venerable old man, clad in a flowing garment or robe.

“In his youth,” said my conductor, "that man poisoned the Town-well."

"I was

Yes, it is too true," said the poor prisoner within. trusted with the well, which the whole parish drank of. I tasted the water myself, and found it, as I thought, very cold, very flavourless, and colourless; and I pressed into it the honey of some resplendent flowers that grew near at hand. They made it sparkle with a yellow lustre, and the townsmen said it was sweet; but, alas! I discovered too late that it had poisonous and intoxicating qualities. I warned the people with tears; but they still drank-they said it was a comforting cordial, sweet to their nature; and they drew of it, and drank it till they died."

"How sad," I exclaimed to my guide, "and how thankful I ought to be that I live in a world where poisoning wells is unheard of." Just then I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and the Queen of the Dark stood beside me: anger flashed from her deep eyes, and I instinctively felt that I had offended her.

"You have aspersed my people," she said, "and dared not only to compare them with the dwellers in your own illusory and deceitful world, but even to make the comparison to their disadvantage."

"Forgive me this once," I began, for her face lowered upon

me, and I was afraid she would shut me also up in this prison; "it is very dark in here, and perhaps I made mistakes in what I saw." The Queen of the Dark appeared to be appeased.

"Do you wish to see anything more in my prison ?" she enquired.

"Yes; I should like to know who lives in that opposite cell," I replied," and why that mirror is hung before the door ?"

"That mirror is another of my divining glasses," said the Queen, "I hung it there that those who wish to know that prisoner's history might do so without coming into contact with him, for he also has been a noted poisoner, and he is haunted now by a fearful voice which continually torments him, and frightens those who come near him."

So I drew near, and looked into the polished depths of this divining glass, and there I saw a man sitting on the ground in a garden: he held something in his hand which appeared to delight him very much; I thought it looked like a seed. Another man presently came up to him and enquired what he had got there?

"I have

"It is a seed that I have made," said the first man. ransacked nature and art, and searched the elements, and at length by incredible labor, I have made this seed which is a new thing and a precious: I am now going to plant it that it may grow."

Then I heard the other man trying to persuade him to throw his seed into the flame, for it was poisonous, but he refused, and declared that it would bear wholesome and good fruit-excellent for the food of man. I heard the voice of the second man still urging him to destroy the seed, but he was angry and said, "Even if it be poison, what is that to you, I will plant it, for it can hurt no one but myself."

So I saw that he planted it, and watered it, and shaded it from the sun, and watched by it as if it had been a child. Then I saw the earth crack, and a rich plant thrust up its head; it grew rapidly, and soon put out innumerable branches, and they again were covered with countless buds, which soon expanded into blossoms of the most gorgeous hue. I perceived a fragrant scent, and observed that a certain kind of honey, wonderfully rich and fragrant, began to drop from these brilliant

umbels to the ground. The man was overjoyed. He propped up its luxuriant boughs, turned the blossoms to the sun, and ate plentifully of the honey which dropped from them.

"Look at my plant, now," said he to the other man, who again approached, "is it not fair? is it not fine? does it not perfume the air and delight the senses ?”

"It is a deadly, poisonous weed," repeated the other: "pluck it up, neighbour, and trample it under foot while yet there is time."

Then I saw that several men, and some women and children, had come near to look at the plant.

"Good people," said the planter of it, "taste this honey-and see if it is not sweet ?"

"Good people," interrupted the other man, "I pray you forbear; its hurtful berries are ripe, but they lie and rot upon the ground, and you that planted it, your face is already pale through the baneful influence of its odour-pluck it up ere it be too late."

But in spite of these warnings, I saw that the spectators drew nearer, and encouraged by the man who had planted it, one put out a hand and plucked the berries, and another dipped a finger in the honey, and a third gathered the blossoms and entwined them with her hair. "It is beautiful," said some. "I shall never be tired of these delicious berries," said another, "but methinks I am sleepy, I must lie down and sleep."

And so I saw that, one by one, all that fair company ate, and a kind of faint slumber coming over them, they lay down close to the plant, and slept; still as they slept the plant grew taller and wider, till they were all completely enveloped in its shadow, and till the atmosphere far and near was loaded with its heavy scent.

I looked earnestly at the sleepers. The reflections of the pendant branches flickered in the sunshine on their faces, and I perceived that they all, even the most blooming, had become livid and pale; and that their limbs seemed languid and weak. At last, I saw that the planter of the seed awoke, and sitting up looked around him. The shadow of death appeared to hang over his dim eyes and pallid brow, and a sudden sense of the crime he had committed struck misery into his soul, for he saw