第4章 The Crooked Magician (2)

She led the way to a great domed hall at the back of the house, which was the Magician's workshop.There was a row of windows extending nearly around the sides of the circular room, which rendered the place very light, and there was a back door in addition to the one leading to the front part of the house.Before the row of windows a broad seat was built and there were some chairs and benches in the room besides.At one end stood a great fireplace, in which a blue log was blazing with a blue flame, and over the fire hung four kettles in a row, all bubbling and steaming at a great rate.The Magician was stirring all four of these kettles at the same time, two with his hands and two with his feet, to the latter, wooden ladles being strapped, for this man was so very crooked that his legs were as handy as his arms.

Unc Nunkie came forward to greet his old friend, but not being able to shake either his hands or his feet, which were all occupied in stirring, he patted the Magician's bald head and asked: "What?""Ah, it's the Silent One," remarked Dr.Pipt, without looking up, "and he wants to know what I'm making.Well, when it is quite finished this compound will be the wonderful Powder of Life, which no one knows how to make but myself.Whenever it is sprinkled on anything, that thing will at once come to life, no matter what it is.It takes me several years to make this magic Powder, but at this moment I am pleased to say it is nearly done.You see, I am making it for my good wife Margolotte, who wants to use some of it for a purpose of her own.Sit down and make yourself comfortable, Unc Nunkie, and after I've finished my task I will talk to you.

"You must know," said Margolottte, when they were all seated together on the broad window-seat, "that my husband foolishly gave away all the Powder of Life he first made to old Mombi the Witch, who used to live in the Country of the Gillikins, to the north of here.Mombi gave to Dr.

Pipt a Powder of Perpetual Youth in exchange for his Powder of Life, but she cheated him wickedly, for the Powder of Youth was no good and could work no magic at all.""Perhaps the Powder of Life couldn't either,"said Ojo.

"Yes; it is perfection," she declared."The first lot we tested on our Glass Cat, which not only began to live but has lived ever since.She's somewhere around the house now.""A Glass Cat!" exclaimed Ojo, astonished.

"Yes; she makes a very pleasant companion, but admires herself a little more than is considered modest, and she positively refuses to catch mice,"explained Margolotte."My husband made the cat some pink brains, but they proved to be too high-bred and particular for a cat, so she thinks it is undignified in her to catch mice.Also she has a pretty blood-red heart, but it is made of stone--a ruby, I think--and so is rather hard and unfeeling.

I think the next Class Cat the Magician makes will have neither brains nor heart, for then it will not object to catching mice and may prove of some use to us.""What did old Mombi the Witch do with the Powder of Life your husband gave her?" asked the boy.