It's no use upsetting her,
but we didn't ask for Jane's address, and the Psammead's with
her.'
'Well,' whispered Robert, 'the charm can bring them to us at any
moment. IT said so.'
'Oh, yes,' whispered Cyril, in miserable derision, 'WE'RE all
right, of course. So we are! Oh, yes! If we'd only GOT the
charm.'
Then Robert saw, and he murmured, 'Crikey!' at the foot of the
throne of Babylon; while Cyril hoarsely whispered the plain
English fact--
'Jane's got the charm round her neck, you silly cuckoo.'
'Crikey!' Robert repeated in heart-broken undertones.
CHAPTER 7
'THE DEEPEST DUNGEON BELOW THE CASTLE MOAT'
The Queen threw three of the red and gold embroidered cushions
off the throne on to the marble steps that led up to it.
'Just make yourselves comfortable there,' she said. 'I'm simply
dying to talk to you, and to hear all about your wonderful
country and how you got here, and everything, but I have to do
justice every morning. Such a bore, isn't it? Do you do justice
in your own country?'
'No, said Cyril; 'at least of course we try to, but not in this
public sort of way, only in private.' 'Ah, yes,' said the Queen,
'I should much prefer a private audience myself--much easier to
manage. But public opinion has to be considered. Doing justice
is very hard work, even when you're brought up to it.'
'We don't do justice, but we have to do scales, Jane and me,'
said Anthea, 'twenty minutes a day.
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