The Enchanted Castle Read online

  Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file wasproduced from images generously made available by TheInternet Archive/American Libraries.)

  THE ENCHANTED CASTLE

  BY THE SAME AUTHOR

  FOR CHILDREN

  _Illustrated, crown 8vo, cloth gilt, 6s._

  The Treasure Seekers The Would-be-Goods Nine Unlikely Tales for Children Five Children and It New Treasure Seekers The Story of the Amulet

  * * * * *

  FOR GROWN-UPS

  _Crown 8vo, cloth, 6s._

  Man and Maid

  LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN

  THE HALL IN WHICH THE CHILDREN FOUND THEMSELVES WAS THEMOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN THE WORLD.]

  The Enchanted Castle

  BY E. NESBIT

  AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF THE AMULET," "THE TREASURE SEEKERS," ETC.

  WITH 47 ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. R. MILLAR

  LONDON T. FISHER UNWIN ADELPHI TERRACE

  1907

  _(All rights reserved.)_

  TO

  MARGARET OSTLER

  WITH LOVE FROM

  E. NESBIT

  Peggy, you came from the heath and moor, And you brought their airs through my open door; You brought the blossom of youth to blow In the Latin Quarter of Soho.

  For the sake of that magic I send you here A tale of enchantments, Peggy dear, --A bit of my work, and a bit of my heart... The bit that you left when we had to part.

  _September 25, 1907._ ROYALTY CHAMBERS, SOHO, W.

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  THE HALL IN WHICH THE CHILDREN FOUND THEMSELVES _Frontispiece_ PAGE "LITTLE DECEIVER!" SHE SAID 18 JIMMY CAME IN HEAD FIRST 25 "IT'S THE ENTRANCE TO THE ENCHANTED CASTLE" 29 "THIS IS AN ENCHANTED GARDEN" 33 THE RED CLUE RAN STRAIGHT ACROSS THE GRASS 37 THE THREE STOOD BREATHLESS, AWAITING THE RESULT 40 "IT'S A GAME, ISN'T IT?" ASKED JIMMY 48 SHE WAS WAITING FOR THEM WITH A CANDLE IN HER HAND 51 LOOKING AT HERSELF IN THE LITTLE SILVER-FRAMED MIRROR 56 BACKWARD AND FORWARD HE WENT 61 "YOUR SHADOW'S NOT INVISIBLE, ANYHOW" 68 THE BREAD AND BUTTER WAVING ABOUT IN THE AIR 75 "HALLOA, MISSY, AIN'T YOU BLACKED YER BACK, NEITHER!" 83 "YOU'RE GETTING AT ME" 92 "STOW IT!" CRIED THE MAN 95 "WHAT'S THAT?" THE POLICEMEN ASKED QUICKLY 104 "I MUST GO HOME--NOW--THIS MINUTE" 108 THE MOVING STONE BEAST 115 THE MEN WERE TAKING SILVER OUT OF TWO GREAT CHESTS 120 JOHNSON WASHING IN HIS OWN BACKYARD 131 GERALD HALTED AT THE END OF A LITTLE LANDING-STAGE 137 HE STAGGERED BACK AGAINST THE WATER-BUTT 142 "'E'S LEP' INTO THE WATER" 151 IT WAS ELIZA, DISHEVELLED, BREATHLESS 154 SHE KISSED HIM WITH LITTLE QUICK, FRENCH PECKS 160 DOWN CAME THE LOVELIEST BLUE-BLACK HAIR 171 FULLY HALF A DOZEN OF THE CHAIRS WERE OCCUPIED 175 A LIMP HAND WAS LAID ON HIS ARM 184 "WONDER WHAT LIES HE'S TELLING THEM" 195 IT WAS A STRANGE PROCESSION 201 A PAINTED POINTED PAPER FACE PEERED OUT 214 JIMMY SHOOK THEM TO PIECES 221 TWO HATS WERE RAISED 231 KATHLEEN HANDS UP THE CLOTHES AND THE STICKS 235 HE CRIED OUT ALOUD IN THAT CROWDED PLACE 246 SHE SAT DOWN SUDDENLY ON THE FLOOR 256 KATHLEEN HAD HER WISH. SHE WAS A STATUE 264 MABEL LAY DOWN, WAS COVERED UP, AND LEFT 268 THE MONSTER LIZARD SLIPPED HEAVILY INTO THE WATER 272 "WHAT IS IT?" SHE ASKED, BEGINNING TO TREMBLE 276 SIDE BY SIDE THE THREE SWAM 283 IT WAS A CELESTIAL PICNIC 288 THE JOYS OF DIPPING ONE'S FEET IN COOL, RUNNING WATER 315 THEY STOOD STILL AND LOOKED AT EACH OTHER 319 HE BECAME EAGER, ALERT, VERY KEEN 326 THE AMERICAN FIRED AGAIN 332

  The Enchanted Castle