hesaid，withhisfingerontheword，andadded，“Thereisabsolutelynodeception，sir。“
　　Heseemedtobecarryingoutthejokeprettythoroughly，Ithought。
　　HeturnedtoGipwithasmileofremarkableaffability。“You，youknow，aretheRightSortofBoy。“
　　Iwassurprisedathisknowingthat，because，intheinterestsofdiscipline，wekeepitratherasecretevenathome；butGipreceiveditinunflinchingsilence，keepingasteadfasteyeonhim。
　　“It’sonlytheRightSortofBoygetsthroughthatdoorway。“
　　And，asifbywayofillustration，therecamearattlingatthedoor，andasqueakinglittlevoicecouldbefaintlyheard。“Nyar！IWARN’agointhere，dadda，IWARN’agointhere。Ny-a-a-ah！“andthentheaccentsofadown-troddenparent，urgingconsolationsandpropitiations。“It’slocked，Edward，“hesaid。
　　“Butitisn’t，“saidI。
　　“Itis，sir，“saidtheshopman，“always——forthatsortofchild，“
　　andashespokewehadaglimpseoftheotheryoungster，alittle，whiteface，pallidfromsweet-eatingandover-sapidfood，anddistortedbyevilpassions，aruthlesslittleegotist，pawingattheenchantedpane。“It’snogood，sir，“saidtheshopman，asImoved，withmynaturalhelpfulness，doorward，andpresentlythespoiltchildwascarriedoffhowling。
　　“Howdoyoumanagethat？“Isaid，breathingalittlemorefreely。
　　“Magic！“saidtheshopman，withacarelesswaveofthehand，andbehold！
　　sparksofcolouredfireflewoutofhisfingersandvanishedintotheshadowsoftheshop。
　　“Youweresaying，“hesaid，addressinghimselftoGip，“beforeyoucamein，thatyouwouldlikeoneofour’BuyOneandAstonishyourFriends’boxes？“
　　Gip，afteragallanteffort，said“Yes。“
　　“It’sinyourpocket。“
　　Andleaningoverthecounter——hereallyhadanextraordinarilylongbody——thisamazingpersonproducedthearticleinthecustomaryconjurer’smanner。“Paper，“hesaid，andtookasheetoutoftheemptyhatwiththesprings；“string，“andbeholdhismouthwasastring-box，fromwhichhedrewanunendingthread，whichwhenhehadtiedhisparcelhebitoff——and，itseemedtome，swallowedtheballofstring。Andthenhelitacandleatthenoseofoneoftheventriloquist’sdummies，stuckoneofhisfingerswhichhadbecomesealing-waxredintotheflame，andsosealedtheparcel。
　　“ThentherewastheDisappearingEgg，“heremarked，andproducedonefromwithinmycoat-breastandpackedit，andalsoTheCryingBaby，VeryHuman。IhandedeachparceltoGipasitwasready，andheclaspedthemtohischest。
　　Hesaidverylittle，buthiseyeswereeloquent；theclutchofhisarmswaseloquent。Hewastheplaygroundofunspeakableemotions。
　　These，youknow，wereREALMagics。Then，withastart，Idiscoveredsomethingmovingaboutinmyhat——somethingsoftandjumpy。Iwhippeditoff，andaruffledpigeon——nodoubtaconfederate——droppedoutandranonthecounter，andwent，Ifancy，intoacardboardboxbehindthepapier-machetiger。
　　“Tut，tut！“saidtheshopman，dexterouslyrelievingmeofmyheaddress；
　　“carelessbird，and——asIlive——nesting！“
　　Heshookmyhat，andshookoutintohisextendedhandtwoorthreeeggs，alargemarble，awatch，abouthalf-a-dozenoftheinevitableglassballs，andthencrumpled，crinkledpaper，moreandmoreandmore，talkingallthetimeofthewayinwhichpeopleneglecttobrushtheirhatsINSIDEaswellasout，politely，ofcourse，butwithacertainpersonalapplication。“Allsortsofthingsaccumulate，sir……NotYOU，ofcourse，inparticular……Nearlyeverycustomer……Astonishingwhattheycarryaboutwiththem……“
　　Thecrumpledpaperroseandbillowedonthecountermoreandmoreandmore，untilhewasnearlyhiddenfromus，untilhewasaltogetherhidden，andstillhisvoicewentonandon。“Wenoneofusknowwhatthefairsemblanceofahumanbeingmayconceal，sir。Areweallthennobetterthanbrushedexteriors，whitedsepulchres——“
　　Hisvoicestopped——exactlylikewhenyouhitaneighbour’sgramophonewithawell-aimedbrick，thesameinstantsilence，andtherustleofthepaperstopped，andeverythingwasstill……
　　“Haveyoudonewithmyhat？“Isaid，afteraninterval。
　　Therewasnoanswer。
　　IstaredatGip，andGipstaredatme，andtherewereourdistortionsinthemagicmirrors，lookingveryrum，andgrave，andquiet……
　　“Ithinkwe’llgonow，“Isaid。“Willyoutellmehowmuchallthiscomesto？。
　　“Isay，“Isaid，onaratherloudernote，“Iwantthebill；andmyhat，please。“
　　Itmighthavebeenasnifffrombehindthepaperpile……
　　“Let’slookbehindthecounter，Gip，“Isaid。“He’smakingfunofus。“
　　IledGiproundthehead-waggingtiger，andwhatdoyouthinktherewasbehindthecounter？Nooneatall！Onlymyhatonthefloor，andacommonconjurer’slop-earedwhiterabbitlostinmeditation，andlookingasstupidandcrumpledasonlyaconjurer’srabbitcando。Iresumedmyhat，andtherabbitlollopedalolloporsooutofmyway。
　　“Dadda！“saidGip，inaguiltywhisper。
　　“Whatisit，Gip？“saidI。
　　“IDOlikethisshop，dadda。“
　　“SoshouldI，“Isaidtomyself，“ifthecounterwouldn’tsuddenlyextenditselftoshutoneofffromthedoor。“ButIdidn’tcallGip’sattentiontothat。“Pussy！“hesaid，withahandouttotherabbitasitcamelollopingpastus；“Pussy，doGipamagic！“
　　andhiseyesfolloweditasitsqueezedthroughadoorIhadcertainlynotremarkedamomentbefore。Thenthisdooropenedwider，andthemanwithoneearlargerthantheotherappearedagain。
　　Hewassmilingstill，buthiseyemetminewithsomethingbetweenamusementanddefiance。“You’dliketoseeourshow-room，sir，“hesaid，withaninnocentsuavity。Giptuggedmyfingerforward。I
　　glancedatthecounterandmettheshopman’seyeagain。Iwasbeginningtothinkthemagicjustalittletoogenuine。“Wehaven’tVERYmuchtime，“Isaid。Butsomehowwewereinsidetheshow-roombeforeIcouldfinishthat。
　　“Allgoodsofthesamequality，“saidtheshopman，rubbinghisflexiblehandstogether，“andthatistheBest。Nothingintheplacethatisn’tgenuineMagic，andwarrantedthoroughlyrum。Excuseme，sir！“
　　Ifelthimpullatsomethingthatclungtomycoat-sleeve，andthenIsawheheldalittle，wrigglingreddemonbythetail——thelittlecreaturebitandfoughtandtriedtogetathishand——andinamomenthetosseditcarelesslybehindacounter。Nodoubtthethingwasonlyanimageoftwistedindiarubber，butforthemoment——！Andhisgesturewasexactlythatofamanwhohandlessomepettybitingbitofvermin。IglancedatGip，butGipwaslookingatamagicrocking-
　　horse。Iwasgladhehadn’tseenthething。“Isay，“Isaid，inanundertone，andindicatingGipandthereddemonwithmyeyes，“youhaven’tmanythingslikeTHATabout，haveyou？“
　　“Noneofours！Probablybroughtitwithyou，“saidtheshopman——
　　alsoinanundertone，andwithamoredazzlingsmilethanever。
　　“AstonishingwhatpeopleWILLcarryaboutwiththemunawares！“
　　AndthentoGip，“Doyouseeanythingyoufancyhere？“
　　ThereweremanythingsthatGipfanciedthere。
　　Heturnedtothisastonishingtradesmanwithmingledconfidenceandrespect。“IsthataMagicSword？“hesaid。
　　“AMagicToySword。Itneitherbends，breaks，norcutsthefingers。
　　Itrendersthebearerinvincibleinbattleagainstanyoneundereighteen。Half-a-crowntosevenandsixpence，accordingtosize。Thesepanopliesoncardsareforjuvenileknights-errantandveryuseful——
　　shieldofsafety，sandalsofswiftness，helmetofinvisibility。“
　　“Oh，daddy！“gaspedGip。
　　Itriedtofindoutwhattheycost，buttheshopmandidnotheedme。
　　HehadgotGipnow；hehadgothimawayfrommyfinger；hehadembarkedupontheexpositionofallhisconfoundedstock，andnothingwasgoingtostophim。PresentlyIsawwithaqualmofdistrustandsomethingverylikejealousythatGiphadholdofthisperson’sfingerasusuallyhehasholdofmine。Nodoubtthefellowwasinteresting，Ithought，andhadaninterestinglyfakedlotofstuff，reallyGOODfakedstuff，still——
　　Iwanderedafterthem，sayingverylittle，butkeepinganeyeonthisprestidigitalfellow。Afterall，Gipwasenjoyingit。
　　Andnodoubtwhenthetimecametogoweshouldbeabletogoquiteeasily。
　　Itwasalong，ramblingplace，thatshow-room，agallerybrokenupbystandsandstallsandpillars，witharchwaysleadingofftootherdepartments，inwhichthequeerest-lookingassistantsloafedandstaredatone，andwithperplexingmirrorsandcurtains。Soperplexing，indeed，werethesethatIwaspresentlyunabletomakeoutthedoorbywhichwehadcome。