'But she only half accomplished her purpose. By some accident, which has never been explained, and in spite of the stress of competition, she had purchased _pure_ salts of potash for the execution of her fell purpose in place of _adulterated_ salts of soda. 'To this I owe it that I am now a living man; and in a moment----' A certain stiffness of demeanour, which we had noticed, but ascribed to pride, worked an unspeakable change in the mage. As we looked at him _he hardened into our cheap mummy_. 'Here's a jolly go!' said Leonora, her mind submerged in terror. I sprang to the bell, '_Soda water at once!_' I cried, and the _slavî_ appeared with the fluid. We applied it to the parched lips of the mummy, and Jambres was himself again. 'Now will you tell me?' I asked, when he had been given a cigarette and made comfortable, 'why we found you--I mean the mummy--under the Three Balls?' ''Twas a pledge,' he replied. 'When my resources ran low, and my rent was unpaid, the landlady used to take advantage of my condition and raise a small sum on me.' All seemed now explained; but Leonora was not yet satisfied. 'You have----' she began. 'Yes, a strawberry mark,' he replied wearily, 'on the usual place!' 'The quest is accomplished,' I said. 'Nay,' replied Jambres, to give him his real name. 'There is still the adventure of the Siege Perilous.' CHAPTER XII. THE WIZARD'S SCHEME. 'We must, as you are aware, visit the Siege Perilous in the Hall of Egypt, and risk ourselves in the chair of the Viewless Maiden, of Her that is not to be seen of Man.' 'We know it,' said Leonora. 'It is,' continued the mage, 'your wish to accomplish the end for which you set forth. This seems to you an easy matter enough; young hearts are full of such illusions, and, believe me, I would willingly change my years, which are lost in geological time, for one hand's breadth of your daring. Know, then,' continued this strange creature, 'that the time has now come when matters must be brought to an end between us. It will be my business, and, I will add, my pleasure,' he continued with a lofty air which sat drolly enough upon him in his yellow duds, 'to conduct you to the Siege Perilous. From you, in return, I must exact an unquestioning obedience; and I will add a measureless _confidence_. I beg you to bear in mind that the slightest resistance to my will must be followed by consequences of which you cannot estimate either the reach or the extension.' There was such a parrot-like pomp about the creature's tautology, and such an old-world affectation of fine manners \in his constant obeisances, that I could hold it no longer, but fairly laughed out in his face.