"Here is the money for thy wool, my lad," the old man said kindly. "Hark 'ee, if you choose to ride with us again, meet me at Shepherd's Bush on the sixth day hence, and you shall have that good-for-naught Gib's place. And keep thy money safe; this is a place of thieves." That was how Robert Edrupt rode from the West Country and settled in his mind that some day he would himself be a wool-merchant. THE BIOGRAPHER The little green lizard on Solomon's wall Basked in the gold of a shimmering noon, Heard the insistent, imperious call Of hautboy and tabor and loud bassoon, When Balkis passed by, with her alien grace, And the light of wonder upon her face, To sit by the King in his lofty hall,-- And the little green lizard saw it all. The little green lizard on Solomon's wall Waited for flies the long day through, While the craftsmen came at the monarch's call To the task that was given each man to do, And the Temple rose with its cunning wrought gold, Cedar and silver, and all it could hold In treasure of tapestry, silk and shawl,-- And the little green lizard observed it all. The little green lizard on Solomon's wall Heard what the King said to one alone, Secrets that only the Djinns may recall, Graved on the Sacred, Ineffable Stone. And yet, when the little green lizard was led To speak of the King, when the King was dead, He had only kept count of the flies on the wall,-- For he was but a lizard, after all! II BASIL THE SCRIBE HOW AN IRISH MONK IN AN ENGLISH ABBEY CAME TO STAND BEFORE KINGS Brother Basil, of the scriptorium, was doing two things at once with the same brain. He did not know whether any of the other monks ever indulged in this or not. None of them showed any signs of it.