Peregrine now found himself on a splendid throne, in the rich garments of an Indian king, the sparkling diadem upon his head, the emblematic lotus-flower in his hand instead of a sceptre. The throne stood in the midst of a hall, so large, the eye could not take in its extent; and its thousand columns were slim cedars, aspiring to the heavens. Between them, roses and the most odorous flowers of every kind lifted up their heads from amidst a dark foliage, as if longing for the pure bright azure, that glittered through the twined branches of the cedars, and seemed to look down upon them with the eyes of love. Peregrine recognized himself; he felt that the carbuncle, rekindled into life, was glowing in his own breast. In the farthest background the Genius, Thetel, was labouring to rise into the air, but never was able to reach half the height of the cedars, and fell back again to earth. Here the odious Leech-Prince was crawling with abominable contortions, now blowing himself out, and then again extending himself, and groaning out, all the time,--"Gamaheh! Still mine!" In the middle of the hall, upon colossal microscopes, sate Leuwenhock and Swammerdamm, making most piteous faces, and reproachfully calling out to each other,--"See now! that was the point in the horoscope, the meaning of which you could not interpret. The talisman is lost to us for ever!" Close upon the steps of the throne Dörtje Elverdink and George Pepusch seemed not so much to sleep as to be in a deep swoon. Peregrine,--or, as we may now call him, King Sekakis,--flung back the regal mantle that covered his breast, and, from within, the carbuncle shot forth dazzling beams, like Heaven's fire, through the immense hall. The Genius, Thetel, again tried to rise, but he fell away, with a hollow groan, into innumerable colourless flocks, which, driven by the wind, were lost in the bushes. With the most horrible cries of agony, the Leech-Prince shrunk up, and vanished into the earth, while an indignant roar was heard, as if she reluctantly received into her bosom the odious fugitive. Leuwenhock and Swammerdamm had sunk down from the microscopes into themselves, and it was plain, from their sighs and groans, that they were undergoing a severe punishment. But Dörtje Elverdink and George Pepusch,--or, as we should now call them, Princess Gamaheh and the Thistle, Zeherit,--had awakened from their swoon, and knelt before the king. Their eyes were cast to earth, as if unable to bear the burning splendour of the carbuncle. Peregrine addressed them all with solemnity: "Thou, who shouldst deceive men as the Genius, Thetel, thou wert compounded, by the evil demon, of clay and feathers, and therefore the beaming of love destroyed thee, empty phantom, and thou wert reduced to thy original nothing. "And thou too, blood-thirsty monster of the night, thou wast forced to fly from the fire of the carbuncle into the bosom of the earth.