I should never finish if I were to try and describe to my little readers all the wonderful and incredible things that appeared before our hero's eyes. But, suddenly, a loud burst of laughter rang through the hall. A Child had spoken of the King of the Nine Planets; and Tyltyl, very much puzzled and perplexed, looked on every side. All the faces, bright with laughter, were turned to some spot which Tyltyl could not see; every finger pointed in the same direction; but our friend looked in vain. They had spoken of a king! He was looking for a throne with a tall, dignified personage on it, wielding a golden sceptre. "Over there ... over there ... lower down ... behind you!" said a thousand little voices together. "But where is the King?" Tyltyl and Mytyl repeated, greatly interested. Then, suddenly, a louder and more serious voice sounded above the silvery murmur of the others: "Here I am!" it said proudly. And, at the same time, Tyltyl discovered a chubby baby which he had not yet remarked, for it was the smallest and had kept out of the way till then, sitting at the foot of a column in an attitude of indifference, seemingly rapt in contemplation. The little King was the only one who had taken no notice of the "Live Children." His beautiful, liquid eyes, eyes as blue as the palace, were pursuing endless dreams; his right hand supported his head, which was already heavy with thought; his short tunic showed his dimpled knees; and a golden crown rested on his yellow locks. When he cried, "Here I am!" the baby rose from the step on which he was sitting and tried to climb on to it at one stride; but he was still so awkward that he lost his balance and fell upon his nose. He at once picked himself up with so much dignity that nobody dared make fun of him; and, this time, he scrambled up on all fours and then, putting his legs wide apart, stood and eyed Tyltyl from top to toe. "You're not very big!" said Tyltyl, doing his best to keep from laughing. "I shall do great things when I am!" retorted the King, in a tone that admitted of no reply. "And what will you do?" asked Tyltyl. "I shall found the General Confederation of the Solar Planets," said the King, in a very pompous voice. Our friend was so much impressed that he could not find a word to say; and the King continued: "All the Planets will belong to it, except Uranus, Saturn and Neptune, which are too ridiculously far away." Thereupon, he toddled off the step again and resumed his first attitude, showing that he had said all that he meant to say.