“Tell me, Zadok,” cried the young man; “I command you to tell me, where is that wand of silver and gold?” “I have it with me,” said Zadok. “Then give it to me; I command you to give it to me.” “I hear and obey,” said Zadok. He drew from his girdle a wand, half of gold and half of silver, as he spoke, and gave it to the young man. “Thou mayst go now, Zadok,” said the young man, trembling with eagerness. Zadok laughed and vanished. The young man stood for a while looking down at the beautiful figure of alabaster. Then he touched the lips with the golden tip of the wand. In an instant there came a marvellous change. He saw the stone melt, and begin to grow flexible and soft. He saw it become warm, and the cheeks and lips grow red with life. Meantime a murmur had begun to rise all through the palace. It grew louder and louder--it became a shout. The figure of the queen that had been stone opened its eyes. “Who are you?” it said. Aben Hassen the Fool fell upon his knees. “I am he who was sent to bring you to life,” he said. “My father turned you to cold stone, and I--I have brought you back to warm life again.” [Illustration] The queen smiled--her teeth sparkled like pearls. “If you have brought me to life, then I am yours,” she said, and she kissed him upon the lips. He grew suddenly dizzy; the world swam before his eyes. * * * * * For seven days nothing was heard in the town but rejoicing and joy. The young man lived in a golden cloud of delight. “And to think,” said he, “if I had listened to that accursed Talisman of Solomon, called ‘The Wise,’ all this happiness, this ecstasy that is now mine, would have been lost to me.” * * * * * “Tell me, beloved,” said the queen, upon the morning of the seventh day--“thy father once possessed all the hidden treasure of the ancient kings of Egypt--tell me, is it now thine as it was once his?” “Yes,” said the young man, “it is now all mine as it was once all his.” “And do you really love me as you say?” “Yes,” said the young man, “and ten thousand times more than I say.” “Then, as you love me, I beg one boon of you. It is that you show me this treasure of which I have heard so much, and which we are to enjoy together.” The young man was drunk with happiness. “Thou shalt see it all,” said he. Then, for the first time, the Talisman spoke without being questioned. “Fool!” it cried; “wilt thou not be advised?” “Be silent,” said the young man. “Six times, vile thing, you would have betrayed me. Six times you would have deprived me of joys that should have been mine, and each was greater than that which went before. Shall I now listen the seventh time? Now,” said he to the queen, “I will show you our treasure.” He called aloud, “Zadok, Zadok, Zadok!” Instantly the ground shook beneath their feet, the dust rose in clouds, and Zadok appeared, as black as ink, and with eyes that shone like coals of fire.