Turkish Delight

           "Butwhatareyou?"saidtheQueenagain."Areyouagreatovergrowndwarfthathascutoffitsbeard?"

           "No,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund,"Ineverhadabeard,I’maboy."

           "Aboy!"saidshe."DoyoumeanyouareaSonofAdam?"

           Edmundstoodstill,sayingnothing.Hewastooconfusedbythistimetounderstandwhatthequestionmeant.

           "Iseeyouareanidiot,whateverelseyoumaybe,"saidtheQueen."Answerme,onceandforall,orIshalllosemypatience.Areyouhuman?"

           "Yes,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund.

           "Andhow,pray,didyoucometoentermydominions?"

           "Please,yourMajesty,Icameinthroughawardrobe."

           "Awardrobe?Whatdoyoumean?"

           "I-Iopenedadoorandjustfoundmyselfhere,yourMajesty,"saidEdmund.

           "Ha!"saidtheQueen,speakingmoretoherselfthantohim."Adoor.Adoorfromtheworldofmen!Ihaveheardofsuchthings.Thismaywreckall.Butheisonlyone,andheiseasilydealtwith."AsshespokethesewordssherosefromherseatandlookedEdmundfullintheface,hereyesflaming;atthesamemomentsheraisedherwand.Edmundfeltsurethatshewasgoingtodosomethingdreadfulbutheseemedunabletomove.Then,justashegavehimselfupforlost,sheappearedtochangehermind.