meralds and sapphires and precious stones of all kinds--that sparkled
and blazed and flamed like a million stars. Around the wall, and facing
the basin from all sides, stood six golden statues. Three of them were
statues of the kings and three of them were statues of the queens who
had gathered together all this vast and measureless wealth of ancient
Egypt.

There was space for a seventh statue, but where it should have stood was
a great arched door of adamant. The door was tightly shut, and there was
neither lock nor key to it. Upon the door were written these words in
letters of flame:

"Behold! Beyond this door is that alone which shall satisfy all thy
desires."

"Tell me, Zadok," said the young man, after he had filled his soul with
all the other wonders that surrounded him--"tell me what is there that
lies beyond that door?"

"That I am forbidden to tell thee, O master!" said the King of the
Demons of the Earth.

"Then open the door for me," said the young man; "for I cannot open it
for myself, as there is neither lock nor key to it."

"That also I am forbidden to do," said Zadok.

"I wish that I knew what was there," said the young man.

The Demon laughed. "Some time," said he, "thou mayest find for thyself.
Come, let us leave here and go to the palace which thy father built
years ago, and which he left behind him when he quitted this place for
the place in which thou knewest him."

He led the way and the young man followed; they passed through the
vaulted rooms and out through the door of adamant, and Zadok locked it
behind them and gave the key to the young man.

"All this is thine now," he said; "I give it to thee as I gave it to thy
father. I have shown thee how to enter, and thou mayst go in whenever it
pleases thee to do so."

They ascended the steps, and so reached the garden above. Then Zadok
struck his heel upon the ground, and the earth closed as it had opened.
He led the young man from the spot until they had come to a wide avenue
that led to the palace beyond. "Here I leave thee," said the Demon, "But
if ever thou hast need of me, call and I will come."

Thereupon he vanished like a flash, leaving the young man standing like
one in a dream.

He saw before him a garden of such splendor and magnificence as he had
never dreamed of even in his wildest fancy. There were seven fountains
as clear as crystal that shot high into the air and fell back into
basins of alabaster. There was a broad