elongs to the species of the Helix, and
the little bones near the drum are exactly like the animal in Limnaeus
stagnalis, and that's printed in a book."

Victor, who realised at once that the voice belonged to a
thought-reader, shouted back brutally, but without showing the least
surprise:--

"We know all that, but why we should have a Helix in our ears is as
unknown to the book as to the dealer in snails--"

"I'm not a dealer in snails," bellowed the voice behind the curtain.

"What are you, then?" Victor bellowed back.

"I'm... a troll!"

At the same moment the curtains were drawn aside a little, and a head
appeared in the opening of so terrifying an aspect, that anybody but
Victor would have taken to his heels. But he, who knew exactly how to
treat a troll, looked steadily at the glowing pipe-bowl; for that is
exactly what the troll looked like as he stood blowing rings through the
parted curtains. When the smoke rings had floated within his reach, he
caught them with his fingers and threw them back.

"I see you can play quoits," snarled the troll.

"A little bit," answered Victor.

"And you aren't afraid?"

"A sailor must never be afraid of anything; if he is, the girls won't
like him."

And as he was tired of the snails, Victor seized the opportunity to
beat a retreat without appearing to run away. He left the shop, walking
backwards, for he knew that a man must never show his back to the enemy,
because his back is far more sensitive than ever his face could be.

And on he went on the blue and white carpet. The passage was not a
straight one, but wound and curved so that it was impossible to see the
end of it; and still there were new shops, and still no people and no
shop proprietors. But Victor, taught by his experience, understood that
they were all in the back parlours.

At last he came to a scent shop, which smelt of all the flowers of wood
and meadow; he thought of his sweetheart and decided to go in and buy
her a bottle of Eau-de-Cologne.

No sooner thought than done. The shop was very much like the snail shop,
but the scent of the flowers was so overpowering that it made his head
ache, and he had to sit down on a chair. A strong smell of almonds
caused a buzzing in his cars, but left a pleasant taste in his mouth,
like cherry-wine. Victor, never at a loss, felt in his pocket for his
little brass box, that had a tiny mirror on the inside of the lid, and
put a piece of chewing tobacco in his