erminus of a multitude of shining
brass tubes leading from counters the length of a street away, and,
with an incessant popping, the tubes dropped a cascade of gold and
silver before the cashiers, silent and absorbed in this river of coin.
She felt that she was looking at the heart of this huge machine for
drawing money from the pockets of the multitude. The "Silver Shoe",
that poured a stream of golden coins into the pockets of the
hunchback, fascinated her in a like manner.

They had talked for half an hour, intent on figures which Jonah dotted
on the back of an envelope, when they were surprised by a sudden change
in the light. The sun was low in the sky, dipping to the horizon,
where its motion seemed more rapid, as if it had gathered speed in the
descent. The sudden heat had thrown a haze over the sky, and the city
with its spires and towers was transformed. The buildings floated in a
liquid veil with the unreality of things seen in a dream. The rays of
the sun, filtered through bars of crystal cloud, fell not crimson nor
amber nor gold, but with the mystic radiance of liquid pearls, touching
the familiar scene with Eastern magic. In the silvery light a dome
reared its head that might have belonged to an Eastern mosque with a
muezzin calling the faithful to prayers. Minarets glistered, remote
and ethereal, and tall spires lifted themselves like arrows in flight.
On the left lay low hills softly outlined against the pearly sky; hills
of fairyland that might dissolve and disappear with the falling night;
hills on the borderland of fantasy and old romance.

And as they watched, surprised out of themselves by this magic play of
light, the sun's rim dipped below the skyline, a level lake of blood,
and the fantastic city melted like a dream. The pearly haze was
withdrawn like a net of gossamer, and the magic city had vanished at a
touch. The familiar towers and spires of Sydney reappeared, silhouetted
against the amber rim of night; the hills, robbed of their pearly
glamour, huddled beneath a belt of leaden cloud; the harbour waters lay
fiat and grey like a sheet of polished metal; light clouds were pacing
in from the sea.

They stared across the water, silent and thoughtful, touched for a
moment with the glamour of a dream. The sound of a cornet, prolonged
into a wail, reached them from the deck of a Manly steamer. At
intervals the full strength of the band, cheerful and vulgar, was
carried by a gust of wi