ich stood open, while the mandarins on
each side, nodding politely, seemed to invite them to enter. Griselda
hesitated.

"Go on," said the cuckoo, patronizingly; "ladies first."

Griselda went on. To her surprise, inside the cabinet it was quite
light, though where the light came from that illuminated all the queer
corners and recesses and streamed out to the front, where stood the
mandarins, she could not discover.

The "palace" was not quite as interesting as she had expected. There
were lots of little rooms in it opening on to balconies commanding, no
doubt, a splendid view of the great saloon; there were ever so many
little stair-cases leading to more little rooms and balconies; but it
all seemed empty and deserted.

"I don't care for it," said Griselda, stopping short at last; "it's all
the same, and there's nothing to see. I thought my aunts kept ever so
many beautiful things in here, and there's nothing."

"Come along, then," said the cuckoo. "I didn't expect you'd care for the
palace, as you called it, much. Let us go out the other way."

He hopped down a sort of little staircase near which they were standing,
and Griselda followed him willingly enough. At the foot they found
themselves in a vestibule, much handsomer than the entrance at the other
side, and the cuckoo, crossing it, lifted one of his claws and touched a
spring in the wall. Instantly a pair of large doors flew open in the
middle, revealing to Griselda the prettiest and most curious sight she
had ever seen.

[Illustration: HE FLAPPED HIS WINGS, AND A PALANQUIN APPEARED AT THE
FOOT OF THE STEPS]

A flight of wide, shallow steps led down from this doorway into a
long, long avenue bordered by stiffly growing trees, from the branches
of which hung innumerable lamps of every colour, making a perfect
network of brilliance as far as the eye could reach.

"Oh, how lovely!" cried Griselda, clapping her hands. "It'll be like
walking along a rainbow. Cuckoo, come quick."

"Stop," said the cuckoo; "we've a good way to go. There's no need to
walk. Palanquin!"

He flapped his wings, and instantly a palanquin appeared at the foot of
the steps. It was made of carved ivory, and borne by four
Chinese-looking figures with pigtails and bright-coloured jackets. A
feeling came over Griselda that she was dreaming, or else that she had
seen this palanquin before. She hesitated. Suddenly she gave a little
jump of satisfaction.

"I know," she exclaimed. "It'