you come to, after going through all those winding passages into
the heart of the moon?"

"I didn't say they were winding passages. I said they were long
and narrow. They didn't wind. They went by corners."

"That's worth knowing," remarked Diamond. "For who knows how soon
he may have to go there? But the main thing is, what did you come
to at last?"

"We came to a small box against the wall of a tiny room.
The little man told me to put my ear against it. I did so,
and heard a noise something like the purring of a cat, only not
so loud, and much sweeter. `What is it?' I asked. `Don't you
know the sound?' returned the little man. `No,' I answered.
`Don't you know the sound of bees?' he said. I had never heard bees,
and could not know the sound of them. `Those are my lady's bees,'
he went on. I had heard that bees gather honey from the flowers.
`But where are the flowers for them?' I asked. `My lady's bees
gather their honey from the sun and the stars,' said the little man.
`Do let me see them,' I said. `No. I daren't do that,' he answered.
`I have no business with them. I don't understand them.
Besides, they are so bright that if one were to fly into your eye,
it would blind you altogether.' `Then you have seen them?'
`Oh, yes! Once or twice, I think. But I don't quite know:
they are so very bright--like buttons of lightning. Now I've
showed you all I can to-night, and we'll go back to the room.'
I followed him, and he made me sit down under a lamp that hung from
the roof, and gave me some bread and honey.