'Of course you are!' Anthea was beginning but it interrupted her.

'It's very rude to interrupt,' it said; 'what I mean is that I'm
not going to stand any nonsense, and if you think what you've
done is to give you the right to pet me or make me demean myself
by playing with you, you'll find out that what you think doesn't
matter a single penny. See? It's what _I_ think that matters.'

'I know,' said Cyril, 'it always was, if you remember.'

'Well,' said the Psammead, 'then that's settled. We're to be
treated as we deserve. I with respect, and all of you with--but
I don't wish to be offensive. Do you want me to tell you how I
got into that horrible den you bought me out of? Oh, I'm not
ungrateful! I haven't forgotten it and I shan't forget it.'

'Do tell us,' said Anthea. 'I know you're awfully clever, but
even with all your cleverness, I don't believe you can possibly
know how--how respectfully we do respect you. Don't we?'

The others all said yes--and fidgeted in their chairs. Robert
spoke the wishes of all when he said--

'I do wish you'd go on.' So it sat up on the green-covered table
and went on.

'When you'd gone away,' it said, 'I went to sand for a bit, and
slept. I was tired out with all your silly wishes, and I felt as
though I hadn't really been to sand for a year.'