Chapter 8

           IfoundthePalaceofGreenPorcelain,whenweapproacheditaboutnoon,desertedandfallingintoruin. Onlyraggedvestigesofglassremainedinitswindows,andgreatsheetsofthegreenfacinghadfallenawayfromthecorrodedmetallicframework. Itlayveryhighuponaturfydown,andlookingnorth-eastwardbeforeIenteredit,Iwassurprisedtoseealargeestuary,orevencreek,whereIjudgedWandsworthandBatterseamustoncehavebeen. IthoughtthenthoughIneverfollowedupthethoughtofwhatmighthavehappened,ormightbehappening,tothelivingthingsinthesea. 

           ‘ThematerialofthePalaceprovedonexaminationtobeindeedporcelain,andalongthefaceofitIsawaninscriptioninsomeunknowncharacter. Ithought,ratherfoolishly,thatWeenamighthelpmetointerpretthis,butIonlylearnedthatthebareideaofwritinghadneverenteredherhead. Shealwaysseemedtome,Ifancy,morehumanthanshewas,perhapsbecauseheraffectionwassohuman. 

           ‘Withinthebigvalvesofthedoorwhichwereopenandbrokenwefound,insteadofthecustomaryhall,alonggallerylitbymanysidewindows. AtthefirstglanceIwasremindedofamuseum. Thetiledfloorwasthickwithdust,andaremarkablearrayofmiscellaneousobjectswasshroudedinthesamegreycovering. ThenIperceived,standingstrangeandgauntinthecentreofthehall,whatwasclearlythelowerpartofahugeskeleton. IrecognizedbytheobliquefeetthatitwassomeextinctcreatureafterthefashionoftheMegatherium. Theskullandtheupperboneslaybesideitinthethickdust,andinoneplace,whererain-waterhaddroppedthroughaleakintheroof,thethingitselfhadbeenwornaway. 

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