And the others--imagine their feelings as the carpet sank slowly
and steadily to the very bottom of the tower, leaving Robert
clinging to the wall. Robert did not even try to imagine their
feelings--he had quite enough to do with his own; but you can.
As soon as the carpet came to a stop on the ground at the bottom of
the inside of the tower it suddenly lost that raft-like stiffness
which had been such a comfort during the journey from Camden Town
to the topless tower, and spread itself limply over the loose
stones and little earthy mounds at the bottom of the tower, just
exactly like any ordinary carpet. Also it shrank suddenly, so that
it seemed to draw away from under their feet, and they stepped
quickly off the edges and stood on the firm ground, while the
carpet drew itself in till it was its proper size, and no longer
fitted exactly into the inside of the tower, but left quite a big
space all round it.
Then across the carpet they looked at each other, and then every
chin was tilted up and every eye sought vainly to see where poor
Robert had got to. Of course, they couldn't see him.
'I wish we hadn't come,' said Jane.
'You always do,' said Cyril, briefly. 'Look here, we can't leave
Robert up there. I wish the carpet would fetch him down.
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