“Know then,” said the gentleman, putting on grave and important looks quite unlike his usual expression, “that we fairy-spirits know something of the future. Often Fate chuses us as her vessels for prophecy. In the past we have lent our aid to Christians to allow them to achieve great and noble destinies– Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, William Shakespeare, John Wesley and so forth.4 But often our knowledge of things to come is misty and …” The gentleman gestured furiously as if he were brushing away thick cobwebs from in front of his face. “… imperfect. Out of my dear love for you, Stephen, I have traced the smoke of burning cities and battlefields and prised dripping, bloody guts out of dying men to discover your future. You are indeed destined to be a king! I must say that I am not in the least surprized! I felt strongly from the first that you should be a king and it was most unlikely that I should be wrong. But more than this, I believe I know which kingdom is to be yours. The smoke and guts and all the other signs state quite clearly that it is to be a kingdom where you have already been! A kingdom with which you are already closely connected.”

Stephen waited.

“But do you not see?” cried the gentleman, impatiently. “It must be England! I cannot tell you how delighted I was when I learnt this important news!”

“England!” exclaimed Stephen.

“Yes, indeed! Nothing could be more beneficial for England herself than that you should be her King. The present King is old and blind and as for his sons, they are all fat and drunk! So now you see why I cannot take you away to Lost-hope. It would be wholly wrong of me to remove you from your rightful kingdom!”

Stephen sat for a moment, trying to comprehend. “But might not the kingdom be somewhere in Africa?” he said at last. “Perhaps I am destined to find my way back there and perhaps by some strange portent the people will recognize me as the descendant of one of their kings?”

“Perhaps,” said the gentleman, doubtfully. “But, no! That cannot be. For you see it is a kingdom where you have already been. And you never were in Africa. Oh, Stephen! How I long for your wonderful destiny to be accomplished. On that day I shall ally my many kingdoms to Great Britain – and you and I shall live in perfect amity and brotherhood. Think how our enemies will be confounded! Think how eaten up with rage the magicians will be! How they will curse themselves that they did not treat us with more respect!”