Afterwards John remembered that first night as a beautiful dream - a dream of music, of beautiful things, of lights and faces. There was a man with white hair who drank from a gold cup. There was a girl with a face like a flower with precious blue jewels in her hair. There were rooms with walls of gold and there were diamonds of all shapes and sizes everywhere. In the corners of the splendid rooms there were crystal lamps, and on the floors there were fur rugs of different types and colors.

Then they went to dinner. The plates were made of diamonds and there was music everywhere. John was overcome by I the beauty and wealth that surrounded him and he fell asleep.

He woke up several hours later. He was in a large room and Percy was standing over him.

"You fell asleep at dinner," Percy said. "I almost did too. It was so good to be comfortable again after a year at school. Some servants undressed you and washed you while you were sleeping."

"Is this a bed or a cloud? It's so comfortable." said John. "Percy, before you go I want to apologize," he added.

"Why?"

"Well, I didn't really believe you when you said you had a diamond as big as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel."

Percy smiled. "I thought you didn't believe me. It's that mountain, you know."

"What mountain?"

"The mountain the castle is on. It's not a very big mountain because, except for some earth on top, it's solid diamond. One big diamond. Aren't you listening?"

But John T. Unger was asleep.

The next morning he woke up and discovered that the room was filled with sunlight. A servant in a white uniform stood beside his bed.

"Good evening," said John, trying to remember where he was.

"Good morning, sir. Are you ready for your bath, sir? Don't get up - I'll put you in - there. Thank you, sir."

John's pajamas were taken off. He expected to be lifted like a child, but this did not happen. Instead he felt the bed move slowly on its side. Then he began to roll down gently into bath water which was the same temperature as his body.

He was surrounded by a blue aquarium and he could see fish swimming. Sunlight came from above through sea-green glass.

"Would you like hot perfumed water this morning, sir, and perhaps cold water to finish?"

"Yes," agreed John, "as you please."

"Shall I turn on the moving-picture machine, sir?" asked the servant.

"No, thanks," answered John politely. He was enjoying the bath so much that he didn't want any distraction. After a moment he heard music coming from outside.