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 know!’ replied Epimetheus, getting a little vexed. ‘How, then, can I tell you what is inside?’

‘You might open it,’ said Pandora, looking sideways at Epimetheus, ‘and then we could see for ourselves.’

‘Pandora, what are you thinking of?’ exclaimed Epimetheus.

And his face expressed so much horror at the idea of looking into a box, which had been confided to him on the condition of his never opening it, that Pandora thought it best not to suggest it any more. Still, however, she could not help thinking and talking about the box.

‘At least,’ said she, ‘you can tell me how it came here.’

‘It was left at the door,’ replied Epimetheus, ‘just before you came, by a person who looked very smiling and intelligent, and who could hardly forbear laughing as he put it down. He was dressed in an odd kind of a cloak, and had on a cap that seemed to be made partly of feathers, so that it looked almost as if it had wings.’

‘What sort of a staff had he?’ asked Pandora.

‘Oh, the most curious staff you ever saw!’ cried Epimetheus. ‘It was like two serpents twisting around a stick, and was carved so naturally that I, at first, thought the serpents were alive.’

‘I know him,’ said Pandora thoughtfully. ‘Nobody else has such a staff. It was Quicksilver; and he brought me hither, as well as the box. No doubt he intended it for me; and, most probably, it contains pretty dresses for me to wear, or toys for you and me to play with, or something very nice for us both to eat!’

‘Perhaps so,’ answered Epimetheus, turning away.