And every one sang-- 'Class one, for private dwelling-house, For household goods and shops allows; Provided these are built of brick Or stone, and tiled and slated thick.' 'Try another verse,' said the Phoenix, 'further on.' And again arose the voices of all the clerks and employees and managers and secretaries and cooks-- 'In Scotland our insurance yields The price of burnt-up stacks in fields.' 'Skip that verse,' said the Phoenix.
'Thatched dwellings and their whole contents We deal with--also with their rents; Oh, glorious Phoenix, look and see That these are dealt with in class three.
'The glories of your temple throng Too thick to go in any song; And we attend, O good and wise, To "days of grace" and merchandise.
'When people's homes are burned away They never have a cent to pay If they have done as all should do, O Phoenix, and have honoured you.
'So let us raise our voice and sing The praises of the Phoenix King.
In classes one and two and three, Oh, trust to him, for kind is he!' 'I'm sure YOU'RE very kind,' said the Phoenix; 'and now we must be going.

An thank you very much for a very pleasant time.

May you all prosper as you deserve to do, for I am sure a nicer, pleasanter-spoken lot of temple attendants I have never met, and never wish to meet.

I wish you all good-day!' It fluttered to the wrist of Robert and drew the four children from the room.

The whole of the office staff followed down the wide stairs and filed into their accustomed places, and the two most important officials stood on the steps bowing till Robert had buttoned the golden bird in his Norfolk bosom, and it and he and the three other children were lost in the crowd.
The two most important gentlemen looked at each other earnestly and strangely for a moment, and then retreated to those sacred inner rooms, where they toil without ceasing for the good of the House.
And the moment they were all in their places--managers, secretaries, clerks, and porters--they all started, and each looked cautiously round to see if any one was looking at him.