Don't you think it would be nice to have it ?' 'Very,' said the children, quite without enthusiasm.
'And it can give you strength and courage.' 'That's better,' said Cyril.
'And virtue.' 'I suppose it's nice to have that,' said Jane, but not with much interest.
'And it can give you your heart's desire.' 'Now you're talking,' said Robert.
'Of course I am,' retorted the Psammead tartly, 'so there's no need for you to.' 'Heart's desire is good enough for me,' said Cyril.
'Yes, but,' Anthea ventured, 'all that's what the WHOLE charm can do.
There's something that the half we've got can win off its own bat--isn't there ?' She appealed to the Psammead.

It nodded.
'Yes,' it said; 'the half has the power to take you anywhere you like to look for the other half.' This seemed a brilliant prospect till Robert asked-- 'Does it know where to look ?' The Psammead shook its head and answered, 'I don't think it's likely.' 'Do you ?' 'No.' 'Then,' said Robert, 'we might as well look for a needle in a bottle of hay.

Yes--it IS bottle, and not bundle, Father said so.' 'Not at all,' said the Psammead briskly-, 'you think you know everything, but you are quite mistaken.

The first thing is to get the thing to talk.' 'Can it ?' Jane questioned.

Jane's question did not mean that she thought it couldn't, for in spite of the parlour furniture the feeling of magic was growing deeper and thicker, and seemed to fill the room like a dream of a scented fog.
'Of course it can.