the little white bird-第27节

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Maimie　walked　alongside　one　of　them　for　some　distance　without

meeting　anybody；　but　at　last　she　saw　a　fairy　cavalcade

approaching。　　To　her　surprise　they　seemed　to　be　returning　from

the　ball；　and　she　had　just　time　to　hide　from　them　by　bending　her

knees　and　holding　out　her　arms　and　pretending　to　be　a　garden

chair。　There　were　six　horsemen　in　front　and　six　behind；　in　the

middle　walked　a　prim　lady　wearing　a　long　train　held　up　by　two

pages；　and　on　the　train；　as　if　it　were　a　couch；　reclined　a　lovely

girl；　for　in　this　way　do　aristocratic　fairies　travel　about。　　She

was　dressed　in　golden　rain；　but　the　most　enviable　part　of　her　was

her　neck；　which　was　blue　in　colour　and　of　a　velvet　texture；　and

of　course　showed　off　her　diamond　necklace　as　no　white　throat

could　have　glorified　it。　　The　high…born　fairies　obtain　this

admired　effect　by　pricking　their　skin；　which　lets　the　blue　blood

come　through　and　dye　them；　and　you　cannot　imagine　anything　so

dazzling　unless　you　have　seen　the　ladies'　busts　in　the　jewellers'

windows。



Maimie　also　noticed　that　the　whole　cavalcade　seemed　to　be　in　a

passion；　tilting　their　noses　higher　than　it　can　be　safe　for　even

fairies　to　tilt　them；　and　she　concluded　that　this　must　be　another

case　in　which　the　doctor　had　said　〃Cold；　quite　cold！〃



Well；　she　followed　the　ribbon　to　a　place　where　it　became　a　bridge

over　a　dry　puddle　into　which　another　fairy　had　fallen　and　been

unable　to　climb　out。　　At　first　this　little　damsel　was　afraid　of

Maimie；　who　most　kindly　went　to　her　aid；　but　soon　she　sat　in　her

hand　chatting　gaily　and　explaining　that　her　name　was　Brownie；　and

that　though　only　a　poor　street　singer　she　was　on　her　way　to　the

ball　to　see　if　the　Duke　would　have　her。



〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　rather　plain；〃　and　this　made　Maimie

uncomfortable；　for　indeed　the　simple　little　creature　was　almost

quite　plain　for　a　fairy。



It　was　difficult　to　know　what　to　reply。



〃I　see　you　think　I　have　no　chance；〃　Brownie　said　falteringly。



〃I　don't　say　that；〃　Maimie　answered　politely；　〃of　course　your

face　is　just　a　tiny　bit　homely；　but〃　　Really　it　was　quite

awkward　for　her。



Fortunately　she　remembered　about　her　father　and　the　bazaar。　　He

had　gone　to　a　fashionable　bazaar　where　all　the　most　beautiful

ladies　in　London　were　on　view　for　half…a…crown　the　second　day；

but　on　his　return　home　instead　of　being　dissatisfied　with

Maimie's　mother　he　had　said；　〃You　can't　think；　my　dear；　what　a

relief　it　is　to　see　a　homely　face　again。〃



Maimie　repeated　this　story；　and　it　fortified　Brownie

tremendously；　indeed　she　had　no　longer　the　slightest　doubt　that

the　Duke　would　choose　her。　　So　she　scudded　away　up　the　ribbon；

calling　out　to　Maimie　not　to　follow　lest　the　Queen　should

mischief　her。



But　Maimie's　curiosity　tugged　her　forward；　and　presently　at　the

seven　Spanish　chestnuts；　she　saw　a　wonderful　light。　　She　crept

forward　until　she　was　quite　near　it；　and　then　she　peeped　from

behind　a　tree。



The　light；　which　was　as　high　as　your　head　above　the　ground；　was

composed　of　myriads　of　glow…worms　all　holding　on　to　each　other；

and　so　forming　a　dazzling　canopy　over　the　fairy　ring。　　There　were

thousands　of　little　people　looking　on；　but　they　were　in　shadow

and　drab　in　colour　compared　to　the　glorious　creatures　within　that

luminous　circle　who　were　so　bewilderingly　bright　that　Maimie　had

to　wink　hard　all　the　time　she　looked　at　them。



It　was　amazing　and　even　irritating　to　her　that　the　Duke　of

Christmas　Daisies　should　be　able　to　keep　out　of　love　for　a

moment：　yet　out　of　love　his　dusky　grace　still　was：　you　could　see

it　by　the　shamed　looks　of　the　Queen　and　court　（though　they

pretended　not　to　care）；　by　the　way　darling　ladies　brought　forward

for　his　approval　burst　into　tears　as　they　were　told　to　pass　on；

and　by　his　own　most　dreary　face。



Maimie　could　also　see　the　pompous　doctor　feeling　the　Duke's　heart

and　hear　him　give　utterance　to　his　parrot　cry；　and　she　was

particularly　sorry　for　the　Cupids；　who　stood　in　their　fools'　caps

in　obscure　places　and；　every　time　they　heard　that　〃Cold；　quite

cold；〃　bowed　their　disgraced　little　heads。



She　was　disappointed　not　to　see　Peter　Pan；　and　I　may　as　well　tell

you　now　why　he　was　so　late　that　night。　　It　was　because　his　boat

had　got　wedged　on　the　Serpentine　between　fields　of　floating　ice；

through　which　he　had　to　break　a　perilous　passage　with　his　trusty

paddle。



The　fairies　had　as　yet　scarcely　missed　him；　for　they　could　not

dance；　so　heavy　were　their　hearts。　　They　forget　all　the　steps

when　they　are　sad　and　remember　them　again　when　they　are　merry。　

David　tells　me　that　fairies　never　say　〃We　feel　happy〃：　what　they

say　is；　〃We　feel　dancey。〃



Well；　they　were　looking　very　undancey　indeed；　when　sudden

laughter　broke　out　among　the　onlookers；　caused　by　Brownie；　who

had　just　arrived　and　was　insisting　on　her　right　to　be　presented

to　the　Duke。



Maimie　craned　forward　eagerly　to　see　how　her　friend　fared；　though

she　had　really　no　hope；　no　one　seemed　to　have　the　least　hope

except　Brownie　herself；　who；　however；　was　absolutely　confident。

She　was　led　before　his　grace；　and　the　doctor　putting　a　finger

carelessly　on　the　ducal　heart；　which　for　convenience　sake　was

reached　by　a　little　trapdoor　in　his　diamond　shirt；　had　begun　to

say　mechanically；　〃Cold；　qui；〃　when　he　stopped　abruptly。



〃What's　this？〃　he　cried；　and　first　he　shook　the　heart　like　a

watch；　and　then　put　his　ear　to　it。



〃Bless　my　soul！〃　cried　the　doctor；　and　by　this　time　of　course　the

excitement　among　the　spectators　was　tremendous；　fairies　fainting

right　and　left。



Everybody　stared　breathlessly　at　the　Duke；　who　was　very　much

startled　and　looked　as　if　he　would　like　to　run　away。　　〃Good

gracious　me！〃　the　doctor　was　heard　muttering；　and　now　the　heart

was　evidently　on　fire；　for　he　had　to　jerk　his　fingers　away　from

it　and　put　them　in　his　mouth。



The　suspense　was　awful！



Then　in　a　loud　voice；　and　bowing　low；　〃My　Lord　Duke；〃　said　the

physician　elatedly；　〃I　have　the　honour　to　inform　your　excellency

that　your　grace　is　in　love。〃



You　can't　conceive　the　effect　of　it。　　Brownie　held　out　her　arms

to　the　Duke　and　he　flung　himself　into　them；　the　Queen　leapt　into

the　arms　of　the　Lord　Chamberlain；　and　the　ladies　of　the　court

leapt　into　the　arms　of　her　gentlemen；　for　it　is　etiquette　to

follow　her　example　in　everything。　　Thus　in　a　single　moment　about

fifty　marriages　took　place；　for　if　you　leap　into　each　other's

arms　it　is　a　fairy　wedding。　　Of　course　a　clergyman　has　to　be

present。



How　the　crowd　cheered　and　leapt！　　Trumpets　brayed；　the　moon　came

out；　and　immediately　a　thousand　couples　seized　hold　of　its　rays

as　if　they　were　ribbons　in　a　May　dance　and　waltzed　in　wild

abandon　round　the　fairy　ring。　　Most　gladsome　sight　of　all；　the

Cupids　plucked　the　hated　fools'　caps　from　their　heads　and　cast

them　high　in　the　air。　　And　then　Maimie　went　and　spoiled

everything。　　She　couldn't　help　it。　　She　was　crazy　with　delight

over　her　little　friend's　good　fortune；　so　she　took　several　steps

forward　and　cried　in　an　ecstasy；　〃Oh；　Brownie；　how　splendid！〃



Everybody　stood　still；　the　music　ceased；　the　lights　went　out；　and

all　in　the　time　you　may　take　to　say　〃Oh　dear！〃　　An　awful　sense　of

her　peril　came　upon　Maimie；　too　late　she　remembered　that　she　was

a　lost　child　in　a　place　where　no　human　must　be　between　the

locking　and　the　opening　of　the　gates；　she　heard　the　murmur　of　an

angry　multitude；　she　saw　a　thousand　swords　flashing　for　her

blood；　and　she　uttered　a　cry　of　terror　and　fled。



How　she　ran！　and　all　the　time　her　eyes　were　starting　out　of　her

head。　　Many　times　she　lay　down；　and　then　quickly　jumped　up　and

ran　on　again。　　Her　little　mind　was　so　entangled　in　terrors　that

she　no　longer　knew　she　was　in　the　Gardens。　　The　one　thing　she　was

sure　of　was　that　she　must　never　cease　to　run；　and　she　thought　she

was　still　running　long　after　she　had　dropped　in　the　Figs　and　gone

to　sleep。　　She　thought　the　snowflakes　falling　on　her　face　were

her　mother　kissing　her　good…night。　　She　thought　her　coverlet　of

snow　was　a　warm　blanket；　and　tried　to　pull　it　over　her　head。　　And

when　she　heard　talking　through　her　dreams　she　thought　it　was

mother　bringing　father　to　the　nursery　door　to　look　at　her　as　she

slept。　But　it　was　the　fairies。



I　am　very　glad　to　be　able　to　say　that　they　no　longer　desired　to

mischief　her。　　When　she　rushed　away　they　had　rent　the　air　with

such　cries　as　〃Slay　her！〃　　〃Turn　her　into　something　extremely

unpleasant！〃　and　so　on；　but　the　pursuit　was　delayed　while　they

discussed　who　should　march　in　front；　and　this　gave　Duchess

Brownie　time　to　cast　herself　before　the　Queen　and　demand　a　boon。



Every　bride　has　a　right　to　a　boon；　and　what　she　asked　for　was

Maimie's　life。　　〃Anything　except　that；〃　replied　Queen　Mab

sternly；　and　all　the　fairies　chanted　〃Anything　except　that。〃　　But

when　they　learned　how　Maimie　had　befriended　Brownie　and　so

enabled　her　to　attend　the　ball　to　their　g