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ayah！ she is the one who laughs continuously because there are so
many white children in the world； but she was not to laugh much
more that day。
Well； they went up the Baby Walk and back； and when they returned
to the time…board she was surprised to see that it now read five
o'clock for closing time。 But she was unacquainted with the
tricky ways of the fairies； and so did not see （as Maimie and
Tony saw at once） that they had changed the hour because there
was to be a ball to…night。 She said there was only time now to
walk to the top of the Hump and back； and as they trotted along
with her she little guessed what was thrilling their little
breasts。 You see the chance had come of seeing a fairy ball。
Never； Tony felt； could he hope for a better chance。
He had to feel this； for Maimie so plainly felt it for him。 Her
eager eyes asked the question； 〃Is it to…day？〃 and he gasped and
then nodded。 Maimie slipped her hand into Tony's； and hers was
hot； but his was cold。 She did a very kind thing； she took off
her scarf and gave it to him！ 〃In case you should feel cold；〃
she whispered。 Her face was aglow； but Tony's was very gloomy。
As they turned on the top of the Hump he whispered to her； 〃I'm
afraid Nurse would see me； so I sha'n't be able to do it。〃
Maimie admired him more than ever for being afraid of nothing but
their ayah； when there were so many unknown terrors to fear； and
she said aloud； 〃Tony； I shall race you to the gate；〃 and in a
whisper； 〃Then you can hide；〃 and off they ran。
Tony could always outdistance her easily； but never had she known
him speed away so quickly as now； and she was sure he hurried
that he might have more time to hide。 〃Brave； brave！〃 her doting
eyes were crying when she got a dreadful shock； instead of
hiding； her hero had run out at the gate！ At this bitter sight
Maimie stopped blankly； as if all her lapful of darling treasures
were suddenly spilled； and then for very disdain she could not
sob； in a swell of protest against all puling cowards she ran to
St。 Govor's Well and hid in Tony's stead。
When the ayah reached the gate and saw Tony far in front she
thought her other charge was with him and passed out。 Twilight
came on； and scores and hundreds of people passed out； including
the last one； who always has to run for it； but Maimie saw them
not。 She had shut her eyes tight and glued them with passionate
tears。 When she opened them something very cold ran up her legs
and up her arms and dropped into her heart。 It was the stillness
of the Gardens。 Then she heard clang； then from another part
clang； then clang； clang far away。 It was the Closing of the
Gates。
Immediately the last clang had died away Maimie distinctly heard
a voice say； 〃So that's all right。〃 It had a wooden sound and
seemed to come from above； and she looked up in time to see an
elm tree stretching out its arms and yawning。
She was about to say； 〃I never knew you could speak！〃 when a
metallic voice that seemed to come from the ladle at the well
remarked to the elm； 〃I suppose it is a bit coldish up there？〃
and the elm replied； 〃Not particularly； but you do get numb
standing so long on one leg；〃 and he flapped his arms vigorously
just as the cabmen do before they drive off。 Maimie was quite
surprised to see that a number of other tall trees were doing the
same sort of thing； and she stole away to the Baby Walk and
crouched observantly under a Minorca Holly which shrugged its
shoulders but did not seem to mind her。
She was not in the least cold。 She was wearing a russet…coloured
pelisse and had the hood over her head； so that nothing of her
showed except her dear little face and her curls。 The rest of
her real self was hidden far away inside so many warm garments
that in shape she seemed rather like a ball。 She was about forty
round the waist。
There was a good deal going on in the Baby Walk； when Maimie
arrived in time to see a magnolia and a Persian lilac step over
the railing and set off for a smart walk。 They moved in a jerky
sort of way certainly； but that was because they used crutches。
An elderberry hobbled across the walk； and stood chatting with
some young quinces； and they all had crutches。 The crutches were
the sticks that are tied to young trees and shrubs。 They were
quite familiar objects to Maimie； but she had never known what
they were for until to…night。
She peeped up the walk and saw her first fairy。 He was a street
boy fairy who was running up the walk closing the weeping trees。
The way he did it was this； he pressed a spring in the trunk and
they shut like umbrellas； deluging the little plants beneath with
snow。 〃Oh； you naughty； naughty child！〃 Maimie cried
indignantly； for she knew what it was to have a dripping umbrella
about your ears。
Fortunately the mischievous fellow was out of earshot； but the
chrysanthemums heard her； and they all said so pointedly 〃Hoity…
toity； what is this？〃 that she had to come out and show herself。
Then the whole vegetable kingdom was rather puzzled what to do。
〃Of course it is no affair of ours；〃 a spindle tree said after
they had whispered together； 〃but you know quite well you ought
not to be here； and perhaps our duty is to report you to the
fairies； what do you think yourself？〃
〃I think you should not；〃 Maimie replied； which so perplexed them
that they said petulantly there was no arguing with her。 〃I
wouldn't ask it of you；〃 she assured them； 〃if I thought it was
wrong；〃 and of course after this they could not well carry tales。
They then said； 〃Well…a…day；〃 and 〃Such is life！〃 for they can be
frightfully sarcastic； but she felt sorry for those of them who
had no crutches； and she said good…naturedly； 〃Before I go to the
fairies' ball； I should like to take you for a walk one at a
time； you can lean on me； you know。〃
At this they clapped their hands； and she escorted them up to the
Baby Walk and back again； one at a time； putting an arm or a
finger round the very frail； setting their leg right when it got
too ridiculous； and treating the foreign ones quite as
courteously as the English； though she could not understand a
word they said。
They behaved well on the whole； though some whimpered that she
had not taken them as far as she took Nancy or Grace or Dorothy；
and others jagged her； but it was quite unintentional； and she
was too much of a lady to cry out。 So much walking tired her and
she was anxious to be off to the ball； but she no longer felt
afraid。 The reason she felt no more fear was that it was now
night…time； and in the dark； you remember； Maimie was always
rather strange。
They were now loath to let her go； for； 〃If the fairies see you；〃
they warned her； 〃they will mischief you； stab you to death or
compel you to nurse their children or turn you into something
tedious； like an evergreen oak。〃 As they said this they looked
with affected pity at an evergreen oak； for in winter they are
very envious of the evergreens。
〃Oh； la！〃 replied the oak bitingly； 〃how deliciously cosy it is
to stand here buttoned to the neck and watch you poor naked
creatures shivering！〃
This made them sulky though they had really brought it on
themselves； and they drew for Maimie a very gloomy picture of the
perils that faced her if she insisted on going to the ball。
She learned from a purple filbert that the court was not in its
usual good temper at present； the cause being the tantalising
heart of the Duke of Christmas Daisies。 He was an Oriental
fairy； very poorly of a dreadful complaint； namely； inability to
love； and though he had tried many ladies in many lands he could
not fall in love with one of them。 Queen Mab； who rules in the
Gardens； had been confident that her girls would bewitch him； but
alas； his heart； the doctor said； remained cold。 This rather
irritating doctor； who was his private physician； felt the Duke's
heart immediately after any lady was presented； and then always
shook his bald head and murmured； 〃Cold； quite cold！〃 Naturally
Queen Mab felt disgraced； and first she tried the effect of
ordering the court into tears for nine minutes； and then she
blamed the Cupids and decreed that they should wear fools' caps
until they thawed the Duke's frozen heart。
〃How I should love to see the Cupids in their dear little fools'
caps！〃 Maimie cried； and away she ran to look for them very
recklessly； for the Cupids hate to be laughed at。
It is always easy to discover where a fairies' ball is being
held； as ribbons are stretched between it and all the populous
parts of the Gardens； on which those invited may walk to the
dance without wetting their pumps。 This night the ribbons were
red and looked very pretty on the snow。
Maimie walked alongside one of them for some distance without
meeting anybody； but at last she saw a fairy cavalcade
appro