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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