power must have assisted her in a work which she had undertaken solely
to show Galantine the difference between a man of the world and her
marine adorer, and so dissuade her from a marriage which was not at all
to her taste.

When she presented her work to her, the Princess was struck with
admiration, and asked her if it were possible that any man on earth
could resemble that portrait. Bonnette assured her that there were many
such, and some even handsomer. "I can scarcely believe it," replied
Galantine, "but alas, neither the original of this portrait, nor any
one like him, can ever be my husband. They will never see me, nor I
them as long as I live. Oh, how miserable is my fate!"

Nevertheless, Galantine passed the whole day in gazing on this
miniature. It had the effect Bonnette anticipated. It ruined Gluatin's
affairs, which had previously been put in pretty good train; but the
governess almost repented having painted so handsome a face, as the
Princess gave up eating and drinking in order to have more time to gaze
upon it. If ever a portrait was capable of inspiring a real passion, it
was assuredly in this case and under the circumstances here related.

The Fairy Marine returned a few days after the visit we have described,
to ascertain what were the intentions of Galantine; but this young
creature, engrossed by her new passion (for she was positively in love
with the portrait), could not control herself as prudence would have
suggested. She not only broke off with the Fairy abruptly, but, what
was worse, she exhibited so much contempt and aversion for Gluatin,
that the Fairy, indignant at the style of her refusal, left the
Princess with a determination to be revenged.

In the meanwhile the Princess had made a conquest she was unconscious
of. The vessel she had seen so near her residence had on board the
handsomest Prince in the world. He had heard of the Enchanted Tower,
and determined to go nearer to it than any one had yet done. He
possessed such excellent glasses, that in surveying the Tower, simply
from a motive of curiosity, he caught sight of the Princess, and the
best proof of the goodness of his glass, and that he must have seen her
distinctly is, that he fell desperately in love with her.

Like a young man and a new lover, two conditions in which nothing is
thought too hazardous, he was eager to cast anchor near the Tower,
lower a boat, and encounter all the dangers that the enchantment could
threaten him with; but all his crew upon their knees implored him not
to venture. His Equerry, who was more frightened than any, or whose
knowledge of the circumstances rendered him more competent to form an
opinion, was most eloquent. "You would lead us all to certain death,
my Lord," said he; "deign to return on shore, and I promise you to
go in search of the Fairy Commode. She is a relation of mine, and has
always been very fond of me. I will answer for her zeal and her skill.
I am perfectly sure she will do you good service." The Prince yielded,
but very reluctantly, to so many good arguments. He landed therefore
on the nearest point of land, and despatched his Equerry to find his
relative, and implore her protection and assistance. In the meanwhile
he ordered a tent to be pitched on the sea shore, and, glass in hand,
sat incessantly looking either at the Princess or at her prison, and
his imagination becoming more and more excited, often presented to him
its own creations for realities.

At the end of a few days the Equerry returned with the Fairy Commode.
The Prince received her with the greatest demonstrations of affection.
The Equerry had informed her during their journey of the state of the
case. "In order to lose no time," said she to the Prince, "I will
send a white pigeon, in which I place implicit confidence, to examine
the enchantment. If he finds a flaw in it anywhere, he shall enter
the garden that crowns the Tower, and I will order him to bring back
some flowers as a proof that he succeeded in finding an entrance.
If he can get in, I will soon find a way to introduce you." "But,"
said the Prince, "can I not, by means of your pigeon, send a note to
the Princess, declaring the passion with which she has inspired me?"
"Certainly you can," said Commode, "and I advise you to do so." The
Prince immediately wrote the following letter:--

              _"Prince Blondin to Princess Galantine._

 "I adore you, and I am aware of your destiny. If, beautiful Princess,
 you will deign to accept the homage of my heart, there is nothing I
 will not undertake to render myself the happiest of men by terminating
 your misfortunes.--BLONDIN."

When this note was written, they tied it round the neck of the Pigeon,
who only awaited his dispatches, for he had already received his
instructions. He rose gracefully into the air, and flew off as fast
as his wings would carry him; but when he approached the tower there
issued from it a furious wind that repelled him violently. He was not,
however, to be disheartened by such an obstacle, and after making many
circles round and round about the building, he discovered the weak
point which the Fairy Rèveuse had left in the enchantment. He slipped
through it instantly, and flew down into the garden to wait for the
Princess and to rest himself.

The Princess generally took her walk alone; from inclination, because
a passion engrossed her heart; from necessity, because the Governess
could no longer ascend to that height without great fatigue. As soon
as the Pigeon saw her appear, he flew to her in the most flattering
manner. Galantine caressed him, and seeing a rose-coloured ribbon round
his neck, she wondered what it was put there for. How great was her
surprise when she perceived the note! She read it, and this was the
answer she returned by the Pigeon:--

             _"Princess Galantine to Prince Blondin._

 "You say that you have seen me, and that you love me. I cannot love
 you, nor promise to love you, without having seen you. Send me your
 portrait by the same courier. If I return it to you, hope nothing;
 but if I keep it, be assured that in working for me you work for
 yourself.--GALANTINE."

She fastened this letter in the same manner as they had done that which
she had just received, and dismissed the Pigeon, who did not forget
that he was ordered to bring back a flower from the garden; but as he
was well aware of the importance lovers often attach to trifles, he
stole one from a bouquet the Princess wore in her bosom, and flew away.

The return of this bird gave the Prince such extreme delight, that,
but for the anxiety he was still under, he might perhaps have lost his
senses. He wanted to send the Pigeon back instantly with a miniature
of himself, which, by the greatest chance in the world, he happened to
have amongst his baggage; but the Fairy insisted on an hour's rest for
her courier, which the Prince employed in writing verses to send with
his portrait.

The Pigeon, duly furnished with miniature and verses, set out once
more for the tower. The Princess was not certain he would return so
soon, but she was looking out for him, notwithstanding. She was in the
garden, and had said nothing of this last adventure to her Governess,
for she began to feel that love of mystery and reserve with which a
first passion usually inspires one. She eagerly detached the miniature
from the Pigeon's neck, and her surprise was infinite when, on opening
the case, she discovered that the portrait of Prince Blondin perfectly
resembled that which Bonnette had painted from fancy. It was one of
those fortunate accidents which it is impossible to account for.

The delight of Galantine was extreme at making this agreeable
discovery; and to express in the prettiest possible way her own
sentiments, she took the Prince's miniature out of its case, put in its
place the one she thought best of the many which Bonnette had painted
of her, and immediately sent the Pigeon back with it, who began to be
rather fatigued, and would not long have been able to serve two lovers
who kept up a correspondence so uncommonly active.

Prince Blondin had kept his eyes constantly turned in the direction of
the tower, awaiting the return of his courier. At length he saw the
blessed Pigeon approaching; but what were his feelings as soon as he
could discern that the bird had fastened round his neck the same case
that he had taken away with him! He was nearly dying with grief. The
fairy, who had never left him, consoled him as well as she could, and
took herself from the Pigeon's neck the case, which he even refused
to look at. She opened it, and pointed out to him his error. In an
instant he went into a transport of joy that could only be compared
for its intensity to that he had just endured of affliction. "We will
lose no time," said Commode; "I can only make you happy by changing
you into a bird; but I will take care that you shall be re-transformed
at the right moment." The Prince, without hesitation, consented to the
transformation, and to anything else which could assist him to approach
the person he adored. The good Commode thereupon touched him with her
wand, and he became in an instant the prettiest little Humming-bird in
the world, joining to the attractions which nature has bestowed on that
charming bird that of being able to speak in the most agreeable way
possible.

The Pigeon received fresh orders to conduct him to the garden.
Galantine was astonished to see a bird she had no knowledge of; but his
being accompanied by the Pigeon put her heart in a flutter, and the
Humming-bird, flying to her, said, "Good morning, beautiful Princess."
She had never before heard a bird speak, and this novelty increased
the gratification with which she received this one. She took him on her
finger, and he immediately said to her "Kiss, kiss Colibri." She did
so with great pleasure, over and over again. I leave you to imagine if
the Prince was delighted, and if he was not at the same time very much
vexed that he was only a Humming-bird, for lovers are the only persons
in the world who are happy and miserable at the same time.

Commode, however, knew by her art that this was exactly the moment to
restore the Prince to his natural form, which she did so quickly that
the Princess, in the twinkling of an eye, found herself pressed to the
heart of a lover whom she loved.

The spell was broken. That instant the tower trembled and rocked to
his foundations. Its walls even began to open. Bonnette, who was
below-stairs, in the greatest alarm ascended to the terrace, at least
to perish with the Princess. The rocking of the tower increased as she
mounted the staircase, and when she arrived at the top and saw the
whole building lean over and on the verge of falling into the sea, she
fainted outright.

At the same moment the two fairies, Commode and Paisible, arrived in
a chariot of Venetian glass, drawn by six eagles of the largest size.
"Save yourselves quickly," they cried to the two lovers. "The tower is
falling, and you will perish with it." They leapt into the fairy car,
without having had time to say a word to each other; but the Prince
managed at the same moment to fling the Governess, still in her swoon,
into the bottom of the car. Scarcely had they begun to rise in the air,
when the tower toppled over, and, with a horrible noise, fell, a mass
of ruins, into the sea. The Fairy Marine, Gluantin, and his friends, in
order to be revenged on the Princess, had sapped the foundations.

Marine, perceiving that her designs were foiled by the intervention of
the two Fairies, determined to try if she could not by open war obtain
possession of Galantine. She suddenly formed an immense chariot out of
some exhalations, and, entering it with all her family, filled every
available space in it with oysters in their shells, fragments of rock,
stones, and other trifles of that description. With this chariot and
this ammunition she caused herself to be wafted by a high wind to
the sea-shore, to intercept the car of glass. She did even more--she
commanded all the wild ducks and sea-fowl of every sort for ten leagues
round to come in flocks to darken the air, and oppose the landing of
the Fairies. This order was executed with a quacking and squalling that
was insupportable.

Our two lovers thought themselves lost; but as they had a taste for
the destruction of enchantments, they wished to try what they could
do against this. The Fairies, however, did not consider it necessary.
Commode produced from the box-seat of the car a great quantity of
petards and rockets, which she had provided apparently for the purpose
of making a display of fireworks. But whatever might have been her
reason for bringing them, she now used them with much effect, for
she directed so many against these troublesome fowl, that they were
compelled to disperse. The enemy in the chariot then had recourse to
their last weapons. Not one of the Marine party doubted that, with the
oysters and stones, they should shatter the glass car to fragments in a
few moments. It was not a bad idea, and we may even presume that they
would have achieved their object if the Fairy Paisible had not taken
out of her pocket a burning-glass which she always carried about with
her.

It is best to be candid. I frankly admit that I never very clearly
understood for what purpose she constantly carried that particular
utensil. But she placed it, however, on this occasion, in such a
position that it speedily warmed her enemies after a fashion as new as
it was disagreeable. They uttered the most fearful shrieks, and the
exhalations being dispelled by the power of the sun, all the Marine
family, with the Fairy herself, were precipitated pell-mell into the
ocean, leaving our two victorious Fairies to continue their journey to
the dominions of Queen Mutine.

On arriving in them they found she was dead. She had endeavoured,
partly from fear of some new punishment, partly from conviction, to
control her temper. In this attempt she had swallowed so many violent
expressions, and stifled so many wicked impulses, that these prodigious
and continued efforts, after causing her several severe fits of
illness, at length terminated fatally.

She had been dead, indeed, some years. The good king who had married
her, quietly enjoyed the sweets of his widowhood; and though he had no
other children than the daughter whom he never expected to see again,
nothing in the world could have induced him to marry a second time.
He governed his estates very peacefully, and the good King Prudent,
Galantine's grandfather, had just arrived, notwithstanding his great
age, to pass the holidays with him.

What joy for these two worthy sovereigns. The whole Court soon
participated in it, as the news spread of the arrival of the Fairies
with a charming Princess, who was their King's daughter.

The marriage of the two lovers was fixed for the next morning. Couriers
were instantly dispatched in all directions, to beg the Fairies
generally to honour the nuptials with their presence. You may believe
that Fairy Grave was not forgotten. In short, they arrived from all
quarters. Festivities, balls, tournaments, grand banquets, succeeded
each other for many days. They bantered, and at the same time thanked,
Fairy Rèveuse, for the blunder she had made in her enchantments. She
defended herself by observing that lovers were always more ingenious
than magicians were skilful, and that to prevent their success it would
require an enchantment that was impossible.

I forgot to tell you that the Governess recovered from her swoon
immediately on her arriving at the Palace. In short, everybody was
satisfied, and the Fairies, after sharing in the festivities for
several days, departed, each to manage her own affairs, or to enjoy new
pleasures. Our lovers were always constant, and became the happiest
sovereigns on the face of the earth.

FOOTNOTES:

[28] A light sort of travelling carriage still in use abroad,
and so called from the city in which it was invented.

[29] Literally "mad dog fashion." One of the many extravagant
whims of the day.

[30] _Requin_, chien de mer, Landais. In Cotgrave, _requien_,
who describes it as "a certaine ravenous, rough-skinned, and
wide-mouthed fish, which is good meat." It is generally, however, the
name given to the white-shark, and said by some writers to be derived
from the word _Requiem_--a far-fetched allusion to the vast number of
victims to its voracity.

[31] The sea-lamprey, a small fish that, by adhering to the
keels of ships, was supposed to have the power of stopping them, or at
least of retarding their progress.

BLEUETTE AND COQUELICOT.

There was once upon a time a Fairy named Bonnebonne, who became
weary of the great offices in Fairy Land to which her character and
talents had elevated her. She retired from state affairs, and chose
for her retreat an island situated in the midst of a very beautiful
lake, bordered by the most rich, smiling, and luxuriant scenery. This
charming retreat was called the "Island of Happiness." It is known to
have existed; it is even believed by some to be always in the country
adjoining their own; but the geographers have not yet laid it down
in any map, and I have never read of any traveller fortunate enough
to land on it. It is sufficient for us, however, that we have a full
account of it in the annals of the Fairies.

Bonnebonne, as we have already stated, weary of the world, and not
caring to pay court to it, demanded of the Queen of the Fairies
permission to withdraw from it altogether, and went to reside in the
Island of Happiness. It was there that, with the finest library and all
the knowledge she had acquired in the world, she became the most clever
of all the fairies. She made all her neighbours happy, and gratitude
was the foundation of her authority. Independently of a natural
inclination to oblige, a sentiment which retirement from the great
world by no means tends to diminish, there is a great satisfaction in
seeing those around us happy.

In order to enjoy this real pleasure, and at the same time to avoid
being overwhelmed with foolish petitions, she had placed, at short
distances from each other, columns of white marble, to which those
addressed themselves who had either requests or complaints to make.
These columns were constructed in such a manner that, on speaking in a
whisper to them, they repeated every word distinctly, and in the same
tone of voice, in a cabinet of the castle. Bonnebonne had lodged in
this cabinet a niece whom she had brought up as a fairy, and who gave
her an account every evening of all that the columns had reported, and
the Fairy then pronounced her decisions.

The principal occupation of Bonnebonne was to educate and make children
happy: she gave them for breakfast as well as for luncheon everything
they could wish for in sweetmeats and pastry; but when they had been a
fortnight in this happy dwelling, they cared no more for sugar-plums,
but passed the day in running on the grass, gathering nuts in the
woods, or flowers in the gardens. They went on the lake in pretty
boats, which they rowed themselves--in short, they did all day just
whatever they liked, and happiness consists principally in liberty.
It is true that they had nurses and tutors, but they were generally
invisible. They informed Bonnebonne of anything their pupils had done
that was wrong, and for this she reprimanded the offender, but always
with mildness, for she was the most kind-hearted woman in the world.

Sometimes the nurses and preceptors made themselves visible, and on
these occasions they might be seen supping all together on the turf, or
dancing and singing, or amusing themselves in making toys and dolls;
in short, nothing had an air of severity in this happy abode, and no
one left it without the greatest regret. But as all must submit to
fate, and the Fairies themselves are obliged to obey it, when the young
people had attained a certain age--that is to say, twelve or fifteen
years,--and when the lessons of the Fairy had made a sort of impression
on the minds of her pupils, and she considered them sufficiently well
informed to enter into the world, she was obliged to send them home,
which she always did laden with caresses and presents, and assurances
of a friendship the proof of which she frequently gave them in the
after course of their lives.

Amongst the number of children confided to her care by their
parents, there was a little girl named Bleuette, so pretty and so
good that Bonnebonne preferred her to all the rest, and loved her
to distraction. She was affectionate without being troublesome, and
lively without being fatiguing; her face expressed the sweetness of
her character: her beauty increased with her age, and possessed that
peculiar brilliancy which is so dazzling. It is to her rare beauty that
we owe the familiar saying, still in use amongst us, when we speak of
anything which has dazzled us, "J'ai vu des Bleuettes."

A boy, about two years older than Bleuette, also inhabited the Island
of Happiness; he was called Coquelicot: his face was charming, it was
as bright as his mind, and his pretty little graceful ways were equally
pleasing to Bonnebonne. That which rendered both more charming was,
that in their infancy they became inseparable, and that the vivacity
of the one was tempered by the mildness and tenderness of the other.
Bonnebonne daily enjoyed observing the impression and progress which
true love makes upon innocence and ingenuousness. She was constantly
occupied in the study of it, and felt that all other happiness, which
she knew so well how to procure, could not be compared to it; indeed,
what felicity can be placed in the balance with that of two hearts
which love has united by similarity of taste and temper?

Coquelicot, quick as he was, perhaps, indeed, too soon excited, was
moderate and even mild in all that regarded Bleuette, who on her part,
was only animated and vivacious in matters which concerned Coquelicot.
The birth and progress of these sentiments had been their delight; the
sweet emotions which they exhibited were the charm of Bonnebonne's
existence, for she said to herself a hundred times, "Good Heavens! how
pretty are these poor children! How they love each other! How happy
they are; they never think of leaving my Island. Never have more happy
subjects inhabited my empire!"

On an evening of one of the most beautiful of summer days, all the
lovely children were playing and amusing themselves in different parts
of this enchanted residence, when all at once there appeared in the air
a car drawn by six flame-coloured griffins: the car was of the same
colour, relieved with black ornaments: it bore the Fairy Arganto. Her
hair was powdered brown with a slight sprinkle of red.[32]

Her dress was of the same colour as the car. Her griffins alighted
at the portico of the castle, whither Bonnebonne and her niece had
repaired to do the honours to the Fairy, and assist her to descend.
After the first compliments, Arganto confessed to Bonnebonne that not
being able to understand the pleasures of retirement, and disgusted by
some disagreements at Court, she had wished to judge for herself of
the pleasures and cares of a life like hers, and that, in order to be
perfectly enlightened on the subject, she had come to the resolution of
passing some days with her.

Bonnebonne kindly replied that she would willingly satisfy her, and
hide nothing from her. "The beauties of nature," added she, "are the
pictures which I study; its fruits are my treasures; its secrets the
object of my researches, and my pleasures are solely dependent on the
happiness of others. Infancy is the state of humanity which can be made
the most happy; you will find me, therefore, only surrounded by the
prettiest children nature has produced."

So saying, she led Arganto further into the Island, at each step
encountering troops of little children of both sexes and all ages,
whose natural manners inspired true gaiety; some danced, others played
at blindman's-buff, some amused themselves playing at "ladies and
gentlemen," in short they passed quickly from one fancy to another;
their characters were thus developed, and it was easy to imagine
what each would become at a more advanced age. Arganto thought this
recreation of Bonnebonne very poor; she judged of it as a person of
fashion, that is to say, with contempt. She told her companion that
she could not conceive the pleasure of such amusements, unless some
ingenuity was employed to improve them: it was in vain that Bonnebonne
eulogized them. She would not be persuaded; at length, continuing their
walk, they met Bleuette and Coquelicot, conversing together, who saw
nothing but themselves in nature, and who had no pleasure, no wish, no
occupation nor will but in common.

Bonnebonne called them, and they ran towards her with that confidence
and affection which her goodness and their gratitude had inspired them
with. Arganto was struck with the charms of their countenances, and
said as much to them; they blushed, and thanked the Fairy for each
other. "I agree," said she to Bonnebonne, "that nature could not
present a more agreeable picture than that of these lovely children;
but," continued she, "are they as intelligent as their features would
seem to denote?" "Most assuredly," replied Bonnebonne, "it may not
be perhaps the kind of intelligence to please you, for it is quite
natural. Besides this, they love each other more than they choose to
acknowledge, especially to a stranger." The Fairies then embraced them
a thousand times, and left them together.

Bonnebonne agreed with Arganto not to trouble herself about her during
her stay, but to occupy herself as usual with her studies; but the
latter could not help speaking of the impression which Bleuette and
Coquelicot had made on her, and she requested they might keep her
company.

Arganto was born wicked, and wickedness looks with impatience on the
happiness of others, and is always at work to destroy it, even if
with no other motive but that of doing mischief. Upon these fearful
principles, she employed the time of her visit in pointing out to
her young companions the poverty and insipidity of the place they
inhabited; they, whom nature had formed for the delight and ornament of
the most brilliant Court; and then she gave them a glowing description
of the abodes of kings. "You are enchanted," said she, continually,
"with the life which you lead; but do you know any other? The splendour
of the world, the fêtes which are given to beauty alone, the preference
which is at all times accorded to it, are the real triumphs of a pretty
girl;" it was thus she spoke to Bleuette. "And you," addressing herself
to Coquelicot, "with the spirit you possess, what would you not do at
Court? You certainly must be brave; and of what are you not capable?"

This wicked discourse made by degrees the impression which Arganto
wished upon the minds of these amiable children. They sought each
other's company as usual, but they found each other no longer occupied
with themselves alone: they began by self reproaches, and at length
made reciprocal confessions, for they could no longer talk of anything
else but the opinions of the Fairy. Love, and the hope of not being
separated, it is true, were the foundation of their projects; but
curiosity, and the novelty of all which Arganto had told them, and
above all, self-love, the poison of life, perverted at length their
innocent minds; they abandoned themselves to the wicked fairy, who,
in order to make them fall more easily into the snare she had laid
for them, did not neglect to destroy the respect and gratitude they
entertained for Bonnebonne, by telling them, "She is a provincial
fairy, whose taste is not at all refined. Her character not suiting the
Court, she is too happy to be able to keep you with her; she sacrifices
your fortunes to the pleasure and use which you are of to her." It was
by such discourse as this that she induced these children to become
ungrateful: she promised them not to forsake them, and assured them
that, being a more powerful fairy than Bonnebonne, they need not be
anxious about anything. She did even more,--she warned them of all that
the good fairy would say to them when she should learn the resolution
they had taken: in short, they promised to follow her after she had
again given them her word that they should not be separated.

When Arganto was well assured of the part they had taken, she said
to Bonnebonne that it was time she should cease to trouble her in
her retreat, and begged her, at the same time, to allow her to take
with her Bleuette and Coquelicot. The good Fairy, who had perceived
nothing, and who had no suspicion of the designs of Arganto, as she
had herself ordered them to pay court to and obey the Fairy, whilst
she was occupied in her cabinet, and above all, because a good heart
cannot imagine ingratitude: Bonnebonne, as I said before, consented
to Arganto's request, with the understanding, however, that the
proposition should please the young couple, feeling quite convinced
that they would never wish to leave her. The question was put to them
on the spot. What was the astonishment of Bonnebonne when they accepted
the proposal to abandon her and follow the Fairy! They set at nought
all her reasonings, so full of friendship and good advice; they were
too deeply prejudiced against her. Bonnebonne then said to them, with
mildness, "It is conviction which makes happiness. You would cease to
be happy in this abode, because you imagine greater felicity awaits you
in another country: depart, let nothing detain you," said she, with
tears in her eyes, "may you be contented."

Bleuette and Coquelicot were moved by this tender discourse, and on the
point of falling at the feet of this adorable fairy, and conjuring
her to forget that they had ever had the idea of separating from her;
but the emotion they felt at the moment made them both faint away, so
that the wickedness of Arganto was not required to counteract this
return of good feeling. She herself was touched by so tender a scene,
and at the moment almost repented having caused so much sorrow to three
persons, who were only to blame for placing too much confidence in her.
Not knowing exactly what to do, she prepared to set out alone, when
Bonnebonne said, "I might complain of the manner in which you have
abused the reception I have given you: but the great fruit of study and
of solitude is forgiveness of injuries. I am not, therefore, at all
affected by it myself, but I feel for the misfortune of these young
people--I love them both." "I will not take them away, then," replied
Arganto; "you see they have refused me, and you cannot doubt the
attachment they feel for you." "No," replied Bonnebonne, "I feel myself
compelled to beg you to take with you those I loved best in my retreat;
you have perverted them, their hearts are no longer what they were:
they would henceforth only live with me out of compliment. If they had
sufficient art to disguise it from me, could I be ignorant of their
thoughts? Take them, then, I conjure you, and at least protect them
amongst the dangers to which you expose them." "As you absolutely wish
it," replied Arganto, "I will do so." She then carried them, fainting
as they were, both into her car, and her griffins flying at a rapid
pace speedily landed them in the Kingdom of Errors.

The King who governed it at that time thought himself the greatest of
princes. Flattery had persuaded him that he was descended from the
gods. In consequence of this idea he caused himself to be worshipped
by his subjects. His throne of gold and precious stones, upon which he
only appeared once a month, was surrounded by tigers and elephants,
bound with chains of the same precious materials, and covered with
superb embroidery. Without entering into further details of the
ceremonies of this court, suffice it to say, the King exhibited upon
every occasion all the ostentation with which a crown could inspire
him. Arganto was his best friend, the partaker of his pleasures, and it
was into the superb palace which she possessed at his court that she
conducted Bleuette and Coquelicot.

The moment they recovered from their swoon they had the pleasure of
seeing each other. The magnificence of the place in which they found
themselves astonished them. Their uncertainty did not last long:
Arganto entered to dissipate it. They immediately asked her to give
them some news of Bonnebonne. The Fairy informed them that Bonnebonne
had consented to their advancement, and had herself conjured her to
take them away. Bleuette and Coquelicot were comforted by this account,
for they had been afraid of displeasing her. Arganto then said to them,
"Here, Bleuette, is the apartment prepared for you; your household
shall be formed to-night. Meanwhile, here are your waiting-women: let
me present them to you."

At these words, there appeared a dozen handsome young persons, carrying
all the innumerable trifles which have become so necessary to a lady's
toilet. They were followed by an equal number of valets-de-chambre,
bearing boxes and caskets, and who in a few moments fitted up and set
out a most superb dressing-table. Garments adapted to the season then
appeared in such great profusion that they covered all the chairs,
beds, and couches in this large apartment. When everything was arranged
according to the Fairy's pleasure, she said to Bleuette, "This all
belongs to you, and you have nothing to study but how to avail yourself
of it." She then showed her a basket full of ornaments and a jewel-case
crammed with precious stones as perfect in themselves as they were
tastefully set, saying to her, "Beautiful Bleuette, this little
jewel-box will amuse you, but let us now proceed to the apartment I
destine for Coquelicot." Bleuette followed the Fairy without being
able to reply; her surprise and astonishment appeared to her like a
beautiful dream. They all three passed into another apartment. It was
plain, but neat. Four valets-de-chambre, who were in the second room,
stept forward and presented him with clothes as tasteful as they were
superb, in order that he might select those in which he wished to
appear that day. They then opened the door of a sort of large cabinet,
containing all kinds of musical instruments, also a library well
stocked with historical works, but more particularly with romances and
fairy tales.

"Behold," said Arganto, "what will amuse you when you are weary of
the pleasures of society, or require rest after exercise." She then
commanded the person she had chosen for his equerry to appear.
"You may," said she to Coquelicot, "take his advice; he is a man to
be depended on, and a good companion. Show," continued she to this
gentleman, "the things of which you have the charge." There then
appeared servants in livery, who carried the most magnificent and
perfect arms for war and the chase. And even this was not all: "Let
us," said Arganto, "look out of the window." They obeyed her, and
perceived fifty saddle-horses, led by five-and-twenty grooms, superbly
clothed and well mounted. "There," said she, "are your horses for
hunting and riding." She then ordered out the carriages: berlins,
berlingots, vis-à-vis, calêches of all kinds, defiled under the
windows, drawn by the prettiest and best groomed horses in the world,
with their manes tastefully plaited. Coquelicot, as much astonished as
Bleuette, observed also the same silence. "Learn, both of you," said
Arganto, "to make good use of what I have just given you; you are both
charming, but believe me, dress is necessary to beauty." She then left
them in their separate apartments, questioning their new domestics on
the particular use of all the novelties that surrounded them, for they
dared not yet give any orders. They at length dressed themselves, and
Coquelicot proceeding to the apartment of Bleuette, they were mutually
astonished at the agreeable effect of their attire, and uttering a
hundred praises of the good taste of Arganto, they became more than
ever convinced of the truth of what she had told them respecting
Bonnebonne, for whose simplicity they began to blush.

All the Court learning the arrival of Bleuette and Coquelicot, either
from curiosity or the desire to please the Fairy, came with great
eagerness to pay her a visit. The King himself did her this honour. The
praises of the men of Bleuette, and those of the women of Coquelicot,
gratified both exceedingly. They found that the language spoken in this
country had an agreeable style hitherto quite unknown to them; they
were struck by it, and thought of nothing but imitating it. Bleuette,
from the first day, perceived that Coquelicot was not made for his fine
clothes, and that he had a borrowed air which the other young men who
surrounded her had not: in short, both were occupied by a thousand new
fancies. They saw each other every day, it is true, but they sought
each other less; and the tender conversations, in which simplicity,
ingenuousness, candour, and truth had formerly so large a share, no
longer took place between them; they were only anxious now to place
their words and turn their phrases according to the style which they
had been so much struck with in their new residence.

The dress, the magnificence, and the brilliancy with which they dazzled
the whole court caused every one to give them the titles of prince and
princess. They knew well that they did not deserve them from their low
birth; but the mistake of others gratified their vanity. They agreed
between them to keep their real condition secret, and hoped privately
that their beauty and merit would in time really raise them to that
dignity.

Coquelicot had perfectly handsome features and a charming figure. He
performed all kinds of feats with marvellous success; almost all the
ladies were pulling caps for him. Bleuette was not in the least jealous
of his conquests, and although in such situations one is not always
just, she had at least the generosity not to reproach him in any way.
In fact, she deserved reproaching equally herself, for the Court and
its grand airs had changed her heart and mind as much as his. Bleuette,
on her part, thinking of nothing but how to attract admiration and
to outvie all the other beauties of the Court, became a practised
coquette. You may easily judge, knowing what I have told you, how long
she was in availing herself of all the presents of the Fairy. She very
soon invented fashions, which all the other ladies, handsome or ugly,
were, in spite of themselves, obliged to follow. During some time this
gratification of her vanity only presented to her view jealous rivals,
men captivated and admiring, flattered or plunged into despair, by her
glances and her deceptive and provoking speeches; but Bleuette was so
beautiful, she had so much wit and grace, that, even when making them
most miserable, she was the theme of their praises and the object of
attraction to all the finest people of the Court. She also conducted
herself with so much prudence that no one could cast the least slur on
her.

Coquelicot, on his part--"fickle adorer of a thousand different
objects"--flattered his vanity without ever satisfying his heart.

Such was the true and unhappy situation in which these two persons,
formerly the most loving and amiable possible, found themselves,
when this same vanity, the shoal on which so much happiness has been
wrecked, was itself violently offended.

It must be remembered that, dazzled by the splendour which surrounded
them, they had both received with pleasure the titles of princes;
but nothing is unknown to the world, and such vanity would awaken
a contempt for falsehood, in those who have no higher motive for
despising it. A youth, brought up, as they had been, by Bonnebonne,
in the Island of Happiness, having wandered from it, as many others
had done, in passing through several countries, had been attracted to
the Court inhabited by Bleuette and Coquelicot. He was astonished to
hear the grand titles of prince and princess added to their well-known
names, he ran, however, to the Fairy's palace to embrace them; but far
from receiving him kindly, they did not condescend even to recognise
him. He complained to everybody who would listen to him, and all
the Court were very soon informed that Princess Bleuette and Prince
Coquelicot were the children of, 'twas true, very honest people, but
who were nothing but poor shepherds. The Court is a region in which
nothing is forgiven, and where anything ridiculous is sought for with
the greatest eagerness; therefore, it profited by this affair. Songs
and epigrams were circulated in a moment; and the objects of their
attack could not pretend ignorance of them, for, according to the
praiseworthy custom of the authors of such works, the first copies were
addressed to the persons most interested. Coquelicot was bantered by
one of the wits of the Court; but he demanded very prompt satisfaction,
and the combat, in which he killed his adversary, brought him honour
in a place where truth is so rare, notwithstanding that a falsehood is
never pardoned. They rendered justice to his valour, but they no longer
paid him the same attentions; for in short, although riches can obtain
everything, the ridicule attached to low birth combined with vanity
is rarely overlooked at Court. As for Bleuette, whom wounded pride
rendered still more haughty than ever, and who hoped by her beauty
and accomplishments to stifle the disagreeable reports which had been
spread about her former pastoral condition--Bleuette, I must tell you,
had, in addition, the mortification to see some letters which she had
had the imprudence to write handed round amongst her acquaintances.
Her attraction diminished and her reputation tarnished (however
unjustly) hurt her deeply, and induced her to reflect seriously.
Recalling then the remembrance of her former happiness, the words of
Bonnebonne presented themselves to her mind.

Bleuette being thus agitated by all the recollections which led her
back to her first sentiments for Coquelicot, looked only with regret
upon the conduct she had pursued towards him since she had been at
Court. She was ashamed of it, but it was not possible for her to speak
to him openly on the subject. "He will consider," said she, "my most
sincere repentance to be caused either by coquetry or jealousy; and I
cannot complain, or he will believe that my birth being known and made
public in this country, has deranged my projects of advancement, and
that I am brought back to him only by a feeling of shame and necessity."
"No," continued she, "I will not betray to him all the weakness of my
heart, or all the pain which the false friendship of Arganto has caused
me."

Similar ideas tormented Coquelicot. He thought all those who treated
him, as formerly, like a prince, did so in mockery, and to ridicule
him, and felt satisfied that those whose conduct was changed by the
reports which had been spread respecting him would give him continual
annoyance; this situation, distressing as it really could well be, was
not the sole evil which oppressed him. The remembrance of Bleuette,
tender, faithful, simple, and innocent; the recollection of the
residence of Bonnebonne, and that of the charm and peace that pervaded
it, awoke in his soul so great a disgust for all that the world calls
pleasure, and which he had himself taken for happiness, that he
determined to fly from the Court. They had but to speak to one another,
and they would have been convinced and consoled; but still young and
inexperienced, they determined on the thing of all others to be avoided
in love and friendship--silence: for want of confidence increases and
envenoms the wound we have received, as well as that which we have
inflicted on others; thus, therefore, not daring to look at each other
(so much had the shame of their proceedings made an impression on
their hearts), they each separately, and without communicating their
intentions to any one, made up their minds to quit the Court. Solitude
appeared to offer them the only chance of consolation. They departed
the same morning, just as if they had been acting in concert. They
chose the plainest dresses they could find, not without regretting
those they had brought with them to the Court; they would have felt
still nearer approaching their former innocence, in habits so vividly
recalling the scenes of their past felicity. They took nothing away
with them but the portraits which Arganto had had painted of them in
miniature, representing them as they were when they left the Island of
Happiness.

They set out by very different roads; but in proportion as they left
the Court behind them, nature spoke to their hearts. The song of the
birds, the serenity of the air, the view of the country, that sweet
freedom which it inspires,--all recalled their former happiness, all
softened them, and drew them towards each other. "But how shall we ever
find each other again," said they unceasingly to themselves. "I should
have convinced him," thought Bleuette. "She would have pardoned me,"
sighed Coquelicot: "I will return to the Court. But how can I reappear
there (for each thought the other had remained in the palace) in this
miserable condition?" The remembrance of Bonnebonne again presented
itself to their mind. It is friendship we invoke in adversity. They
resolved then to have recourse to her kindness. If they had not
themselves known the delights of the Island of Happiness, if they had
not been anxious to revisit the scenes of their former felicity, it
is so natural to desire a similar habitation, that we often set out
in search of it on the description of others. Each, therefore, turned
their steps in the direction of the Island. It was very easy for them
to find the way, they who had once so worthily inhabited it. They
intended to address themselves to one of the columns of which I have
spoken, and which conveyed to the ears of the Fairy all the requests
of her petitioners. What was their surprise, or rather what was their
delight, to meet with each other again on a spot and in a dress which
explained everything! After the first transports, in which the eye
hardly sufficed to satisfy the soul, the first words they uttered were,
"Pardon me, I cannot live without you." The pardon which is mutually
sought is soon granted; and it was no longer necessary to implore the
aid of the Fairy. The unison of their desires had already transported
them into the most beautiful spot in the Island. They were anxious
to excuse themselves, and request the forgiveness of Bonnebonne; but
she prevented them. "I know all that has happened to you," said she,
"I have shared your troubles, although they were deserved. Enjoy the
happiness of my empire, you are now better able to appreciate its
delights."

They lived happily because they never ceased to love each other, and
they died at the same moment. Bonnebonne bestowed their names upon two
wild flowers[33] in order to immortalize their memory.

FOOTNOTES:

[32] Hair-powder was at this period of various colours. Brown
hair-powder was called "Maréchal," and grey powder was extremely
fashionable in England as late as 1763.

[33] The corn-flower and the poppy.

MADEMOISELLE DE LUBERT.

  [Illustration: The Princess Camion.--P. 373.]

THE PRINCESS CAMION.

There was once upon a time a King and Queen who had but one son, who
was their only hope. Fourteen years had elapsed from the time of
his birth, and the Queen had had no other children. The Prince was
marvellously handsome, and learnt with facility everything they wished
him to know. The King and Queen loved him to distraction, and their
subjects placed all their affections on him, for he was affable to
everybody, and yet he knew well how to distinguish between the people
who approached him. His name was Zirphil. As he was an only son, the
King and Queen resolved he should marry as early as possible, in order
to secure the succession to the crown should they unhappily be deprived
of Zirphil.

They therefore sought on foot and on horseback a Princess worthy of
the heir-apparent,[34] but none was found suitable. At length, after
a most diligent inquiry, the Queen was informed that a veiled lady
desired a private audience of her Majesty, on business of importance.
The Queen immediately ascended her throne in the audience-chamber, and
ordered the lady to be admitted. The lady approached, without removing
her white crape veil, which reached to the ground. When she arrived
at the foot of the throne, "Queen" said she, "I am astonished that,
without consulting me, you have thought of marrying your son. I am the
Fairy Marmotte, and my name is sufficiently celebrated to have reached
your ears." "Ah, Madam," said the Queen, quickly descending from her
throne, in order to embrace the Fairy, "you will easily pardon me my
fault when you learn that I have only listened to all the wonders which
have been told me about you as to a nursery tale; but now that you do
me the favour to come to my palace, I no longer doubt your power, and
beg you will honour me with your advice." "That is not a sufficient
answer to a Fairy," replied Marmotte. "Such an excuse might perhaps
satisfy a common person, but I am mortally offended; and to begin your
punishment, I command you to marry your Zirphil to the person I have
brought with me."

At these words she felt in her pocket, and, drawing out a toothpick
case, she opened it, and out of it came a little ivory doll, so pretty
and so well made that the Queen, despite her grief, could not help
admiring it. "This is my goddaughter," said the Fairy, "and I have
always destined her for Zirphil." The Queen was bathed in tears. She
conjured Marmotte, in the most touching words, not to expose her to
the ridicule of her people, who would laugh at her if she announced
to them such a marriage. "Laugh, indeed, will they, Madam?" said the
Fairy. "Ah, we shall see if they have reason to laugh, Madam. Ah, we
shall see if they will laugh at my goddaughter, and if your son ought
not to adore her. I can tell you that she deserves to be adored. She
is small, it is true; but she has more sense than there is in all your
kingdom put together. When you hear her talk, you will be surprised
yourself; for she can talk, I promise you. Now, then, little Princess
Camion," said she, to the doll, "speak a little to your mother-in-law,
and show her what you can do." Then the pretty Camion jumped upon the
Queen's _palatine_,[35] and paid her a little compliment so tender and
so sensible that her Majesty suspended her tears to give the Princess
Camion a hearty kiss.

"Here, Queen," said the Fairy, "is my toothpick-case; replace your
daughter-in-law in it. I wish your son to get well accustomed to her
before marrying her. I think it will not be long first. Your obedience
may soften my anger; but if you act contrary to my orders, you, your
husband, your son, and your kingdom, shall all feel the effect of my
wrath. Above all, take care to replace her in her case early in the
evening, for it is important that she should not be out late."

At these words she raised her veil, and the Queen fainted with fright
when she perceived an actual live Marmot[36]--black, sleek, and as
large as a human creature. Her women came to her assistance, and,
when she recovered from her swoon, she saw nothing but the case that
Marmotte had left with her.

They put her to bed, and went to inform the King of the accident. He
arrived in a great fright. The Queen sent every one away, and, with
a torrent of tears, she related her adventure to the King, who would
not believe it till he saw the doll that the Queen drew from the case.
"Just heaven!" cried he, after having meditated a little, "is it
possible that kings should be exposed to such great misfortunes? Ah! we
are only placed above other men in order to feel more acutely the cares
and afflictions attached to our existence." "And in order to give the
greater example of fortitude, sire," added the Doll, in a small, sweet,
and distinct voice. "My dear Camion," said the Queen, "you speak like
an oracle."

At length, after a conversation of an hour between these three persons,
it was decided that they should not yet divulge the contemplated
marriage, and that they should wait until Zirphil, who was gone hunting
for three days, should have returned, and consented to obey the command
of the Fairy, which the Queen undertook to communicate to him. In
the interim, the Queen, and even the King, shut themselves up, in
order to converse with the little Camion. She had a highly-cultivated
intellect, she spoke well, and with a singular turn of thought which
was very pleasing. But although she was animated, her eyes had a fixed
expression which was not agreeable, and the Queen was annoyed by it,
as she began to love Camion, and feared that the Prince might take a
dislike to her.

More than a month had elapsed since Marmotte had appeared, but the
Queen had not yet dared to show Zirphil his intended. One day he
entered her room whilst she was in bed. "Madam," said he, "the most
singular thing in the world occurred to me some days since whilst I
was hunting. I had wished to conceal it from you, but at length it has
become so extraordinary, that I must positively tell you of it.

"I followed a wild boar with great ardour, and had pursued it into
the midst of a forest without observing that I was alone, when I saw
him throw himself into a hole which opened in the ground. My horse
having plunged in after it, I continued falling for half an hour, and
at length found myself at the bottom, without any hurt. There, instead
of the boar, which I confess I feared to find, I saw a very ugly woman,
who begged me to dismount from my horse and follow her. I did not
hesitate, and giving her my hand, she opened a little door which had
previously been hidden from my view, and I entered with her a saloon
of green marble, where there was a golden bath, covered with a curtain
of very rich stuff; the curtain rose, and I saw in the bath a person
of such marvellous beauty that I thought I should have fallen to the
ground. 'Prince Zirphil,' said the lady, who was bathing, 'the Fairy
Marmotte has enchanted me, and it is by your assistance alone that I
can be released.' 'Speak, Madam,' said I to her: 'what must I do to
help you?' 'You must either,' said she, 'marry me instantly or skin me
alive.' I was as much surprised at the first proposition as alarmed at
the second. She read in my eyes my embarrassment, and said, 'Do not
imagine that I jest, or that I propose to you an act of which you may
repent. No, Zirphil, dismiss your fears; I am an unfortunate Princess
to whom the Fairy has taken an aversion; she has made me half-woman,
half-whale because I would not marry her nephew, the King of the
Whiting, who is frightful, and even more wicked than he is hideous. She
has condemned me to remain in my present state until a Prince named
Zirphil shall fulfil one of the conditions that I have just proposed
to you; to expedite this matter, I caused my maid of honour to take
the form of a wild boar, and it is she who has led you hither. I must
now tell you that you cannot leave this spot until you shall have
fulfilled my desire in one manner or the other. I am not mistress here;
and Citronette, whom you see with me, will tell you that it cannot be
arranged otherwise.'

"Imagine, Madam," said the Prince to the Queen, who listened
attentively, "in what a state this discourse left me." Although the
face of the Whale-Princess pleased me excessively, and her charms and
misfortunes rendered her extremely interesting, her being half a fish
horrified me exceedingly; and the idea of skinning her alive threw me
into utter despair. 'But, Madam,' said I to her, at length (for my
silence became as stupid as insulting), 'is there not a third way?' I
had hardly uttered those unlucky works, than the Whale-Princess and
her attendant uttered shrieks and lamentations which were enough to
pierce the vaulted roof of the saloon. 'Ungrateful wretch! cruel tiger!
and everything that is most ferocious and most inhuman!' exclaimed the
former. 'Thou wouldst, then, that I should also be condemned to the
torture of seeing you expire? For if thou dost not resolve to grant my
request, the Fairy has assured me thou wilt perish, and I shall remain
a whale all my life!'

"Her reproaches pierced my heart; she raised her beautiful arms out
of the water, and joined her charming hands to implore me to decide
quickly. Citronette was at my knees, which she embraced, screaming loud
enough to deafen me. 'But how can I marry you?' said I; 'what sort of
ceremony can be performed?' 'Skin me,' said she tenderly, 'and do not
marry me, I prefer that.' 'Skin her!' screamed the other, 'and fear
nothing.' I was in a state of perplexity which I cannot describe; and
while I considered what I ought to do, their shrieks and tears were
redoubled, till I knew not what would become of me. At length, after a
thousand and one struggles, I cast my eyes once more on the beautiful
Whale, and I confess that I found in her features an inexpressible
charm. I threw myself on my knees close to the bath, and taking her
hand, 'No, divine Princess,' said I to her; 'I will not skin you, I
would rather marry you!'

"At these words joy lighted up the countenance of the Princess, but a
modest joy, for she coloured, and casting down her beautiful eyes, 'I
shall never forget,' said she, 'the service that you render me; I am
so penetrated with gratitude, that you may expect anything of me after
this generous resolution.' 'Do not lose time,' cried the insupportable
Citronette; 'tell him quickly all that he must do.' 'It is sufficient,'
said the Whale-Princess, blushing again, 'that you give me your ring,
and that you should take mine; there is my hand, receive it as a pledge
of my faith.' I had hardly made this tender exchange, and kissed the
beautiful hand which she presented to me, when I found myself again
upon my horse in the midst of the forest. Having called my people, they
came to me, and I returned home without being able to utter a word, I
was so completely astounded. Since then, I am transported every night
without knowing how, into the beautiful green saloon, where I pass the
night near an invisible person; she speaks to me, and tells me that
the time is not yet come for me to know who she is."

"Ah, my son," interrupted the Queen, "is it possible, then, that you
are really married to her?" "I am, Madam," replied the Prince; "but
although I love my wife infinitely, I would have sacrificed this
affection if I could have escaped from the saloon without resorting
to that alternative." At these words, a little voice, proceeding from
the Queen's pocket, said, "Prince Zirphil, you should have flayed her;
perhaps your pity may be fatal to you."

The Prince, surprised at this voice, remained speechless. The Queen in
vain tried to conceal from him the cause of his astonishment; he felt
quickly in her pocket, which was hanging upon the arm-chair near the
bed, and drew from it the toothpick-case, which the Queen took from
his hand and opened. The Princess Camion immediately came out of it,
and the astonished Prince threw himself on his knees by the bed-side
of the Queen to inspect her nearer. "I vow, Madam," cried he, "that
this is my dear Whale in miniature. Is this some pleasantry, and have
you only wished to frighten me, by allowing me so long to believe
that you would not approve of my marriage?" "No, my son," at length
the Queen replied; "my grief is real, and you have exposed us to the
most cruel misfortunes by marrying that Whale, for, in fact, you were
promised to the Princess Camion whom you see in my hands." She then
related to him what had passed between her and the Fairy Marmotte, and
the Prince allowed her to say all she wished without interruption, so
much was he astonished to find that she and his father had agreed to
a proposition which was, on the face of it, so ridiculous. "Heaven
forbid, Madam," said he at length, when the Queen had finished, "that
I should ever oppose the designs of your Majesty, or that I should act
contrary to the wish of the King, my father, even when he commands me
to do anything as impossible as this appears to me to be; but had I
consented, could I even have fallen in love with this pretty Princess,
would your subjects ever have----" "Time is a great teacher, Prince
Zirphil," interrupted Camion; "but it is done; you cannot now marry me,
and my godmother appears to me a person who will not patiently suffer
any one to break their word with her. Diminutive as I am, I feel as
acutely as the largest woman would the disagreeable nature of this
adventure; but as you are not so much to blame, except perhaps for
having been a little too hasty, I may persuade the Fairy to mitigate
the punishment."

After these words Camion was silent, for she was exhausted with having
said so much. "My dear darling," said the Queen, "I implore you to take
some repose for fear you should be ill and not in a condition to speak
to the Fairy when she comes to afflict us; you are our consolation, and
however she may punish us, I shall not feel it so deeply if Marmotte
does not take you from us." The Princess Camion felt her little heart
beat at these words of the Queen: but being quite overcome, she could
only kiss her hand, and let fall upon it some tiny tears. Zirphil was
moved at this incident, and begged Camion to permit him to kiss her
hand in his turn: she gave it him with much grace and dignity, and
then re-entered her case. After this tender scene the Queen rose, in
order to go and tell the King what had passed, and take every rational
precaution against the anger of the Fairy.

The following night Zirphil, in spite of the guard which they had
doubled in his apartment, was carried off at midnight, and found
himself, as usual, in the company of his invisible wife; but instead of
hearing any of those sweet and touching things which she was accustomed
to say to him, he heard her weep, and found she kept aloof from him.
"What have I done?" said he at last, when quite tired of pursuing her.
"You weep, dear Princess, when you ought to console me for all the
peril I may have incurred, as the effect of my tenderness." "I know
all," said the Princess, with a voice interrupted by sobs--"I know all
the misery that may happen to me; but, ungrateful man! it is of you I
have most to complain." "Oh, heavens!" cried Zirphil, "what have you
to reproach me with?" "The love which Camion bears to you," replied
the voice, "and the tenderness with which you have kissed her hand."
"The tenderness," replied the Prince, quickly; "oh! divine Princess, do
you know so little of that I feel for you as to accuse me so lightly.
Besides, even if Camion could love me, which is impossible, as she only
saw me for a moment, can you be alarmed, knowing my love for you, and
after the proofs which I have given you of my attachment? It is you
whom I should accuse of injustice: for if I have looked at her with
any attention, it is because her features reminded me of yours, and
that being deprived of the pleasure of beholding you, anything which
resembled you gave me the greatest gratification. Be visible again, my
dear Princess, and I will never look on any other woman."

The invisible lady appeared to be consoled by these words, and
approaching the Prince, said, "Pardon me this little movement of
jealousy. I have too much reason to fear they will separate me from
you, not to feel afflicted by a circumstance which appeared to me to
announce the commencement of that misfortune." "But," said the Prince,
"may I not know why you are no longer permitted to show yourself?
For if I have delivered you from the tyranny of Marmotte, how is it
possible that you should be again subjected to it?" "Alas!" said the
invisible Princess, "if you had decided to flay me we should have
been very happy; but you had such a horror of that proposition, that
I did not dare press you further on the subject." "By what chance,"
interrupted the Prince, "was Camion informed of this adventure, for she
told me nearly the same thing?"

Hardly had he finished these words, when the Princess uttered a
frightful shriek. The Prince, in surprise, rose hastily. But what
was his alarm when, in the middle of the apartment, he perceived the
hideous Marmotte, who held by the hair the beautiful Princess, now no
longer either half a whale or invisible! He was about to seize his
sword when the Princess, in tears, begged him to moderate his anger,
for it would be of no avail against the power of the Fairy; and the
horrible Marmotte, grinding her teeth, emitted through them a blue
flame which scorched his beard. "Prince Zirphil," said she to him,
"a fairy who protects thee prevents me from exterminating thee, thy
father, thy mother, and all that belong to thee: but thou shalt suffer
at least in all that is most dear to thee, for having married without
having consulted me, and thy torment shall never finish, nor that of
thy Princess, until thou shalt have obeyed my commands."

In finishing these words the Fairy, the Princess, the chamber, and
the palace, all disappeared together, and he found himself in his own
apartment, in his night-dress, and his sword in his hand. He was so
astonished, and so transported with rage, that he did not feel the
severity of the cold, though it was in the depth of winter. At the
noise which he made his guards entered the room and begged him to go to
bed, or to allow them to dress him. He took the latter course, and went
to the Queen's chamber, who, on her part, had passed the night in the
most cruel state of anxiety. She had not been able to sleep after going
to bed, and in order to induce slumber she had wished to talk over her
grief with little Camion; but she sought in vain for her in her case:
Camion was no longer there. She feared she might have lost her in the
garden: she rose, and having ordered flambeaux to be lighted, went in
search of her, but without success--she had entirely disappeared, and
the Queen retired to bed again in an alarming state of affliction; she
gave fresh vent to it as her son entered. He was so distressed himself
that he did not perceive the tears of the Queen. She, on her part,
observing his agitation, exclaimed, "Ah! without doubt, you have come
to announce to me some dreadful tidings!"

"Yes, Madam," replied the Prince; "I come to tell you that I shall die
if I do not find my Princess." "How!" said the Queen; "do you already,
my dear son, love that unhappy Princess?" "What, your Camion?" said
the Prince: "can you suspect me, Madam, of such a thing? I speak of my
dear Whale-Princess who has been torn from me; it is for her alone that
I live, and it is Marmotte, the cruel Marmotte, who has carried her
away!" "Ah, my son," said the Queen, "I am far more unhappy than you,
for if they have taken your Princess away from you, they have robbed me
of my Camion. Since last evening, she has disappeared from her case!"

They then related to each other their respective adventures, and wept
together over their common misfortunes. The King was informed of the
cries and despair of the Queen, and the grief of his son. He entered
the apartment in which this tragic scene was passing, and as he was
an exceedingly clever man, the thought occurred to him immediately of
advertising Camion, with the offer of a large reward to whoever should
bring her back. Everybody agreed this was a capital idea, and even the
Queen, in spite of her great grief, was obliged to confess that no one
of ordinary capacity could have imagined so singular an expedient. The
handbills were printed, and distributed, and the Queen became rather
calm in the hope of soon hearing some tidings of her little Princess.
As for Zirphil, the loss of Camion interested him no more than her
presence; he resolved to seek a fairy of whom he had heard speak. He
asked permission of the King and Queen, and departed with a single
equerry in attendance on him.

It was a great distance from that country to the one inhabited by the
Fairy; but neither time nor obstacles could check the fond impatience
of the youthful Zirphil. He passed through states and kingdoms without
number: nothing particular happened to him because he did not desire
it; for being handsome as Cupid and brave as his own sword, he would
have had no lack of adventures had he sought for them.

At length, after a year's travelling, he arrived at the commencement of
the desert wherein the Fairy had fixed her abode; he dismounted from
his horse, and left his equerry in a little cottage, with orders to
await him there, and not to be impatient. He entered the desert, which
was frightful from its solitude; screech-owls alone inhabited it, but
their cries did not alarm the valiant spirit of our Prince.

One evening, he perceived at a distance a light which made him think he
was approaching the grotto; for who but a fairy could live in such a
horrible desert. He walked all night long; at length, at break of day,
he discovered the famous grotto; but a lake of fire separated him from
it, and all his valour could not protect him from the flames, which
spread right and left. He looked about for a long time to see what he
could do, and his courage nearly failed him when he found that there
was not even a bridge. Despair proved his best friend, for in a frenzy
of love and anguish, he resolved to end his days in the lake, if he
could not traverse it. No sooner had he taken this strange resolution
than he put it in execution, and throwing himself bodily into the
flames, he felt a little gentle warmth which did not even inconvenience
him, and passed without the least trouble to the other side. Hardly had
he landed, when a young and beautiful Salamander emerged from the lake,
and said, "Prince Zirphil, if your love be as great as your courage,
you may hope for everything from the Fairy Lumineuse; she favours you,
but she wishes to prove you."

Zirphil made a profound bow to the Salamander in acknowledgment, for
she did not give him time to speak; she plunged again into the flames,
and he pursued his way. He arrived at length at the foot of a rock of
prodigious height, which from its great brilliancy appeared all on
fire. It was a carbuncle, so large that the Fairy was very commodiously
lodged in the inside. As soon as the Prince approached, Lumineuse came
out of the rock; he prostrated himself before her, she raised him, and
made him enter the grotto.

"Prince Zirphil," said she, "a power equal to mine has neutralized
the benefits I bestowed on you at your birth; but you may hope for
everything from my care. It requires as much patience as courage to
foil the wickedness of Marmotte; I can tell you nothing more." "At
least, madam," replied the Prince, "do me the favour to inform me if
my beautiful Princess is unhappy, and if I may hope to see her again
soon?" "She is not unhappy," replied the Fairy: "but you cannot see her
till you have pounded her in the mortar of the King of the Whiting."
"Oh! heavens!" cried the Prince; "is she in his power; and have I to
dread not only the consequences of his passion, but the still greater
horror of pounding her with my own hands?" "Summon up your courage,"
replied the Fairy, "and do not hesitate to obey; upon that depends all
your happiness, and that of your wife." "But she will die if I pound
her," said the Prince, "and I would rather die myself." "Away," said
the Fairy, "and do not argue; each moment that you lose adds to the
fury of Marmotte. Go and seek the King of the Whiting; tell him you are
the page I promised to send him, and rely on my protection."

She then pointed out to him on a map the road he must take to reach
the dominions of the King of the Whiting; and took her leave of him,
after having informed him that the ring which the Princess had given
him would show him all he had to do whenever the King commanded him to
execute a difficult task.

He departed, and after some days' travelling arrived in a meadow which
stretched down to the sea, to the shore of which was moored a small
sailing-vessel of mother-of-pearl and gold. He looked at his ruby, and
saw himself in it going on board the vessel. He therefore stepped into
it, and after having cast off, the wind took it out to sea. After some
hours' sail, the vessel brought up at the foot of a crystal castle,
built upon wooden piles. He jumped ashore, and entered a court-yard
which led through a magnificent vestibule to apartments without number,
the walls of which were of rock crystal, admirably cut, and which
produced the most beautiful effect in the world. The castle appeared
to be inhabited only by men with fishes' heads of all species. He
felt convinced this was the dwelling of the King of the Whiting, and
shuddered with rage; but he restrained himself so far as to inquire of
a turbot, who had the air of being a captain of the guard, how he could
manage to see the King of the Whiting. The man-turbot very gravely made
him a signal to advance, and he entered the guard-chamber, where he saw
under arms a thousand men with pikes' heads, who formed in line for him
to pass.

At length, after making his way through an infinite crowd of men-fish,
he came to the throne-room. There was not much noise, for the courtiers
were all dumb, the greater part having whiting's heads. He saw several
who appeared of more consequence than the rest, from the crowd which
surrounded them, and by the air which they assumed with the others.
They arrived at the King's cabinet, out of which he saw the council
issue, composed of twelve men who had sharks' heads. The King at length
appeared himself. He had a whiting's head, like many of the others;
but he had fins on his shoulders, and from his waist downwards he was
a veritable whiting. He could speak, and wore only a scarf made of the
skin of goldfish, which was very brilliant, and a helmet in the form of
a crown, out of which arose a codfish's tail, which formed the plume.
Four whiting carried him in a bowl of Japanese porcelain, as large as
a bath, full of sea water. His greatest pride consisted in causing it
to be filled twice a day by the dukes and peers of his kingdom. This
office was extremely sought after.

The King of the Whiting was very large, and had more the air of a
monster than of anything else. When he had spoken to some of those
who had presented him with petitions, he perceived the Prince. "Who
are you, my friend?" said he to him. "By what chance do I see a man
here?" "My lord," said Zirphil, "I am the page the Fairy Lumineuse has
promised you." "I know what she means," said the King, laughing, and
showing his teeth, like those of a saw. "Lead him into my seraglio,
and let him teach my crayfish to talk." Immediately a troop of whiting
surrounded him, and conducted him according to the King's orders. In
returning through the apartments all the fish, even those the highest
in favour, professed, by various signs, a great deal of friendship for
him. They led him through a delicious garden, at the end of which was
a charming pavilion, built entirely of mother-of-pearl, and ornamented
with great branches of coral. The favourite Whiting introduced him
into an apartment similarly adorned, the windows of which overlooked a
magnificent piece of water. They made him understand that that was to
be his residence, and after having shown him a little chamber at one
corner of the saloon, which he understood was to be his bed-room, they
retired, and he remained alone, very much astonished to find himself
something very like a prisoner in the palace of his rival.

He was meditating on this position of affairs, when he saw the doors of
the chamber open, and ten or twelve thousand crayfish, conducted by one
larger than the rest, entered, and placed themselves in straight lines,
which nearly filled the apartment. The one which marched at their head
mounted upon a table near him, and said, "Prince, I know you, and you
owe much to my care; but as it is rare to find gratitude in men, I will
not tell you what I have done for you, for fear you should destroy the
sentiments with which you have inspired me. I have only, therefore,
to inform you that these are the crayfish of the King of the Whiting,
that they alone speak in this empire, and that you are chosen to teach
them refined language, the customs of the world, and the means of
pleasing their sovereign. You will find them intelligent; but you must
every morning choose ten to pound in the King's mortar, to make his
broth."[37]

The Crayfish having ceased speaking, the Prince replied, "I had no
idea, Madam, that you had interested yourself in my concerns. The
gratitude I already feel towards you should induce you to abandon the
bad opinion you have conceived of men in general, since on the bare
assurance which you have given me of your friendship, I feel deeply
obliged to you. But what I am very anxious to learn is, the course I
should take in reasoning with the persons whose education you would
confide to me. If I were sure that they had as much intellect as you, I
should have no trouble, and I should feel a pride in the task; but the
more difficult I should find them to teach, the less should I have the
courage to punish them for faults for which they are not responsible.
And having lived with them, how can I have the heart to deliver them
to a torture?" "You are obstinate and a great talker," interrupted the
Crayfish; "but we know how to subdue you." So saying, she rose from the
table, and jumping to the ground, took her real form of Marmotte (for
she was that wicked fairy). "Oh, heavens!" cried the Prince; "so this
is the person who boasts of the interest she takes in my affairs--she
who has done nothing but make me miserable. Ah, Lumineuse," continued
he, "you abandon me!" He had hardly finished these words, when Marmotte
precipitated herself by the window into the reservoir and disappeared,
and he remained alone with the twelve thousand crayfish.

After having meditated a little as to how he should proceed to educate
them, during which time they waited in complete silence, it occurred
to him that he might very probably find amongst them his beautiful and
unfortunate Princess, because the hideous Marmotte had ordered him
to pound ten of them every morning. "And why should I be selected to
pound them," said he, "if it be not to drive me distracted? Never mind,
let us look for her," continued he, rising; "let us at least try to
recognise her, even if I die of grief before her eyes." Then he asked
the crayfish if they would kindly permit him to search amongst them for
one of his acquaintance. "We know nothing about it, my Lord," said the
first who spoke; "but you can make what inquiry you please up to the
time of our return to the reservoir, for we must positively pass the
night there." Zirphil commenced his inspection; the more he sought, the
less he discovered, but he surmised, from the few words which he drew
from those he interrogated, that they were all princesses transformed
by the wickedness of Marmotte. This caused him inconsolable grief, for
he had to choose ten for the King's broth.

When evening came, they repeated that they must retire to the
reservoir, and it was not without pain that he relinquished the sweet
occupation of seeking the Princess. He had only been able in the whole
day to interrogate a hundred and fifty; but as he was certain at least
that she was not amongst them, he determined to take ten from that
number; he had no sooner chosen them than he proceeded to carry them
to the King's offices; but he was arrested by the most astonishing
peals of laughter from the victims he was about to immolate; he was
so surprised by it, that he was some time without speaking; at length
he interrupted them to inquire what it was they found so amusing in
their present circumstances? They renewed their shouts of laughter so
heartily that he could not help, in spite of his own sorrows, partaking
in their mirth. They wanted to speak, but could not for laughing; they
could only ejaculate, "Oh, I can say no more!" "Oh, I shall die of it!"
"No, there is nothing in the world so amusing!" and then roared again.
At length he reached the Palace with them all laughing together, and
having shown them to a pike-headed man, who seemed to be the principal
cook, a mortar of green porphyry, ornamented with gold, was set before
him, into which he put his ten crayfish, and prepared to pound them.
At that moment the bottom of the mortar opened, emitted a brilliant
flame, which dazzled the Prince, and then closing up again, appeared
perfectly empty; even the crayfish had vanished. This astonished, but
at the same time gratified him, for he was very reluctant to pound such
merry creatures. The man-pike, on the contrary, seemed sadly distressed
at this adventure, and wept bitterly. The Prince was as much surprised
at this as he was at the laughter of the crayfish, and he could not
ascertain the cause, as the pike's-head was dumb.

He returned, much disturbed by his adventure, to his pretty apartment,
where he no longer found the crayfish, for they had returned to the
reservoir. The following morning, they re-entered without Marmotte;
he sought for his Princess, and still not discovering her, he again
chose ten of the finest for pounding. The same adventure occurred--they
laughed, and the man-pike wept when they disappeared in the flame. For
three months this extraordinary scene was daily repeated; he heard
nothing of the King of the Whiting, and he was only uneasy at not
discovering his beautiful Princess.

One evening, returning from the kitchen to his own apartments, he
traversed the King's gardens, and passing near a palisade which
surrounded a charming plantation, in the midst of which was a little
sparkling fountain, he heard some one speaking; this surprised him, for
he believed all the inhabitants of that kingdom to be as dumb as those
he had seen. He advanced gently, and heard a voice, which said,--"But
Princess, if you do not discover yourself, your husband will never
find you." "What can I do?" said the other voice, which he recognised
as that he had so often heard. "The cruelty of Marmotte compels me
to remain silent, and I cannot discover myself without risking his
life as well as my own. The wise Lumineuse, who aids him, conceals
my features from him in order to preserve us to each other: he must
absolutely pound me, it is an irrevocable sentence." "But why should
he pound you?" inquired the other. "You have never yet told me your
history; Citronette, your confidante, would have related it to me had
she not last week been chosen for the King's broth." "Alas!" replied
the Princess, "that unfortunate has already undergone the torture which
I await; would that I were in her place, for assuredly by this time she
is in her grotto." "But," rejoined the other voice, "as it is such a
beautiful night, tell me now why you are subjected to the vengeance of
Marmotte. I have already told you who I am, and I burn with impatience
to know more about you." "Although it will renew my grief," replied the
Princess, "I cannot refuse to satisfy you, especially as I must speak
of Zirphil, and I take pleasure in all that relates to him."

One may easily judge of the delight which the Prince felt at this
fortunate moment; he glided gently into the plantation, but as it was
very dark he saw nothing; he listened, however, with all his ears, and
this is word for word what he heard:--

"My father was King of a country near Mount Caucasus; he reigned to
the best of his ability over a people of incredible wickedness; there
were perpetual revolts, and often the windows of his Palace were broken
by the stones which they hurled against them. The Queen, my mother,
who was a very accomplished woman, composed speeches for him to make
to the disaffected; but if he succeeded in appeasing them one day,
the next produced a new trouble. The judges were tired of condemning
to death, and the executioners of hanging. At length things arrived
at such a pitch that my father, seeing all our provinces were uniting
against us, resolved to withdraw from the capital, that he might no
longer witness so many disagreeable scenes. He took the Queen with
him, and left the kingdom to the government of one of his ministers,
who was very wise, and less timid than the King, my father. My mother
was expecting my birth, and travelled with some difficulty to the foot
of Mount Caucasus, where my father had chosen his habitation. Our
wicked subjects fired the guns for joy at their departure, and next day
strangled our minister, saying that he wished to carry matters with
too high a hand, and that they much preferred their old Sovereign.
My father was not at all flattered by their preference, and remained
concealed in his little retreat, where very soon I saw the light.

"They named me Camion, because I was so very diminutive.[38] Moreover,
the King and Queen, tired of the honours which had cost them so dear,
and wishing to conceal my high birth from me, brought me up as a
shepherdess. At the end of ten years (which appeared to them like ten
minutes, so happy were they in their retreat), the fairies of the
Caucasus, indignant at the wickedness of the people who inhabited our
kingdom, resolved to restore order in it. One day that I was tending my
sheep in the meadow which adjoined our garden, two old shepherdesses
accosted me, and begged me to give them shelter for the night; they had
such a sad dejected air that my soul was moved with compassion. 'Follow
me,' said I; 'my father, who is a farmer, will receive you willingly.'
I ran to the cottage to announce their arrival to him; he came to meet
them, and received them with much kindness, as did my mother also. I
then brought in my sheep, and set milk before our guests. Meanwhile,
my father prepared them a nice little supper, and the Queen, who, as I
before told you, was a clever woman, entertained them wonderfully.

"I had a little lamb which I loved excessively; my father called to
me to bring it to him that he might kill it and roast it. I was not
accustomed to dispute his will, and therefore took it to him; but I
was so distressed at having to do so that I went and sat down weeping
beside my mother, who was so occupied in talking to these good women
that she took no notice of me. 'What is the matter with little Camion?'
said one of them, who saw me in tears. 'Alas, Madam!' said I to her,
'my father is roasting my pet lamb for your suppers.' 'How?' said the
one who had not yet spoken, 'is it on our account that pretty Camion
is thus distressed?' Then rising and striking the ground with her
stick, a table rose out of it magnificently covered, and the two old
women became two beautiful ladies, in dresses so dazzling with precious
stones, that I was struck motionless, so much so, indeed, that I paid
no attention when my little lamb bounded into the room, and made a
thousand leaps, which much amused the company. I ran at length to him,
after having kissed the hands of the beautiful ladies; but I was quite
amazed to find his wool all of silver purl, and covered with knots of
rose-coloured ribbon.

"My father and mother paid every attention to the Fairies, for such I
need not tell you they were both. They raised the King and Queen, who
had fallen at their feet. 'King and Queen,' said she who was the most
majestic, 'we have known you for a long time past, and your misfortunes
have excited our pity. Do not imagine that greatness exempts any one
from the ills attached to humanity. You must know by experience that
the more elevated the rank the more keenly are they felt. Your patience
and virtue have raised you above your misfortunes: it is time to give
you your reward. I am the Fairy Lumineuse, and I come to ask what
would be most agreeable to your majesties. Speak, and do not fear to
put our power to the proof; consult together, your wishes shall be
accomplished; but say nothing respecting Camion--her destiny is apart
from yours. The Fairy Marmotte, envious of the brilliant fate which has
been promised her, has obscured it for a time: but Camion will better
know the value of her happiness when she shall have experienced the
ills of life; we will protect her by softening them: that is all we are
permitted to tell you. Speak; with that exception we can do anything
for you.'

"The Fairies, after this harangue, were silent. The Queen turned to
the King that he might reply, for she wept to find I was doomed to be
unhappy; but my father was no better able than herself to speak: he
uttered piteous exclamations, and I, seeing them in tears, left my lamb
to come and weep with them. The Fairies waited with much impatience,
and in perfect silence, till our tears were ended. At length my mother
pushed the King gently to let him know they were expecting his reply.
He took his handkerchief from his eyes and said, that as it was decided
that I should be miserable, nothing they could offer him could be
agreeable to him, and that he refused the happiness which they promised
him, as he should always find it embittered by the idea of what I
had to dread. The Queen added, seeing that the poor man could say no
more, that she begged the Fairies to take their lives on the day when
my sad destiny was to be fulfilled, for that her only wish was not to
be compelled to witness my misery. The good Fairies, affected by the
extreme grief which reigned in the royal family, spoke together in a
whisper. At length Lumineuse, who had already addressed us, said to the
Queen, 'Be consoled, Madam; the misfortunes which threaten Camion are
not so great but that they may terminate happily; for from the moment
that the husband destined for her shall have obeyed the commands of
fate, she will be happy with him, and the malignity of our sister can
have no further power over either. The Prince we have selected is one
worthy of her; and all we can tell you is, that you must absolutely
lower your daughter every morning into the well, and that she must
bathe in it for half-an-hour. If you strictly observe this rule,
perhaps she may escape the evil with which she is threatened. At twelve
years old the critical period of her fate will commence; if she reach
the age of thirteen in safety, there will be nothing more to fear. That
is all which regards her. Now wish for yourselves, and we can gratify
your desires.'

"The King and Queen looked at each other, and after a short silence,
the King asked to become a statue until after I should have completed
my thirteenth year; and the Queen limited her request to the modest one
that the temperature of the well in which I was to be dipped should be
always according to the season. The fairies, charmed at this excess of
parental tenderness, added that the water should be orangeflower water,
and that the King, whenever the Queen should throw this water over
him, should resume his natural form, and again become a statue when he
pleased. At length they took leave of us, after having lauded the King
and Queen for their moderation, and promised to assist them whenever
they should require it, by burning a bit of the silver purl with which
my lamb was covered.

"They vanished, and I felt real anguish for the first time in my life,
at seeing my father become a great statue of black marble. The Queen
burst into tears, and I also; but at length, as everything has an end,
I ceased to cry, and occupied myself in consoling my mother, for I felt
a sudden increase both of sense and sensibility.

"The Queen passed her life at the feet of the statue, and I, after
having bathed as they had ordered me, went to milk my ewes. Upon that
food we lived, for the Queen would not take anything else, and it was
only from love to me that she could be prevailed on to preserve an
existence, which to her was so full of bitterness. 'Alas! my daughter,'
said she, sometimes, 'of what use to us have been our grandeur and
our high birth? (for she no longer concealed from me my rank.) 'Would
it not have been better to have been born in a lower sphere, since a
crown draws down on us such great misfortunes? Virtue, and my affection
for you, my dear Camion, alone enable me to support them; but there
are moments when my soul seems impatient to leave me, and I confess
I feel pleasure in imagining that I shall soon die. It is not for me
you should weep,' added she, 'but for your father, whose grief, still
greater than mine, has carried him so far as to make him desire a worse
fate than ceasing to live. Never forget, my dear, the gratitude you owe
him.' 'Alas! Madam,' said I, 'I am not capable of ever forgetting it,
and still less can I forget that you have wished to live in order to
assist me.'

"I was bathed regularly every day, and my mother was sadly distressed
to see the King always an inanimate statue. She dared not, however,
recall him to life, fearing to inflict on him the pain of witnessing
the misfortune with which I was threatened. The Fairies not having
specified what it was, we were in mortal fear. The Queen especially
fancied no end of frightful things, because her imagination had an
unlimited field to range over. As for me, I did not trouble myself much
about it, so true is it that youth is the only time when we enjoy the
present.

"My mother told me repeatedly that she felt a great desire to bring my
father to life again, and I had the same inclination. At length, after
six months, finding that the Fairies' bath had greatly embellished
both my person and mind, she resolved to gratify this longing, if but
to give the King the pleasure of seeing my improvement. She therefore
desired me to bring her some water from the well. Accordingly, after
my bath, I drew up a vase of this marvellous water, and the statue was
no sooner sprinkled with it, than my father became a man again. The
Queen threw herself at his feet, to ask pardon for having troubled his
repose. He raised her, and embracing her tenderly, forgave her readily,
and she presented me to him.

"I am ashamed to tell you that he was both delighted and surprised.
For how can you believe me, beautiful Princess?" said the voice,
hesitatingly, "me, the most hideous of crayfish?" "Alas! I can well
believe you," replied the one to whom she spoke; "I also might boast
of being handsome, but is it possible to appear so in these frightful
shells? Pray continue, however, for I am eager to hear the rest of your
history." "Well, then," said the other voice, "the King was enchanted
with me, loaded me with caresses, and asked the Queen if she had any
news to tell him. 'Alas!' said she, 'who in this desert should come
to tell me any? Besides, being occupied solely in lamenting your
transformation, I have taken little interest in the world, which is
nothing to me without you.' 'Well,' said the King, 'I will tell you
some news, then; for do not think that I have been always asleep.
The Fairies who protect us have disclosed to me the punishment of my
subjects. They have made an immense pond of my kingdom, and all the
inhabitants are men-fish. A nephew of the Fairy Marmotte, whom they
have set up as their king, persecutes them with unequalled cruelty:
he devours them for the least fault; and at the end of a certain time
a prince will arrive who will dethrone him, and reign in his stead.
It is in this kingdom that Camion will be made perfectly happy. This
is all that I know; and it was not a bad way of passing my time' said
he, laughing, 'to have discovered these things. The Fairies came every
night to inform me of what was doing, and I should perhaps have known
much more if you had let me remain a statue a little longer; but,
however, I am so delighted to see you once more, that I do not think I
shall very soon wish to become a statue again.'

"We passed some time in the happiest manner possible. The King and
Queen, notwithstanding, were rather anxious when they thought of my
approaching the age of thirteen. As the Queen bathed me with great
care, she hoped that the prediction would not be fulfilled. But who can
boast of escaping their destiny? One morning that the Queen had risen
early, and was gathering some flowers to decorate our cottage, because
the King was fond of them, she saw come out from beneath a tube-rose an
ugly animal, something like a marmot. This beast threw itself on her,
and bit her nose. She fainted with the pain which this bite occasioned
her, and my father, at the end of an hour, not seeing her return, went
to seek her. Judge of his consternation at finding her nearly dead, and
covered with blood! He uttered fearful cries. I ran to his assistance,
and we together carried the Queen into the house, and placed her in
bed, where she was two hours without coming to herself. At length she
began to give some signs of life, and we had the pleasure of seeing her
very shortly recovered, except from the pain of the bite, which caused
her much suffering.

"She asked directly if I had been to bathe: but we had quite forgotten
it in our anxiety about her. She was much alarmed at hearing this;
however, seeing that as yet no accident had happened to me, she became
re-assured, and related to us her adventure, which surprised us
immensely.

"The day passed over without any other trouble; the King had taken his
gun and sought in every direction for the horrid beast without finding
it. The next day at sunrise the Queen awoke and came to fetch me, to
repair the fault of the preceding morning; she lowered me into the
well as usual, but alas, fatal and unlucky day! at this same instant,
although the heavens were quite serene, a dreadful clap of thunder rent
the air, the sky seemed suddenly all on fire, and from a burning cloud
there issued a flaming dart which flew into the well. My mother in her
fright let go the cord which held me, and I sank to the bottom, without
hurting myself, it is true, but horrified at discovering that I was
partially transformed into an enormous fish which they call a whale. I
rose to the surface again, and called the Queen with all my power. She
did not reply. I was sadly afflicted and wept bitterly, as much for
her loss as at my metamorphosis, when I felt that an invisible power
forced me to descend to the bottom of the well. Having reached it, I
entered a grotto of crystal, where I found a species of Nymph, ugly
enough, for she was like an immensely fat frog. However, she smiled at
my approach, and said to me--'Camion, I am the Nymph of the Bottomless
Well; I have orders to receive thee, and to make thee undergo the
penance to which thou art sentenced for having failed to bathe; follow
me, and do not remonstrate.'

"What, alas, could I do? I was so distressed and so faint at finding
myself on dry ground, that I had not the strength to speak. She dragged
me, not without pain, into a saloon of green marble which was near
the grotto; she there put me into an immense golden tub filled with
water, and I then began to recover my senses. The good Nymph appeared
delighted at this. 'I am called Citronette,' said she to me; 'I am
appointed to wait on thee; thou canst order me to do anything thou
wilt--I know perfectly well both the past and the present; as for the
future, it is not my province to penetrate it. Command me, and at least
I can render the time of thy penance less irksome to thee.'

"I embraced the good Citronette at these words, and related to her the
events of my life. I then inquired of her what had become of the King
and Queen. She was about to reply, when a hideous marmot, as large
as a human being, entered the saloon, and froze me with horror. She
walked upon her hind legs, and leant upon a gold wand, which gave her
a dignified air. She approached the tub, in which I would willingly
have drowned myself, I was so frightened, and raising her wand, with
which she touched me--'Camion,' said she, 'thou art in my power, and
nothing can release thee but thy obedience and that of the husband whom
my sisters have destined for thee. Listen to me, and cast off this
fear, which does not befit a person of your rank. Since thine infancy
I wished to take care of thee, and to marry thee to my nephew, the
King of the Whiting. Lumineuse, and two or three other of my sisters,
combined to deprive me of this right; I was provoked, and not being
able to revenge myself on them, I resolved to punish thee for their
audacity. I doomed thee, therefore, to be a whale for at least half
the term of thy existence. My sisters protested so strongly against
what they called my injustice, that I diminished my vengeance by
three-quarters and a half; but I reserved to myself the right of
marrying thee to my nephew in return for my complaisance. Lumineuse,
who is imperious, and unfortunately my superior, would not listen to
this arrangement, because she had destined thee, before me, to a Prince
whom she protected. I was compelled then to consent to her plan, in
spite of my resentment; all that I could obtain was that the first who
should deliver you from my claws should be thy husband. Here are their
portraits,' continued she, showing me two gold miniature cases, 'which
will enable thee to recognise them: but if one of them come to deliver
thee, he must betroth himself to thee whilst thou art in the tub, and
before thou canst leave it, he must tear off the skin of the whale;
without that, thou wilt always remain a fish. My nephew would not
hesitate a moment to execute that order; but the favourite of Lumineuse
will consider it a horrible task, for he has the air of a very delicate
little gentleman. Set, then, thy wits to work to make him skin thee,
and after that thou shalt be no longer unhappy, if to be a beautiful
whale, very fat and well fed, and up to the neck in water, can be
called unhappiness.'

"To these words I made no reply, but remained very dejected, as much at
my present state as by the thought of scaling to which I must submit.

"Marmotte disappeared, leaving with me the two miniature cases. I wept
over my misfortunes and my situation, without dreaming of looking at
the portraits, when the good and sympathising Citronette said to me,
'Come, we must not lament over ills which cannot be remedied. Let us
see if I cannot help to console you; but first, try not to weep so
much, for I have a tender heart, and I cannot see your tears without
feeling inclined to mingle mine with them. Let us chase them away by
looking at these portraits.'

"So saying, she opened the first case, and showing it to me, we both
uttered shrieks like Melusine's[39] at seeing a hideous whiting's head,
painted, it is true, with all the advantages which could be given to
it; but, in spite of that, never in the memory of man had anything been
seen so ugly. 'Take away that object,' cried I to her; 'I cannot bear
the sight of it longer. I would rather be a whale all my life than
marry that horrible Whiting!'

"She did not give me time to finish my imprecations on this monster,
but said, 'Behold this darling young man! Oh, as for him, would he but
skin you I should be delighted.' I looked hastily to see if what she
said was true; I was only too soon convinced. A noble and charming
countenance presented itself to my view; fine eyes full of tenderness
embellished a face which was both mild and majestic; an air of
intellectuality was spread over it, which completed the fascination of
this delightful painting; a profusion of black hair, curling naturally,
gave an air to it which Citronette mistook for indifference, but which
I interpreted, and I think rightly, as conveying a precisely opposite
sentiment.

"I contemplated this beautiful face with a pleasure of which I was
scarcely conscious. Citronette remarked it first. 'Without a doubt,'
cried she, 'that is the one we will choose.' This bantering roused
me from my reverie, and colouring at my own ecstasy, 'Why should I
trouble myself,' said I; 'ah, my dear Citronette, this appears to me
very like another trick of that cruel Marmotte; she has exhausted her
art in endeavouring to make me regret the impossibility of finding
a similar object in nature.' 'What,' said Citronette, 'already such
tender reflections on this portrait? Ah! truly, I did not expect that
so soon.' I blushed again at this jest, and became quite embarrassed
at finding that I had too innocently betrayed the effect which this
beautiful painting had produced on my heart. Citronette again read my
thoughts. 'No, no,' said she, embracing me, 'do not repent of this
avowal, your frankness charms me; and to console you, I will tell you
that Marmotte does not deceive you, and that there is in the world a
Prince who is the veritable original of the picture.'

"This assurance filled me with joy at the moment; but the next instant
that feeling departed, when I remembered that this Prince would never
see me, as I was in the depths of the earth, and that Marmotte, by
her power, would sooner enable her monster of a nephew to penetrate
my abode than give the least assistance to a prince whom she hated,
because they had destined me to him without her consent. I no longer
concealed what I thought from Citronette; the attempt, indeed, would
have been useless, for she read with surprising facility the utmost
secret of my thoughts; I therefore preferred to take the credit of
candour; she deserved my confidence for her attachment to me, and I
found it a great consolation, for I have felt from that time that when
the heart is filled with one object there is much happiness in being
able to speak of it. In fact, I loved from that moment, and Citronette
dissipated, with much address and clear-sightedness, the confusion and
trouble which the commencement of a violent passion produces in the
mind. She soothed my grief by allowing me to speak of it; and when I
had exhausted words, she gently changed the conversation, which almost
always, however, bore upon my troubles or my affection.

"She had informed me that the King, my father, was transported to the
abode of the King of the Whiting; and that the Queen, at the moment
that she lost me, had become a crayfish. I could not understand this.
'One cannot become a crayfish,' said I. 'Can you better understand how
you have become a whale?' said she.

"She was right; but we are often surprised at things which happen
to others, although we have in ourselves still greater subject for
astonishment. My small experience was the cause of this. Citronette
laughed frequently at my innocence, and was surprised to find me so
eloquent in my affection, for truly I was so on that subject; and I
found that love throws much light into the mind. I could not sleep;
I woke the good-natured Citronette an hundred times in the night to
talk to her of my Prince; she had told me his name, and that he hunted
almost every day in the forest beneath which I was interred. She
proposed to me to try to attract him to our dwelling, but I would not
consent, although I was dying to do so. I was afraid that he would die
for want of air; we were accustomed to it, that was a different thing;
I feared also that it would be too great a freedom; besides, I was in
despair at appearing to him in the form of a whale, and I measured his
aversion for me by that which the portrait of the King of the Whiting
had inspired me with. Citronette re-assured me, telling me that spite
of the whale's body my face was charming. I believed it sometimes,
but more often I was uneasy, and after having looked at myself, I
could not imagine I was sufficiently handsome to inspire with love one
who had made me so well acquainted with it. My self-love came to the
support of my prudence. Alas! how rarely it is that our virtues can be
traced to purer inspirations.

"I passed my time in forming projects for obtaining a sight of him,
and letting him see me, and rejected by turns each that occurred to
me. Citronette was a great assistance to me at this time; for it must
be confessed that she has plenty of sense, and still more gentleness
and amiability. One day that I was even more sad than usual--for love
has the peculiarity of infecting gentle souls with melancholy--I saw
the frightful Marmotte enter, with two persons whom I did not at first
recognise. I took it into my head that it was her wretched nephew whom
she brought with her; I uttered frightful shrieks as they approached me
hastily. 'Why, she could not cry louder,' said the horrid Marmotte, 'if
they were skinning her! Look what terrible harm is done to her!' 'Good
gracious, sister,' said one of these persons who accompanied her, and
whom I then remembered with joy having formerly seen in our village; 'a
truce to your stories of skinning, and let us tell Camion what we have
to tell her.' 'Willingly,' said Marmotte; 'but on the conditions which
you are aware of.'

"'Camion,' said the good Fairy, without replying to Marmotte, 'we
are too much distressed at your condition not to think of remedying
it, more especially as you have not deserved it. My sisters and I
have resolved to ameliorate it as much as lies in our power. This,
therefore, is what we have determined on. You are about to be presented
at the Court of the Prince to whom I have destined you from your
infancy; but, my dear child, you will not appear there as you are,
and you are commanded to return three nights a week and plunge again
in your tub; for until you are married'--'and skinned!' interrupted
the odious Marmotte, laughing violently. The good Fairy merely turned
towards her, shrugging her shoulders, and continued--'Until you are
married you will be a whale in this place. We can tell you no more;
the rest you will be informed of by degrees; but above all keep your
secret; for if a word escape you which tends to discover it, neither I
nor my sisters can do anything for you, and you will be delivered up to
my sister Marmotte.' 'That is what I expect,' said the wicked Fairy;
'and I already see her in my power; for a secret kept by a girl would
be a phenomenon.' 'That is her own affair,' said Lumineuse (for it was
she who had already spoken). 'To proceed, my daughter,' said she, 'you
will become a little doll made of ivory, but capable of thinking and
speaking; we shall preserve all your features, and I give you a week
to consider whether what I propose to you will suit you; we will then
return, and you shall tell me if you consent to it, or if you would
prefer awaiting here the event which must bring you one of the two
husbands selected for you.'

"I had not time to reply; the Fairies departed after these words, and
left me astounded by what I had just seen and heard. I remained with
Citronette, who represented to me that it was a great treat for me to
become an ivory doll. I sighed when I thought that my Prince would
never take a fancy to such a bauble; but at length the desire to see
him and become acquainted with him overcame the anxiety to please
him, and I resolved to accept the proposal which was made to me, and
the more readily as Zirphil (for they had mentioned his name) might
possibly be forestalled by the King of the Whiting, and this idea made
me nearly die of grief.

"Citronette told me that Prince Zirphil hunted daily in the forest
which was above us; and I made her take every day the form of a stag,
a hound, or a wild boar, in order that she might bring me some news,
which never failed to be in some way connected with the subject
which occupied my heart. She described him to me as an hundred times
handsomer than his picture, and my imagination embellished him to such
a degree that I resolved to see him or to die. But one more day had to
elapse before the expected arrival of the Fairies, and Citronette, in
the form of a wild boar, was roaming the forest to find food for my
curiosity, when suddenly I saw her return, followed by the too amiable
Zirphil. I cannot describe to you my joy and astonishment; there are
no terms which can express them to you. But what enchanted me most
was, that this charming Prince appeared equally delighted with me;
perhaps I desired this too much not to help to deceive myself. However,
I thought I saw in his eyes that he felt the impression he had made.
Citronette, more anxious for my happiness than mindful of our ecstasy,
aroused us from it, by begging him either to skin or to marry me. Then
coming to myself, and feeling the danger of my situation, I joined in
her entreaties, and by our prayers and tears induced him to plight me
his faith. I had hardly accepted it, when he vanished, I know not how,
and I found myself in my ordinary form, lying on a good bed; I was
no longer a whale, but I was still in the depths of the earth in the
green saloon, and Citronette had lost the power of leaving it and of
transforming herself.

"I expected the Fairies in a state of the greatest trepidation. My
love had redoubled since I had become personally acquainted with its
object, and I feared that my charming husband might be included in
the vengeance of the Fairies for not having waited till they could
witness my marriage. Citronette had enough to do to re-assure me; I
could not overcome my grief and fear. Marmotte appeared with the dawn
of day, but I neither saw Lumineuse nor her companion; she did not
seem more irritable than usual; she touched me with her wand without
speaking to me, and I became a charming little doll, which she put in
her toothpick-case, and then transported herself into the presence of
the Queen-mother of my betrothed. She gave me to her, with orders to
marry me to her son, or to expect all the evil which she was capable of
inflicting, telling her that I was her goddaughter, and was called the
Princess Camion. I took, in fact, a great fancy to my mother-in-law; I
considered her charming, as being the mother of Zirphil, whom I adored,
and my caresses were returned by her. I was transported every night
into the green saloon, and there enjoyed the pleasure of meeting my
husband, for the same power acted on him, and transported him likewise
into this subterraneous dwelling. I knew not why they forbad me to
tell him my secret, as I was married; but I kept it in spite of his
impatience to know it. You will see," continued the speaker, with a
sigh, "how impossible it is to avoid one's fate. But it begins to get
light, and I feel I am quite tired with being so long out of the water;
let us return to the reservoir, and to-morrow, at the same hour, if we
are not selected for the soup of that worthless King of the Whiting, we
will resume the thread of our discourse.--Come, let us go."

Zirphil heard no more, and himself returned to his apartment, much
concerned at not having made known to the Princess his being so near
her; but the fear of increasing her misfortunes by this indiscretion,
consoled him for not having risked it; the misery of knowing she was
likely to perish by his hand made him resolve to continue his diligent
search amongst the crayfish.

He retired to bed, but not to sleep, for he did not close his eyes all
night. To have found his Princess in the form of a crayfish, ready
to be made into soup for the King of the Whiting, appeared to him a
still more frightful torment than the death to which he had believed
her destined. He was sighing and distressing himself cruelly, when he
was disturbed by a great noise in the garden; he at first heard it
confusedly, but listening attentively, he distinguished flutes and
conch shells. He rose and went to the window, when he saw the King of
the Whiting, accompanied by the dozen sharks who composed his council,
advancing towards the pavilion; he hastened to open the door, and the
train having entered, the King first had his tub filled with sea water
by the peers of the realm who bore it, and after a short repose, and
making the council take their places, he addressed the young Prince,
"Whoever you may be," said he, "you have resolved, apparently, to make
me die of hunger, for you send me every day a broth which I cannot
swallow; but, young man, I must tell you, that if you are leagued with
evil powers to poison me, you have taken a very foolish part. As nephew
of the Fairy Marmotte I am beyond all such attempts, and my life is
safe."

The Prince, astonished at being suspected of so base an act, was about
to reply with haughtiness, but by chance, as he raised his hand, he
cast his eyes upon his ring, and saw therein Lumineuse, who placed
her finger on her mouth as a sign to him to be silent; he had not
before thought of consulting his ring, he had been so engrossed by his
grief. He accordingly held his tongue: but he betrayed his indignation
in his countenance, which the sharks remarked, for they made signs
of approbation, which appeared to say that they did not believe him
capable of such a thing. "Ho, ho!" said the King, "as this myrmidon
appears so angry, we must make him work before us. Let them go to my
kitchen; let them bring the mortar for the crayfish; I shall give
my council a treat." Immediately a pike's-head went to execute the
King's commands, and during this time the twelve sharks took a large
net, which they threw into the reservoir from the window, and drew in
three or four thousand crayfish. During the interval that the council
was employed in fishing, and the pike's-head in fetching the King's
mortar, Zirphil reflected, and felt that the most critical moment of
his life approached, and that his happiness or misery would depend upon
his present conduct. He armed himself with resolution for whatever
might come to pass, and placing all his hopes in the Fairy Lumineuse,
he implored her to be favourable to him. At the same moment he looked
at his ring, and saw in it the beautiful Fairy, who made a sign to him
to pound courageously; this revived him, and took from him some of the
pain he felt at consenting to this cruelty.

At length the horrid mortar was produced. Zirphil approached it boldly,
and prepared to obey the King. The council put in the crayfish with
great ceremony, and the Prince tried to pound them; but the same thing
happened to them as to the former ones in the kitchen--the bottom of
the mortar opened and the flames devoured them. The King and the odious
sharks amused themselves for a long time with this spectacle, and were
never tired of filling the mortar; at length there was but one left
of the four thousand; it was surprisingly large and fine. The King
commanded that it might be shelled, in order to see if he should like
to eat some of them raw. They gave it to Zirphil to shell; he trembled
all over at having to inflict this new torture, but still more when
this poor fish joined her two claws, and, with her eyes filled with
tears, said, "Alas! Zirphil, what have I done to you that you should
wish to do me so much harm?"

The Prince, moved by these words, and his heart pierced with grief,
looked at her sadly, and at length took it on himself to beg the
King to allow her to be pounded. The King, jealous of his authority,
and firm in his resolution, was enraged at this humble request, and
threatened to pound Zirphil himself if he did not shell it. The
poor Prince took it again from the hands of the shark to whom he
had confided it, and with a little knife which they had given him
he tremblingly touched the crayfish; he looked at his ring, and saw
Lumineuse laughing and talking to a veiled person whom she held by
the hand. He could not understand this at all, and the King, who did
not give him time to reflect, cried out to him so loudly to finish,
that the Prince stuck the knife with such force under the shell of the
crayfish that it cried piteously; he turned away his eyes from hers,
and could not help shedding tears. At length he resumed his task,
but to his great astonishment he had not finished the shelling when
he found in his hands the wicked Marmotte, who jumped to the ground,
uttering shrieks of laughter so loud and disagreeable in mockery of
Zirphil, that it prevented him from fainting, or he would have fallen
on the floor.

The King cried in astonishment, "Why, it is my aunt!" "And truly
it is she," said this annoying animal. "But, my dear Whiting, I
come to tell you a terrible piece of news." Whiting grew pale at
these words, and the council assumed an air of satisfaction, which
increased the ill-humour of the King and his terrible aunt. "The fact
is, my darling," continued Marmotte, "you must return to your watery
dominions, for this rash boy whom you see here has chosen to display
a constancy that nothing can shake, and has triumphed over all the
traps I set for him to prevent him from carrying off the Princess I had
destined for you."

At these words the King of the Whiting fell into such a rage, that he
could not contain himself: he committed extravagances which proved he
was possessed of the most violent passions. Marmotte tried in vain to
calm him; he broke his bowl into a thousand pieces, and, being on dry
ground, he fainted. Marmotte, mad with rage, turned to Zirphil, who had
remained a quiet spectator of this tragic scene, and said to him, "Thou
hast conquered, Zirphil, by the power of a fairy whom I must obey; but
thou art not yet at the end of thy troubles. Thou canst not be happy
till thou shalt have given into my own hand the case which enclosed the
accursed Camion. Even Lumineuse agrees to this, and I have obtained her
consent for you to suffer until that time."

At these words she took the King of the Whiting on her shoulders, and
threw him into the reservoir, as well as the sharks, the palace, and
all its inhabitants. Zirphil found himself alone at the foot of a
great mountain, in a country which was as arid as a desert, without
being able to perceive the vestige of a habitation, or even of the
great reservoir. All had disappeared at the same moment. The Prince
was even more distressed than astonished at so extraordinary an event.
He was accustomed to wonders--he was only alive to the grief which the
persecution of the Fairy Marmotte occasioned him. "I cannot doubt,"
said he, "that I have pounded my Princess. Yes, I must have pounded
her; yet I am none the happier for it. Ah, barbarous Marmotte! And you,
Lumineuse, you leave me without help, after having obeyed you at the
expense of all which a heart as sensitive as mine could suffer!"

His grief, and the little repose which he had taken since the previous
night, threw him into such a state of weakness, that he would have
sunk altogether if he had not had the courage to wish to live. "If I
could but find something to support me," said he; "but in this horrible
desert I shall seek in vain a single fruit which can refresh me." He
had not pronounced the word when his ring opened, and a little table
covered with excellent viands came out of it. It became in a moment
large enough to accommodate the person for whom it was intended. He
found on it all that could tempt his eye and his appetite, for the
repast was so beautifully arranged, that in fact nothing was wanting,
and the wine was delicious. He returned thanks to Lumineuse, for who
else could have assisted him so opportunely? He ate, drank, and felt
strong again.

When he had finished, the table lost its form, and re-entered the
ring. As it was late, he did not make much progress in ascending the
mountain, but stretched himself under a wretched tree, which had hardly
enough leaves to protect him from the night air. "Alas!" said he,
as he laid himself down, "such is the nature of man. He forgets the
good that is past, and is only sensible of present evil. I would now
willingly exchange my table for a couch a little less hard than this."
A moment after he felt that he was in a comfortable bed; but he could
see nothing, for it appeared to him that the darkness was redoubled. He
ascertained that this was caused by the ample curtains which surrounded
his bed, and protected him from the cold and dew, and having again
thanked the good and attentive Lumineuse, he dropped off to sleep.
On waking at daybreak, he found himself in an angel-bed,[40] of
yellow taffety and silver, which was placed in the middle of a tent of
satin of the same colour, embroidered all over with ciphers in bright
silver, which formed the name of Zirphil, and all the ciphers were
supported by whales formed of rubies. Everything that could possibly
be required was to be found also in this beautiful tent. If the Prince
had been in a more tranquil state of mind he would have admired this
elegant habitation generally; but he only looked at the whales,
dressed himself, and went out of the tent, which folded itself up, and
re-entered the ring from which it had issued.

He began to ascend the mountain, taking no longer any trouble in
seeking food or lodging, for he was certain to have both as soon as he
wished for them. His only anxiety was to find Lumineuse; for his ring
was mute on that subject, and he found himself in a country so strange
to him, and so deserted, that he was necessarily compelled to trust to
chance.

After having passed several days in ascending without discovering
anything, he arrived at the brink of a well which was cut in the rock.
He seated himself near it to rest, and began to exclaim, as usual,
"Lumineuse, can I not find you, then?" The last time he pronounced
these words, he heard a voice which proceeded from the well say, "Is it
Zirphil who speaks to me?" His joy at hearing this voice was increased
by recognising her to whom it belonged. He rushed to the brink of the
well, and said, "Yes, it is Zirphil. And are you not Citronette?"
"Yes," replied Citronette, emerging from the well, and embracing the
Prince.

It is impossible to express the pleasure which this sight gave him.
He overwhelmed the nymph with questions about herself and about the
Princess. At length, after the excitement of their first meeting had
subsided, they spoke more rationally together. "I am about to inform
you," said she, "of all that you are ignorant of; for since the time
you pounded us, we have enjoyed a happiness which was only alloyed by
your absence, and I awaited your arrival here on the part of the Fairy
Lumineuse, to tell you what remains for you to do in order to obtain
possession of a Princess who loves you as much as you love her. But as
some time must elapse before you can arrive at this happiness, I will
relate to you the rest of the marvellous history of your amiable bride."

Zirphil kissed the hand of Citronette a thousand times, and followed her
into her grotto, where he thought he should die of mingled pleasure
and grief when he recognised the spot in which he had for the first
time seen his divine Princess. At length, after partaking of a repast
which came out of the ring, he begged the good Citronette to have the
kindness to resume the narrative of the Princess from where she had
herself left off in the palace garden.

"As it is here," said Citronette, "that Lumineuse is to meet you, you
shall, whilst waiting for her, learn all that you wish to know, for
it is useless for you to run after her. She confides you to my care,
and a lover is less impatient when one talks to him about her whom he
loves. The fairy Marmotte was not ignorant of your marriage; she had
transformed our friend into an ivory doll, believing that you would
be disgusted at her. Lumineuse conducted this affair herself, knowing
that nothing could deprive you of the Princess if you married her,
or if you destroyed her enchantment by skinning her. You chose the
former alternative, and you know what followed. By night she resumed
her proper form, and lamented at having to pass all her days in your
royal mother's pocket, for Marmotte had been permitted by Lumineuse to
torment the Princess until you had fulfilled your destiny, which was,
to skin her; so enraged was she at finding that you had married her,