by G. A. Henty
V
MARY SEES THE WINGS, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS
'Well,' said Sister Agatha, as she put on one of Mary's new dresses afew mornings later (it was the plum-coloured dress), 'what do you thinkof your fairy-godmother by this time?'
'I think she's lovely,' answered Mary; 'only I do want to see herwings!'
'You are going to see them,' said Sister Agatha; 'she is going to payyou a visit when she is wearing them one evening. What do you think ofthat?'
'When?' cried Mary.
'Very soon indeed,' was the answer, 'so don't be surprised.'
Mary could think of nothing else but Sister Agatha's promise that sheshould see Evangeline's wings, and one evening about a week later, justbefore she was going to be undressed, she had her wish.
She had sat up rather later than usual, but the electric light had notbeen switched on and the room was almost dark. Presently, Sister Agatharose and left Mary alone, and as the child sat in the arm-chair, waitingto be put to bed, she began to feel sleepy.
Every now and then she closed her eyes, and when she opened them she wassurprised to see how much darker the room had become. Then she heardlaughing outside the door, and the next moment it opened and SisterAgatha entered.
'Now you won't be frightened, will you?' she said.
'Oh no, of course I won't,' answered Mary in a rather shaky voice. Asshe spoke the room became suddenly so light that her eyes were dazzledand she could see nothing. And a few moments later, when she could seethings again, she was scarcely able to believe they were real.
Close to the door stood Evangeline Royal. On her head she wore a crownof diamonds which glistened and sparkled amongst her golden hair. Hershoulders were uncovered and she wore a dress of pure white, and so longthat it quite hid her shoes. She carried a long wand in her right hand,and the most wonderful of all! Mary saw her wings. They looked smallerthan she expected, and they were so thin that she could see rightthrough them, just as you can see through a window.
'Can you fly with them?' asked Mary as soon as she could speak.
'No,' answered Evangeline. 'They are not of the slightest use--they areonly for show, you see.'
'Where are you going?' cried Mary.
'She is going to hold her Court, of course,' said Sister Agatha; 'Ishould have thought any one would have known that.'
'Is she going to hold it here?' asked Mary. 'In this very room, I mean?'
'The idea of such a thing!' exclaimed Sister Agatha. 'Where do youimagine all the kings and queens and the other wonderful folk would putthemselves?'
'Then I shan't see it,' said Mary in a very disappointed tone.
'I wish she could just peep at us!' cried Evangeline, turning towardsSister Agatha.
'I daresay I could carry her down,' was the answer.
'Nobody would notice her if she stayed behind the band,' saidEvangeline.
'What would they do if they did notice me?' asked Mary feeling a littlefrightened.
'Ah! well,' answered Sister Agatha, 'there's no telling what theywouldn't do to us.'
'Still,' said Mary, 'you would be there, too, wouldn't you?'
'Neither of us will be there if some one doesn't go to bed at once!'cried Sister Agatha.
'Oh, isn't it to-night?' asked Mary.
'Not until to-morrow,' was the answer. 'Don't you know that nice thingsare generally to-morrow?'
Mary turned to look at Evangeline's wings once more before she left theroom, and then Sister Agatha put her to bed. To-morrow was one of themost exciting days she had ever passed. For one thing she knew she wasgoing to leave the room for the first time since she had entered it. Shehad no idea what she should see on the other side of the door, she couldonly wonder about it just as you may wonder what there is on the otherside of the moon.
She sat up much later than usual, too, and she liked that; then she worethe new outdoor jacket over her dress, although Sister Agatha said shewas not going out.
'But where are we going?' asked Mary.
'Well,' answered Sister Agatha, 'I think you will say it looks very muchlike fairy-land.'
'How shall I get there?' asked Mary.
'I am going to carry you, of course,' said Sister Agatha. 'All you haveto do is to shut your eyes and keep very still and not to open themuntil I give you leave.'
Mary shut her eyes so tightly that her little face was full of wrinkles.'Oh!' she exclaimed, opening them the next moment, 'will the prince bethere? Shall I see him?'
'It wouldn't be anything without the prince,' said Sister Agatha, andthen Mary shut her eyes again and knew that she was lifted in SisterAgatha's arms. Although she felt very curious to know where she wasbeing carried to, she did not peep once, because she felt afraid ofspoiling everything. Presently she knew that Sister Agatha had opened adoor, and although her eyes were still tightly closed, Mary felt sureshe was in a very light place, the darkness looked so red, you see.
'Please, mayn't I open my eyes now?' she cried.
But she could not hear Sister Agatha's answer, because there was such aloud noise in her ears. She must be close to a band, and a great manypersons seemed to be laughing and talking at once. Mary was justthinking it was of no use; she must open her eyes just for a moment tosee what was going on around her when she felt Sister Agatha's lipsclose to her ear.
'You won't be frightened,' she whispered, 'and you mustn't cry out oreven speak. Now, open your eyes!'
But though Mary opened her eyes at once, it was some time before shecould see anything clearly. It seemed exactly the same as last night,when she first saw Evangeline's wings. The bright light dazzled her,although it was not very long before she knew that she must be really infairy-land, as Sister Agatha had said.
In front of her were a lot of men in light blue uniforms, with silverlace on their coats, playing all manner of curious instruments. Beyondthe band and a little lower, Mary saw an enormous room with no carpet onthe floor, and each fresh person astonished her more than the last. Somewere dancing, some were sitting down, some were talking and laughing,but although there were so many of them, not one looked cross or sad,which was quite different from anything Mary had been used to.
Of course, she recognised some of the people at once, and she wouldcertainly have called out their names if Sister Agatha had not placed ahand over her lips. She saw Bluebeard, and Jack-the-Giant-killer, OldMother Hubbard, Aladdin with his lamp, her dear Cinderella,Puss-in-Boots, the White Cat, and ever so many more whose portraits shehad seen in Sister Agatha's books upstairs. As to ordinary fairies,there were far too many to count--some tall, some short, some fat andsome thin, some fair and some dark, but all with wings exactly likeEvangeline's. And yet it was quite easy to pick out Evangeline Royalfrom the rest, and any one could see that she was their queen.
'Do tell me which is the prince?' asked Mary. 'Oh!' she said, in a veryexcited whisper the next instant, 'that must be the prince, that one inthe white and gold clothes. Look, he's going to dance with Evangeline!'
Mary was quite right. The prince offered Evangeline his right hand andthey came to the middle of the large room together. Then the band, whichhad stopped for a little while, began to play again, and the prince andEvangeline began to dance.
'How lovely the prince looks!' said Mary; 'does he always look likethat?'
'Hus--s--sh!' said Sister Agatha, 'or they won't let us stay.'
'Oh, do please let us stay,' answered Mary in such a low whisper thatSister Agatha scarcely knew she had spoken at all. But if ever shestepped away from the band, which seemed to make a great noise close toMary's ears, Mary began to look tearful, so, although she felt ratherheavy and Sister Agatha's arms were beginning to ache, she let the childstay on, until presently she found that she was fast asleep. And thenext thing Mary knew was that she was sitting on her own bed, whilstSister Agatha took off her stockings, and all the wonders she had seenwere at an end for the present.