Adventures of Prince Lazybones, and Other Stories

by Mrs. Molesworth

  CHAPTER VIII

  After a long and impatient listening the echoes of Leo's calls seemed toprolong themselves into musical strains, which, faint and far away atfirst, gradually came nearer and nearer.

  Soft as the sighing of the wind was this elfin music, but swelling intomimic bursts of harmony and clashing of small cymbals.

  Leo leaned over the balustrade of the corridor, and gazed down into thedepths of a cavernous abyss. Instantly the space seemed filled withsprites in every conceivable attire. Some were dressed in theparty-colored habits of court pages, some in royal robes of ermine,others as shepherds with crooks, and again others as cherubs with gauzywings; but all were whirling like snow-flakes to the strains of themusic.

  Leo looked in vain for Paz or Knops. Indeed, so many were the fantasticforms, and so rapidly did they move, that it was like watching asnow-storm, and this effect was heightened by misty wreaths, upon whichwere borne aloft the more radiant members, who danced and flashed asheat-lightning on the clouds of a summer's night. The light, instead ofbeing a bright glare, was soft and mellow, and fell from crescent-shapedlanterns on the staffs of pages, who moved in a measured way among thethrong, producing a kaleidoscopic effect.

  Leo watched them with eager eyes. Beautiful as the sight was, he yet wasoppressed with fear, for he knew not how to reveal himself to thesesportive beings, and he could not imagine how he should ever be releasedfrom his imprisonment.

  Suddenly the dancers fled as if pursued, the music became martial, andthe steady tramp of a host of elves was heard. They were clad in mail,with helmets and shields of flashing steel, and armed with glitteringlances; half of them had blue plumes and half had crimson. And now begantheir mimic warfare. Ranged line upon line, facing each other, withshouts and drum beats and bugle blasts, they fell upon each other in thefury of combat. Swords clashed, javelins were hurled, and the slain fellin heaps; but still the leaders charged, and still the martial blastswere heard; and over and over were repeated the manoeuvres of theadvance, the retreat, the parrying of blows, the redoubled ardor ofassault, until Leo's breath came short and hard with the excitement ofthe scene. It seemed a veritable battle-field, and to add to the glamourrays as of moonbeams, shone now and again clouded by the shadows of anapproaching storm.

  Gradually the rage of the combatants subsided. Those who were ablewithdrew with those of their companions who were disabled, leaving theprostrate forms of the dead and dying.

  And now the music portrayed the rising of the wind, the falling of rain,the roar of thunder. This was succeeded by low, plaintive strains, as ofpeople weeping, and a party of elves in the garb of monks headed aprocession bearing lighted tapers and carrying biers, upon which theyplaced the inanimate forms of the warriors. Slowly they paced about,chanting in low tones, and constantly accompanied by the funeral dirgeof the musicians.

  And now to Leo's almost overtaxed vision came a picture of a lonelygraveyard in the mountains, where the procession stopped. Even as helooked it faded away; the sun streamed forth, shining upon a field ofgrain where merry reapers swung their scythes and sang with glee. Treessprouted from fissures in the rock, birds flew about and perchedundismayed, and little hay-carts, piled high with their loads, camecreaking along, led by peasant elves, who were also seated on top oftheir fragrant heaps of hay. Then the sun beamed upon a party ofdrovers--elves in smock-frocks or blouses, driving flocks of sheep andhorned cattle, while the bleating of the sheep and the blowing of thecattle were well imitated by the music. All this was succeeded byvineyards, grape trellises, and arbors, with busy elves gathering thefruit which hung in purple clusters, and beneath the arbors other elvesrattling castanets, beating tambourines, and dancing.

  Again the scene changed. Snow fell; the birds disappeared; the treeboughs were glittering with ice, and were bending over a wide field ofthe same glassy substance. On it were elves in bright costumes, merrilyskating. They glided about, cutting curious figures, pausing to bendand bow to each other, or to warm themselves at bonfires blazing on thebanks.

  Then night came again, and the darkness was only broken by twinklingstars. The music became softer and more plaintive; it sounded likelittle flutes.

  A church tower loomed up, and then a blaze of light issued from itsarched doors. Two by two, in white array, came forth the elves, and fromthe floating veils Leo saw that it was meant to represent a bridalprocession. Garlands were on their arms, and ribbons fluttered fromtheir caps. Roses were strewn in their path.

  Again, these were followed by a company of elves in the habit of nunsand Sisters of Charity. The music became a hymn. The church grew darkand vanished. The space filled again with shadowy forms, as if all thelittle actors had poured in. The sound of their coming was like that ofa bevy of birds with wings fluttering. Suddenly a starry cross appeared;it flashed and flamed with a light which was as if it were composed ofmyriads of gems, and then a clear radiance streamed from it, revealingthe whole multitude of elves kneeling in devotion. This lasted but afew moments, and again all was still and dark, and Leo was alone.

  But he was no longer afraid. His mind was filled with the beautifulscenes he had witnessed, his imagination stirred to activity. Why mighthe not behold these things again as a reality, instead of only asemblance of it? How grand it would be to travel and see novel andbeautiful sights, to learn also wonderful things! And as he quietlythought, he heard the click, click of little boots, and Knops was besidehim, followed by Paz. Leo greeted them warmly.

  "Did you suppose that we had deserted you?" asked Knops, sitting down byhis side on the couch as if exhausted.

  "Yes, I was a little alarmed; it was so strange to find myself alone insuch a place, for of course I had no idea which way to turn or what todo."

  "You were so soundly asleep that I had not the cruelty to disturb you,and it was necessary for Paz to go with me. From what you have witnessedyou may guess how we have been employed and how much we have had todetain us; but you may rest assured that nothing would keep me fromfinishing what I have undertaken. You have now had a Vision of Life anda Vision of Labor, for such I call our two pantomimes. Am I wrong insupposing that they have pleased you?"

  "No, indeed," said Leo, quickly, his usual drawl giving place to a toneof bright animation. "I thank you a thousand times for yourentertainment and instruction. I have been so pleased and delighted thatI can hardly express myself as I ought to do. I am afraid I seem a verygood-for-nothing fellow to you."

  "Indeed you do not. Don't suppose I would waste time on agood-for-naught. Paz can tell you what attracted me to you--can't you,Paz?"

  "Yes, sir; the Prince Leo's kindness of heart is the secret of his powerwith us."

  Leo blushed as he looked up and asked, "How did you know I wassoft-hearted?"

  "By your kindness to animals and all living things. Ah! we are closeobservers, are we not, Paz?"

  "Necessarily, Master Professor."

  "Our powers of observation have revealed to us many of the mysterieswhich man longs to solve. There's the Gulf Stream, for instance. But youare not up in science yet. No matter. You have time enough before you ifyou will only apply yourself. Has anything you have seen made youanxious to know more?"

  "Oh, don't mention it!" exclaimed Leo. "I am so awfully ashamed of myignorance that I would do anything to get rid of it. I want to know allabout those curious things."

  "Good! the seed is sown, Paz," said Knops, complacently, with thenearest approach to a wink Leo had seen on his grave little countenance."Now you must rest again before we start for home."

  Leo would have been very willing to do without more rest, rememberinghis alarm, but he could not be so selfish as to deprive his companion ofit; so he at once assented, tempted to ask only that he might not beleft quite so long again alone. But fearing this would imply distrust,and being really no coward, he said nothing. He was relieved, however,to hear Knops command Paz to remain with him.