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Part 38 Posted on Monday, 9 August 1999
The Fox's usual speed made quick work of the distance to the neighboring kingdom, so the sun was only just setting when they arrived. The castle before them was an impressive sight indeed, reflecting the rosy light - although Beauty found herself thinking that it was not nearly so large and grand as Castle Lochlein. It would still contain a bewildering variety of rooms, however, so how on earth were they to discover where the diamond bottle was kept?
"Could we not simply ask the king to give us the bottle?" Beauty inquired of the Fox. "Surely when he knows our purpose, he could not fail to aid us by parting with something that must count among the least of his possessions."
The Fox turned a sardonic eye upon her. "My dear Beauty," he said, "Your knowledge of kings is quite small, or you would not ask me such a thing. You may be assured that taking the bottle by stealth is our best option."
Beauty had no choice but to agree, since the Fox had never led her wrong before. It would be wise to point out, however, something that my readers may already have noticed: that Beauty had as little experience of foxes as she did of kings. If there is more than one way to attain their object, then foxes usually - and magical Foxes always - will choose the method that requires cleverness and trickery over any other method.
The Fox's instructions seemed quite simple. After the sun had set and the castle's household had gone to their beds, Beauty was to creep quietly to the little postern door in the wall - which they could just see from their current position - and let herself inside. Then she would go up several long hallways and down several long staircases until she came to the king's treasure chamber. The guard at the door would be asleep like everyone else within the castle walls, and she would be able to take the key from his belt to let herself into the rooms beyond. Once inside, she was to walk quickly through all the rooms, ignoring the heaps of gold and jewels that were displayed everywhere, until she came to the last room of all. There she would find a single table holding half a dozen glittering bottles made of diamond, crystal, and gold. However, she was to ignore every one of these and take instead the earthenware vase from a small niche in the wall. If she touched anything else, or if she did not follow the Fox's instructions precisely, then great misfortune could befall.
She was to take the earthenware vase instead of the diamond bottle? Would they then somehow exchange one for the other, or trick the dragon into believing that the clay vessel was truly made of precious stone? The Fox did not choose to explain this part of the plan just yet, but Beauty was willing to accept the apparent contradiction as part of the challenge of a magical quest. She promised to obey the Fox's directions, and so shortly after sunset she made her way towards the castle. There she found everything just as the Fox said it would be. The little postern door was unlocked, and opened noiselessly at her cautious touch. The long hallways and long staircases were thickly carpeted, muffling the sound of her feet, and she met no one who might question her. After the very last hallway and staircase, she came to a heavy wooden door, thickly bound with iron, that must certainly ward the entrance to the treasure chamber. The single guard on duty was snoring softly, and he never moved as Beauty carefully removed the ring of keys from his belt.
The third key she tried was the correct one, and the enormous door of oak and iron swung open before her on well-oiled hinges. At the threshold, she stopped in amazement: never had she seen such riches gathered in one place! Gilded tables held cases full of precious gems, displayed handsomely on folds of black velvet and lit enticingly by the many oil lamps that illuminated the rooms. Open bags of gold coins spilled their bounty across other surfaces, inviting the visitors to wonder how much more must be hidden behind the firmly locked doors of the safes which lined one wall. In another room, artworks of every description showed what delight could be wrought from paint, metal, or stone, and the imagination of an artist; and in another, fine bolts of cloth - delicate silks, lush satins, and brocades bright with gold thread - waited for skilled tailors to transform them into royal robes of state.
Though Beauty was sorely tempted to admire the jewels, touch the gold coins, inspect the paintings, and stroke the fabrics, she remembered what the Fox had said and moved quickly to the last room of all. Here again, everything was arranged exactly as she had been told. The bottles on the table before her were even more exquisite than anything she had yet seen, but she resolutely turned to seek out the earthenware vase.
When she found it, however, she wondered if the Fox might somehow have been mistaken. Why would he send her to fetch such a plain-looking object, made of such a rough and unfinished material, when obviously she should take one of the others? If the Dragon was unimpressed by a leather flask, she was unlikely to find this humble vessel - why, its top edge was chipped! - a suitable replacement. Besides, the Dragon had specifically said that they should bring back a bottle carved of a single diamond and fitted with a golden stopper, and she would not be satisfied with anything less. She required something unmatchable, not something that any village potter could create!
In that case, it only remained to determine which of the six bottles she ought to take. Beauty replaced the earthenware vase where she had found it, and turned her attention to making a proper choice. They were all lovely beyond compare, but Beauty at last selected the one she thought the Dragon would most approve, having an elegant simplicity of shape which at the same time proclaimed the great care its maker had used in its creation.
She reached to take the bottle from the table, but no sooner had her hand closed upon it than a great clamor arose at the entrance to the treasure chamber! A large troop of guards, armed with swords and spears, came clattering inside, and they swiftly discovered Beauty, who had not even had time to put the bottle back into its place on the table. In no time she was surrounded, taken upstairs, and led before the king, who had been roused from his slumber to deal with the intruder.
The king was very surprised to see a young and lovely woodcutter's daughter brought into his throne room, and more surprised still when he heard that she was charged with attempted theft of his royal property. He was not an unkind man, however, and asked Beauty to explain herself before he passed any sentence upon her.
Beauty had fallen to her knees to beg for the king's mercy, and she remained there as she recounted an abbreviated version of her tale. She said nothing of her experiences at Castle Lochlein - simply thinking about the castle and the Beast who lived there still confused her - but only described her search for the magical spring, her meeting with the Rosy Dragon, and the Dragon's command for her to fetch the diamond bottle.
The king expressed sympathy for her troubles and approval for her determination to end a sorcerous curse, but he regretted that he could not bestow the diamond bottle as a gift. At this point, it would appear that he was rewarding thievery, even if it was only attempted thievery - and that was something kings simply could not do. If she had approached him openly, his assistance would still have had a price. Could she imagine the consequences if kings went around distributing their treasures without question and without obligation to anyone who asked? The kingdom would go bankrupt, the king couldn't afford to pay the armies, the neighboring kings would invade, and years of warfare and bloodshed might follow.
Beauty, who of course had never imagined that her request might have such dire consequences, said she quite understood (even if she didn't - not completely, anyway), and begged leave to depart after offering yet another heartfelt apology.
The king, however, was not quite ready to have her leave. Such terrible things, he said, were what could happen if he gave her the bottle without her giving him anything in return. Since she had already proved herself to be a brave and resourceful young woman, would she perhaps agree to find an object that the king could accept in exchange for the bottle?
Beauty was unsure whether anything in her power to find would be worthy of a king, but she would agree to almost anything if it meant she would not have to give up all hope of ever bringing the diamond bottle back to the Rosy Dragon. She told the king that she would be happy to render any service to a man who had been so kind and understanding - and did his Majesty have something particular in mind?
The ruler to the north, the king said, had in her possession a marvelous watch: the case was fashioned out of a single emerald, all of the delicate mechanisms were made of gold, and the face was flawless pearl; besides this, it was said to keep perfect time and only require winding once every century. If Beauty could bring back this watch, then the king would present her with the diamond bottle.
Oh dear - what was she to do now? Beauty had no more idea how to win the emerald watch than she previously had for the diamond bottle, but she could only curtsey and obey the king's wishes.
The servants led her to a comfortable room where she could sleep for the remainder of the night, but Beauty found herself restless and anxious. Her dreams were troubled with images of the Beast, who seemed farther away than ever. How much longer would it be until she could return to Castle Lochlein to tell him...tell him what? Even in her dreams Beauty did not know what - she only knew that there was something terribly important she needed to say to him.
The Fox, who was waiting just where Beauty had left him, met her early the next morning. "You did not follow my instructions," he said.
Beauty admitted the truth and told him everything that had happened, including the king's command to find the emerald watch. (She at least knew enough about kings by now to know that a royal request was a royal command.)
"Never fear!" the Fox said. "I know just what to do, and you cannot fail to succeed this time, if you promise to do exactly as I say."
Beauty of course promised faithfully, so the Fox told her to take her accustomed seat on his tail and get a firm grip on his fur. Then in the blink of an eye they were gone, with the Fox running towards their new destination.
Part 39 Posted on Sunday, 22 August 1999
Beauty and the Fox easily found the castle in the next kingdom to the north, since the castle's stone walls were faced with alabaster, giving the entire structure a fiery glow as it was struck by the light of the setting sun. Again the Fox had judged that it would be best to wait until after sunset before Beauty made any attempt to enter. In the meantime, he gave her careful instructions for finding the emerald watch.
After the castle's household had gone to their beds, Beauty was to creep quietly to the little postern door in the wall - which they could just see from their current position - and let herself inside. Then she would go up several long hallways and down several long staircases until she came to the queen's treasure chamber. The guard at the door would be asleep like everyone else within the castle walls, and she would be able to take the key from his belt to let herself into the rooms beyond. Once inside, she was to walk quickly through all the rooms, ignoring the heaps of gold and jewels that were displayed everywhere, until she came to the last room of all. There she would find a single table holding half a dozen jeweled watches. However, she was to ignore every one of these and take instead the brass clock from a small niche in the wall. If she touched anything else, or if she did not follow the Fox's instructions to the letter, then great misfortune could befall.
She was to take the brass clock instead of the emerald watch? Beauty was once more full of questions, but she remembered what had happened when she was looking for the diamond bottle, so she remained silent. Doubtless the Fox had some good reason why she should take something that was so obviously not the object she was seeking, and he would certainly explain himself when the time was right.
She promised to obey the Fox's directions, and so shortly after sunset she made her way towards the castle. There she found everything just as the Fox said it would be. The little postern door was unlocked, and opened noiselessly at her cautious touch. The long hallways and long staircases were thickly carpeted, muffling the sound of her feet, and she met no one who might question her. After the very last hallway and staircase, she came to a heavy wooden door, thickly bound with iron, that must certainly ward the entrance to the treasure chamber. The single guard on duty was snoring softly, and he never moved as Beauty carefully removed the ring of keys from his belt.
The third key she tried was the correct one, and the enormous door of oak and iron swung open before her on well-oiled hinges. At the threshold, she stopped in amazement: there was even more treasure here than in the last castle! Instead of only tables full of precious gems, there were great iron-bound chests full; the stones were heaped as thickly as potatoes in a farmer's root cellar. Entire rooms were devoted to gold coins, many of which bore strange designs, showing that they had come from distant lands.
Everywhere she looked she saw richness beyond compare, and it occurred to her to wonder whether Castle Lochlein possessed a similar subterranean chamber to hide its wealth. After a moment, however, she thought not - the ruler of that kingdom would not hide what he possessed where it would give him no pleasure and give his subjects no comfort. Beauty and Serenity had remarked on the several prosperous villages through which they passed on the way to the castle. Lochlein's riches lay in its people and in their love for their king. It would be a fortunate woman indeed who would be queen to such a land and such a lord, Beauty mused.
Time was swiftly passing, so she shook herself out of her reverie and continued her search through the treasure chamber. When she finally came to the last room of all, again everything was arranged exactly as she had been told. The watches on the table before her were even more exquisite than anything she had yet seen, gleaming with fine craftsmanship, but she resolutely turned to seek out the brass clock.
Beauty had been determined to do only what the Fox told her, but when she found the clock, she could not help feeling doubtful. Could he possibly have been mistaken? The Fox had been quite confident in his instructions, and yet...might he not have changed his mind once he saw this unremarkable clock himself? If the king was expecting an emerald watch in exchange for the diamond bottle, he was unlikely to accept this humble object instead - why, it was tarnished and even had a dent on its case!
Beauty resolutely thrust her misgivings aside. No, the Fox had said to bring back the brass clock, and that was what she would do. Before she left, however, she simply could not resist taking one last look at the jeweled watches. For safekeeping, she set the brass clock back in the niche in the wall where she had found it, and turned her attention to the little gilded table. Each watch was carved from a different gem: diamond, ruby, topaz, amethyst, sapphire, and emerald. Each watch face was made of pearl, delicately painted to mark the hours. Even their ticking was musical, and Beauty could not imagine how the tiny golden gears and springs were fashioned. They were all lovely, but the emerald watch was by far the most beautiful. Surely there would be no harm in picking it up for a moment, the better to admire it?
She reached to take the watch from the table, but no sooner had her hand closed upon it than a great clamor arose at the entrance to the treasure chamber! A large troop of guards, armed with swords and spears, came clattering inside, and they swiftly discovered Beauty, who had not even had time to put the watch back into its place on the table. In no time she was surrounded, taken upstairs, and led before the queen, who had been roused from her slumber to deal with the intruder.
The queen was very surprised to see a woodcutter's daughter brought into her throne room, and more surprised still when she heard that Beauty was charged with attempted theft of her royal property. The queen was not an unkind woman, however, and asked Beauty to explain herself before she received her sentence.
Beauty had fallen to her knees to beg for the queen's mercy, and she remained there as she explained how she had arrived at the castle. She described her search for the magical spring, her meeting with the Rosy Dragon, the Dragon's command for her to fetch the diamond bottle, her search for that bottle, and the king's command for her to fetch the emerald watch.
The queen expressed sympathy for her troubles and approval for her determination to end a sorcerous curse, but she regretted that she could not bestow the emerald watch as a gift. At this point, it would appear that she was rewarding thievery, even if it was only attempted thievery - and that was something queens simply could not do. If Beauty had come to the castle openly, the queen's assistance would still have had a price. Could she imagine the consequences if queens went around distributing their treasures without question and without obligation to anyone who asked? The kingdom would go bankrupt, the queen couldn't afford to subsidize the harvest, the farmers would revolt, and years of famine and starvation might follow.
Beauty, who of course had never imagined that her request might have such dire consequences, said she quite understood (even if she didn't - not completely, anyway), and begged leave to depart after offering yet another heartfelt apology.
The queen, however, was not quite ready to have her leave. Such terrible things, she said, were what could happen if she parted with the watch without receiving anything in return. Since Beauty had already proved herself to be a brave and resourceful young woman, would she perhaps agree to undertake a trifling task on the queen's behalf?
Beauty was unsure whether anything in her power to accomplish would satisfy a queen, but she would agree to almost anything if it meant she would not have to give up all hope of ever bringing the emerald watch back to the king, which would mean she could bring the diamond bottle back to the Rosy Dragon. She told the queen that she would be happy to render any service to a lady who had been so kind and understanding - and did her Majesty have something particular in mind?
The queen rose from her golden throne, gathering the folds of her quilted satin dressing gown about her (for she had been roused from her bed so suddenly that she had no time to dress properly), and led Beauty to a nearby window. She pointed across the woods and fields to where the turrets of another castle could just be seen, silvered by the moonlight. In that castle, said the queen, lived the man whom the queen had loved all her life: the Ebony Prince. If Beauty could convince him of the queen's abiding affection and persuade him to return to the castle to hear the avowal of her love from her own lips, then the queen would most happily reward Beauty with the emerald watch.
Oh dear - what was she to do now? Beauty had no more idea how to approach a prince than she knew how to win an emerald watch or a diamond bottle, but she could only curtsey and obey the queen's request.
The servants led her to a comfortable room where she could sleep for the remainder of the night, but Beauty found herself restless and anxious. Her dreams were even more troubled than they had been the night before. She dreamed that she spent hours walking the halls of Castle Lochlein looking for the Beast, and when she finally found him he asked her a question she did not understand - she only knew that all her future happiness depended on her answer. Somehow she knew the proper reply, but in her dream she could not open her mouth to speak. The Beast looked sad and grave at her silence, apparently unaware that something beyond herself kept her mute. He turned to leave her, and when Beauty tried to call his name to make him return, she awoke.
The next morning Beauty found the Fox waiting just where she had left him. "You did not follow my instructions," he said.
Beauty admitted the truth and told him everything that had happened, including the queen's command to find the Ebony Prince and the message she was to give him.
"Never fear!" the Fox said. "I know precisely what to do, and you cannot fail this time, if you promise to do exactly as I say."
Beauty of course promised faithfully - no matter what happened, she would not go wrong a third time! - so the Fox told her to take her accustomed seat on his tail and get a firm grip on his fur. Then in the blink of an eye they were gone, with the Fox running towards their new destination.
Part 40 Posted on Wednesday, 8 September 1999
The castle whose moonlit towers she had seen was not a great distance away, and Beauty felt that she had hardly settled herself on the Fox's tail before they arrived. When she regained her feet and looked around, she saw that the Fox had stopped in a delightful area just outside the castle walls. A lush green lawn stretched before her, overarched with the branches of stately trees and starred with wildflowers. A brook meandering through the grass gurgled happily to itself, and a heron standing in the shallow water completed the picturesque scene. On the near bank of the brook, a lavish tent stood, and from behind its silken walls came the plaintive sound of a lyre. The notes were disjointed, as though the musician were idly playing snatches of any song that came to mind.
The Fox pointed a paw at the tent. "You will find the Ebony Prince within," he said. "Listen carefully - for to accomplish this task, you must do exactly as I say. Walk boldly into the tent and seize the prince by the hand. He will then be bound to follow you, and you may lead him back to the queen's castle."
Beauty thought this sounded simple enough. "Cannot you carry us back to the castle?" she asked. "I have no objection to walking, but surely there would be less risk of misfortune if we could ride there on your tail."
"It cannot be so, since you must keep tight hold of the prince's hand until you have brought him before the queen," the Fox replied. "If you were riding my tail, it would be impossible for you to keep hold of my fur and the prince both, and I should not like to drop either of you."
"Very well," said Beauty, reconciling herself to the long walk. She chided herself for becoming just the least bit spoiled from being whisked about from place to place on the Fox's tail - one could easily become used to such an easy and rapid method of transportation. At least it was a pleasant day for a stroll! "I will do everything you say - anything to be done with these magical quests, so that we may return to Castle Lochlein and release Princess Graceful from her spell!"
"One final warning, and then I will leave you," said the Fox. "No matter what the Ebony Prince says to you, answer him only with the truth, or else he will be able to slip from your grasp. Have no fear, Beauty - I am sure you will succeed. I will meet you again at the queen's castle." With a sharp white grin he bid her farewell and vanished back the way they had come.
Without the Fox to support her, Beauty suddenly felt less confident. She had promised to follow his instructions, but she had made the same promise twice before. What if something went wrong? On the other hand, what could possibly happen? What could be difficult about taking a young man's hand - well, a prince's hand - and walking with him to the other castle? She could explain her mission as they went, and when they arrived the queen would reward her with the emerald watch, which she would take to the king to get the diamond bottle, which she would take to the dragon to get the water from the spring, which she would use to free Princess Graceful. Looked at that way, nothing could be easier - and the Fox's admonition about speaking only the truth shouldn't be any trouble whatsoever. Beauty always tried to be truthful, and she could not think of any reason why she would want to lie to the prince.
The more she thought about the prince, the more curious Beauty became. What sort of man was he? The queen said she had loved him all her life, so he must be rather extraordinary. What kind of man could inspire such lasting affection? Beauty had loved her parents and her sisters all her life, but that was a different sort of feeling. She was also fond of the weaver's son, back in her home village, whom she had known since she was three years old - but again, that was different. She supposed she felt like a sister towards him, since after all, his manner of introducing himself had been to pull her hair and push her into a mud puddle. Beauty didn't think she loved anyone in the way the queen loved the Ebony Prince, except perhaps...
But enough of this hesitation! What was she doing daydreaming, when she ought to be getting on with her task? As the Fox had directed, she walked boldly up to the tent - but then, still being curious, she cautiously peered round the edge of the entrance, where the silken flaps were pulled back to admit the passing breezes.
The scene within the tent was quite as picturesque as the scene outside, though in a totally different fashion. The prince might be waiting for Aladdin to appear with his magical lamp, if the furnishings were any indication. Several layers of thick rugs interposed themselves between the royal feet and the grass, and heaps of bright pillows - covered with silk and satin and doubtless stuffed with swansdown - cushioned the royal limbs from any irregularity of the ground. Some fragrant incense, burning in a brass brazier hanging from the central tent pole, ensured that the royal nose breathed only perfumed air.
As for the prince himself - well, it was easy to see why he was called the Ebony Prince. In contrast to the richness of his surroundings, he was clothed simply in black boots and trousers and a loose ivory silk shirt. Blackest of all was his hair, which curtained his face in locks as glossy as a raven's wing. He was half-reclined on a large pile of cushions, holding a golden lyre in the crook of one arm and occasionally plucking its strings with his other hand.
Having seen what she could see, Beauty gathered her confidence and strode into the tent. The prince looked up in surprise as she entered, tossing back his black hair and finally allowing her to see his face. A statue carved from the finest marble could not be formed more perfectly; the prince's visage contained a high forehead, gracefully swept eyebrows, a straight nose, chiseled cheekbones, a generous mouth, and a firm chin. Framed by this magnificence, his eyes shone as blue as a clear autumn sky. He set aside his lyre and bid her a cordial good day, though he must have been wondering who she was and from where she had come.
Really, Beauty thought, he was quite alarmingly handsome. "Your Highness," she addressed him, dropping a brief curtsey, "forgive my apparent rudeness, but I must beg you to come with me." Without giving him time to answer, she seized his hand and turned around to leave the tent. She tried to ignore how strong yet finely-boned that hand was.
The prince, pulled from his comfortable position, was forced to stumble after her. His surprise increased when he tried to free himself but found he could not. Pulling and twisting his hand did nothing to loosen Beauty's grip, and he was too well-bred to use more force against a woman. He tried asking her politely to release him; and when that failed, he raised the full ire of his royal dignity and threatened all sorts of terrible punishments if she did not unhand him at once.
To Beauty, who had faced the tempestuous wrath of the Beast at Castle Lochlein, the storming of a mere prince was no more troubling than a springtime rain shower. She kept her temper well in check - realizing that a prince who has just been dragged from his tent by a strange woman may not be on his best behavior - and calmly explained herself.
His initial anger passed quickly, and the prince fell into step beside Beauty, the better to hear her tale. He was an attentive listener, but the steady gaze of those intensely blue eyes unnerved Beauty more than she cared to admit. She could not return his glances more than once or twice before the hammering of her heart and the breathless feeling in her chest forced her to stare at the ground unwinding beneath her feet. Unfortunately, this change of view did nothing to restore her equanimity - with her eyes lowered, she could see just how advantageously the cut of the price's close-fitting trousers displayed his long and muscular legs. Immediately Beauty lifted up her eyes and resolutely looked at some distant trees.
"Oh, not the queen again!" the prince exclaimed when she finished speaking. "She is constantly pestering me with missives and messengers, all of which say the same thing: greetings from her royal Highness, then the usual flowery phrases expressing the hope of warm friendships between kingdoms, and will I please come to her castle. What does she want with me now?"
Had she not heard him with her own ears, Beauty would not have believed that a prince could sound so petulant. "The queen loves you, and she wishes to see you so that she may tell you so."
"Yes, yes, I know she loves me. Every woman who sees me, highborn or low, loves me within five minutes of making my acquaintance, and then wants to marry me! The thing is, I have vowed never to marry, unless I can find a woman who matches me in beauty. I wouldn't want my wife to feel inferior, you see."
Beauty nearly had to bite her tongue to stay silent. This was not at all the kind of conversation she had expected. The truth could certainly get her in trouble here, if she told the prince just what she thought of that little speech!
The prince appeared not to notice that she made no answer, since he was looking at her in a puzzled manner. "I say, have we met?"
"I'm certain not, your Highness," Beauty replied.
"So I would have thought, but there's something familiar about you...let me see..." He thought for a little while as they walked on, occasionally glancing at her and muttering under his breath about Lady So-And-So's ball or Lord What's-His-Name's banquet. His steps threatened to slow while his brain was at work, but Beauty pulled him briskly along, never slackening her pace.
"Aha! I have it!" he cried at last. "I knew I had seen you somewhere before. It was you in the garden at Castle Lochlein, wasn't it?"
Beauty was astonished. "Yes, I was at Castle Lochlein," she answered, "but when was your Highness there? I am sure I would have remembered meeting you."
"Well, you could say I wasn't quite myself," the prince chuckled. "I arrived with the fairy Elegant, and I was wearing the shape of a peacock at the time."
Beauty remembered the peacock with its little golden crown and the way it had strutted up and down the garden path, admiring its reflection in the fountain pool. She let herself laugh at the image, which also lessened the impact of seeing the prince's full lips shaped into a smile.
The prince had the grace to look embarrassed, obviously remembering the same thing. The charming smile, however, did not falter. "You must admit I made a very handsome peacock. I was almost sorry to lose those glorious tail feathers! Elegant offered to let me keep them, but I knew they would be vastly inappropriate once I was human again."
He went on to entertain Beauty with the tale of his transformation. Nothing would have happened if he wasn't such a good-looking fellow, he said. It was a tremendous responsibility - after all, his subjects were proud to say that their prince was by far the handsomest man in the kingdom, so he had to live up to that reputation, didn't he? He had even considered changing his name on account of it. His mother had called him Hyacinth because of his eyes, but wouldn't Narcissus be better? However, he was satisfied to be known as the Ebony Prince, since his hair was certainly one of his best features (and he negligently ran a hand through his sable locks as he said this).
Anyway, his adventure began when the court magician told him about the magic mirror owned by a sorceress who lived many thousand leagues away, behind the west wind in an impenetrable tower on top of an unclimbable mountain. This mirror was rumored to grant immortal beauty to anyone who saw his reflection in it. So the prince performed the required exploits to get to the mirror, eventually climbing the impossible mountain and finding his way inside the doorless tower. He was certainly not looking his best when he finally came to the topmost turret room - and where else are magical objects ever kept? - but one look into the mirror would solve that.
Of course, he had not expected the sorceress herself to be in the turret room with the mirror. One would think that a multitude of insurmountable barriers would be enough protection for an enchanted object! The prince had not come so far to let anyone, even a powerful sorceress, stand between him and the mirror, so he nimbly dodged around her before she could cast any spells. He thought she might have cried some kind warning, but by then the mirror was within his reach.
"As it turned out, the beastly thing didn't grant immortal beauty at all," the prince complained. "No sooner had I seen my reflection than I felt horribly queer all over, and the next thing I knew, my feet had shriveled down to claws, my arms became wings, and I had sprouted a beak! The sorceress chose that moment to make her entrance, and she was extremely stern, saying she had created the mirror as a test for those who are overly subject to their vanity. I didn't hear half of what she told me, since I was too busy admiring the way the light brought out the green highlights in my new feathers. The sorceress left me there for a little while, and when she came back the fairy Elegant - who is one of my godmothers, by the way - was with her. The rest you know: Elegant brought me home, stopping first at Castle Lochlein to speak with you, and then making me human again once I was in my own castle. She gave me my second lecture of the day, which you may imagine was not pleasant, and asked me to stay out of trouble for a while." He shot a mischievous glance at Beauty. "And I managed to be completely trouble-free - at least until you came along."
"You needn't worry about accounting to the fairy for today's events," Beauty answered, looking away again. Her inability to face him was becoming annoying - his eyes were astonishingly blue, to be sure, but that was no reason to be acting like one of her younger sisters! "It was Elegant who started me on this quest, so she can have no objection to your involvement. She probably knew that I would meet you along the way, although she never mentioned it to me."
"Well, I'm very glad your quest brought you here," the prince said in a beguiling tone that immediately put Beauty on her guard. "I haven't seen such a lovely young woman in ages! You could easily be a princess, instead of only a woodcutter's daughter. And I usually prefer golden hair, but then it's rare to see brown hair as thick and shining as yours." He reached over and gently smoothed a few strands away from her face. "You really are very attractive."
Flattery from such a handsome man should have pleased Beauty, but strangely it did not. "Your Highness, it is improper for you to say such things to me."
However, having decided to admire her, the prince made free to continue. "Are any of the young ladies I know as pretty as you? I don't believe so. In fact...why, it's the perfect explanation for everything! Elegant obviously sent you here because you're the only woman who could make me fulfill my vow about getting married! You're not exactly as beautiful as me - but then, who is? So stop this nonsense about taking me to the queen, and when we get back to my castle I can start preparations for the wedding right away."
Insufferable presumption! This could not go unanswered, no matter his high rank or his exquisite features. "Are you entirely out of your senses, to be offering me a proposal of marriage? You only met me today, and on the basis of my looks alone you say you wish to wed me! Are appearances all that matter to you? Have you no understanding of what true affection is? I would have said love, but I doubt your Highness has ever felt that emotion for anyone other than yourself."
"Would being married to me be so bad?" the prince sputtered. "When you consider..."
"I, consider? No, your Highness, any considering should be yours. What of the queen? Surely a lady who has cherished you for so long - and why she has, I am sure I do not know - deserves some reply. The very least you could do, before you propose to someone else, is to give her the courtesy of listening to her suit. An honestly proffered heart is a thousand times more valuable than a fair countenance! The former is certain to last, and the latter is certain to fade. How will you even know whether or not you return her love, unless you judge your own feelings first and then tell her what you feel?"
"I say, there's no need to..."
"If the happiness of several other people did not depend upon your arrival at the queen's castle, I would cast you off this moment. However, I have promised to deliver you, and deliver you I shall. Once we are there, you will listen very carefully to what the queen has to say - keeping in mind that you do not deserve such a kind and noble lady - and after that it is up to her to decide what to do with you."
"But..."
"Once my task is done, I will ask nothing but to receive my promised reward, so that the Fox and I can make our way back to the Rosy Dragon. When we have the water from her magical spring, I will beg the Fox to make all speed back to Castle Lochlein, where we will transform the golden lily back into the princess. And when that is done, I will fall at her brother's feet at beg his forgiveness for having misjudged him so badly, simply because a malicious illusion made him look horrible. Not until I met you did I truly realize how little a handsome face and a pleasing manner have to do with kindness, integrity, nobility, wisdom, or humility. The man I love owns all these perfections and still more, which I hope to spend the rest of my life discovering, and he alone may have my heart for the asking - even if he remains a Beast forever."
Part 41 Posted on Monday, 11 October 1999
The remaining distance to the queen's castle was traveled in silence. Having discovered where her heart lay, Beauty was more concerned with finding how it had come to be there, than in pursuing any conversation. Whether the Ebony Prince did not speak out of respect for Beauty's feelings or because he could not think of anything to say, I cannot tell. (Storytellers do no always know what their characters are thinking, after all.) It is even possible that he was considering whether he was truly worthy of the queen's affection.
When they arrived at the castle, the queen's attendants greeted them most happily and swiftly conducted them into the royal audience chamber, where the queen was waiting for them. Beauty curtsied before the throne and presented the Ebony Prince. That gentleman made a courteous obeisance once he realized that he could finally free himself from Beauty's grasp. The queen made a pretty speech thanking Beauty for her efforts and expressing her pleasure at seeing the prince.
At last it was time for Beauty to receive her reward. The queen descended from her throne, and at her gesture several splendidly dressed chamberlains walked forward, so they might conduct Beauty and the queen to the royal treasure chamber with all proper ceremony. The procession made its way up many long hallways and down many long staircases, finally arriving before the great door of oak and iron that warded the queen's riches. The guard stood at attention as the most splendidly dressed chamberlain took the key and opened the door.
The queen herself led Beauty through the rooms until they came to the last one of all, where the jeweled watches lay upon their gilded table.
"Here is what you came to seek, Beauty," the queen said, lifting the emerald watch. "Will you accept this with my thanks for the service you have done for me?"
Beauty was about to take the watch, but she hesitated as her eye fell upon the forlorn-looking brass clock, still dented and nearly forgotten in its shadowy corner. "If it please your Majesty," Beauty said with a curtsey, "I would ask that you give me the brass clock instead."
The queen smiled as she returned the emerald watch to the table and lifted the brass clock out of its niche. "You have chosen well, Beauty. You have won your prize, and I pray you take it with all my gratitude."
Then the queen spoke a word and the glamour on the brass clock shivered and vanished, revealing the true emerald watch, even more delicate and cunningly wrought than the six jeweled timepieces lying on the table nearby. Beauty accepted the watch and thanked the queen for her generosity.
The chamberlains conducted them back to the throne room, where the queen declared that the royal audience was at an end. However, she added, she would be pleased if the Ebony Prince would grant her the courtesy of a private interview. The prince bowed again and replied that it would be his honor to grant such a request. The dazzling smile that lit the queen's face when she heard his words would be enough to melt any man's heart; Beauty sincerely hoped that it awoke some equal emotion in the prince. She watched with the rest of the courtiers as the queen gently placed her hand upon the prince's offered arm. They exited the throne room together and a large pair of gilded doors closed behind them.
At last! Beauty's only thought now was to leave the castle, and the chamberlain who had opened the door of the treasure chamber obligingly led her to the main gates. He would have repeated his sovereign's thanks all over again, but Beauty cut him short with a hasty word of farewell. She cared not if the grand gentleman was unimpressed with her manners, for there on the other side of the gates was the Fox waiting for her!
"Oh, my dear Fox, how glad I am that you are here!" Beauty cried, throwing her arms around his neck for a quick embrace. "Let us be off at once, I pray you!"
"I trust that your mission was successful, Beauty?" the Fox asked.
For an answer she showed him the emerald watch before securing it in her pocket. Then she took her place on his tail and begged the Fox to make all speed to the castle where the diamond bottle was waiting for them.
The Fox seemed perplexed by her wish for such a precipitous departure. "Are you entirely certain that you wish to leave, Beauty? Do you not wish me to play some trick on the queen so that you may depart with both the emerald watch and the Ebony Prince?"
"Good heavens, no!" Beauty answered. "I have no desire to spend another minute in the prince's company. I wish the queen joy of him - that is, if she can succeed in making him care for anything except himself. Besides," she added under her breath, "at Castle Lochlein there is someone waiting for me who is worth ten Ebony Princes."
The Fox either did not notice or pretended not to hear this last remark, but something like a smile briefly displayed a gleam of sharp white teeth. As soon as Beauty was settled, he launched himself towards their next destination.
Soon Beauty found herself at the gates of the king's castle, and the king's reception of her was just as lavish as the queen's had been. Various lords made long-winded speeches to say how pleased their gracious ruler was at her return, and none other than the Lord Chancellor himself approached to accept the emerald watch from Beauty's hands. The king admired the watch when it was presented to him, and he declared that Beauty could choose whatever she liked from his royal treasures as her reward.
Beauty curtseyed before the throne and thanked the king for his noble offer; however, all she wished to have was that which she had been promised. She would take no more and no less than the diamond bottle with the golden stopper.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a casket of black pearls or a dozen ruby necklaces?" the king asked, looking hopeful. Beauty, however, was unmoved.
The king sighed in resignation and descended from his throne, and at his gesture several splendidly dressed chamberlains walked forward, so they might conduct Beauty and the king to the royal treasure chamber with all proper ceremony. The procession made its way up many long hallways and down many long staircases, finally arriving before the great door of oak and iron that warded the king's riches. The guard stood at attention as the most splendidly dressed chamberlain took the key and opened the door.
The king himself led Beauty through the rooms until they came to the last one of all, where the bottles of diamond and gold stood upon their gilded table.
"Here is what you came to seek, Beauty," the king said, lifting the most beautiful of the six. "Will you accept this with my thanks for the service you have done for me?"
Beauty was about to take the bottle, but she hesitated as her eye fell upon the somewhat dusty earthenware vase, standing nearly forgotten in its shadowy corner. "If it please your Majesty," Beauty said with a curtsey, "I would ask that you give me that earthenware vase instead."
The king smiled as he returned the diamond bottle to the table and lifted the small bit of pottery out of its niche. "You have chosen well, Beauty. You have won your prize, and I pray you take it with all my gratitude."
Then the king spoke a word and the glamour on the earthenware vase shivered and vanished, revealing the true diamond bottle, even more delicate and cunningly wrought than the six others waiting on the table nearby. Beauty accepted the bottle and thanked the king for his generosity.
The chamberlains conducted them back to the throne room, where the king declared that the royal audience was at an end. The Lord Chancellor himself led Beauty back to the front gates, where he wished her good luck and a safe journey.
The Fox was waiting where she had left him, and Beauty made haste to resume her seat on his tail. "I trust that your mission was successful, Beauty?" the Fox asked.
For an answer she showed him the diamond bottle before securing it in her pocket. "Now let us return to the Rosy Dragon," she cried. "All we need now is the water from the enchanted spring!"
Again the Fox seemed bewildered. "Beauty, are you sure? It would be quite easy for me to play some trick upon the king, and then you could depart with the emerald watch as well."
Beauty laughed. "You must forgive me for not making use of all your wily talents, my friend. What would I do with an emerald watch? Remember that I am a plain woodcutter's daughter, and I require nothing more than the rising and setting of the sun to tell the time. Besides," she added under her breath, "I need no watch to count the minutes until I am back at Castle Lochlein."
Despite his excellent hearing, the Fox affected not to notice this last remark; however, something like a smile briefly displayed a gleam of sharp white teeth. As soon as Beauty was settled, he launched himself towards their next destination.
Part 42 Posted on Sunday, 24 October 1999
They traveled day and night at the Fox's tireless speed, and soon they found themselves among the tumbled boulders near the entrance of the Rosy Dragon's cave. Arriving once again on the wrong day and at the improper time, gaining the Dragon's attention was not easy. For a long while, the imperious reptile would not even deign to emerge from the shadowy crevice in the rock.
"Have I not already told you that I only receive callers between nine and eleven o'clock on the second Thursday of every month? Begone, ruffians! Do not presume to disturb me, or I might decide to roast you to a cinder." Several ominous puffs of smoke trickled from the mouth of the cave after this speech.
However, a dragon - even an irritable one - could be no match for the Fox's sly charm. Perched on a large rock in front of the cave - where he could be sure the Dragon saw him - the Fox, with ears, whiskers, and tail drooping in a convincingly dejected manner, declared how immensely sorrowful he was for not being readmitted to the presence of such a large, powerful, wise, and well-respected creature as the Rosy Dragon. Alas! (He raised a paw to his eye, as if to wipe away a tear.) Having seen her cave once must be honor enough to support him for the rest of his days. He had been more than foolish to hope for a second glimpse of the wonders within the mountain! Still, he could not deny that he and his friend had been received most handsomely during their first visit. The Dragon, of course, could be assured that he would only make favorable reports of the treatment they had received at her hands...er, claws.
As for the souvenir his friend Beauty had hoped to receive - the most esteemed madam Dragon did recall, did she not? - well, those jealous rivals who did not believe that the Rosy Dragon's cave contained such a marvelous spring would continue to spread their malicious slander if they did not see the proof otherwise. But of what significance were they? The Rosy Dragon was not the type of monster...er, marvelous creature...who heeded her detractors or their idle gossip, was she? Of course not!
Then there was the question of what to do with the exquisite bottle of diamond and gold. And her Ladyship...er, Dragonship...need not concern herself about that, since she obviously held the bottle at such a low importance. If the Rosy Dragon had no interest in seeing it, well, perhaps that troll in the next kingdom would like another bright shiny object to add to his hoard.
The Fox heaved a heartfelt sigh of disappointment, called farewell, bowed, and was about to leap off the rock when an irate snort from the Dragon reclaimed his attention.
"I beg your pardon, madam?" the Fox inquired, with exquisite politeness.
"I should be greatly vexed," said the Dragon, "to think you might show the diamond bottle to a troll, but not to me!" She extended her gleaming snout towards the Fox, who moved not a hair, hoping that the gleam came from scales, not teeth. "That oily, noisome beast has no sense of aesthetics and would not appreciate such a fine piece of craftsmanship! He can barely tell the quality of glass, let alone diamond."
"Madam, you are entirely correct, as always," the Fox humbly replied.
He might have stayed silent, for all the Dragon noticed. "It grieves me to say so, but I must concede your point about the creatures who are envious of my cave and my spring. Do they truly have the audacity to be spreading such lies about me? Such falsehood must be universally contradicted! Do you and your companion come inside, master Fox, and since you have got the diamond bottle, I will permit you to take away some of the water."
The Fox and Beauty (who was safely hidden behind a rock until that moment) both expressed their unending thanks and gratitude to the Dragon and followed her into the depths of the cavern. Again they made their way through a confusion of subterranean vaults and passages, where they would have become hopelessly lost but for the Dragon's guidance.
They heard the musical gurgling of the spring shortly before they came upon it; after a few steps more they could see the soft golden glow of the water, reflecting the phosphorescence shining from the cave walls. Beauty approached the smooth rock basin into which the water fell, removed the stopper from the diamond bottle, and dipped the bottle itself into the shining pool. When the bottle was full she sealed it tightly and stowed it carefully away.
The Dragon led Beauty and the Fox out of the cave again, but before she bid them farewell, she impressed on them the necessity of paying calls only at the properly appointed hours. Twice the Dragon had been lenient with them, but they must not rely on her good nature a third time.
Before they left that area of the country, Beauty and the Fox paid a call on the miller's daughter and her dwarfish husband. The young woman was pleased to have visitors and gladly provided Beauty with food and drink for her return journey. As for Stumpwort, his wife sent him off to repair a broken plank on the chicken coop before he could cause any trouble. (He had given up the belief that he was Rumpelstiltskin and instead spent all his free time digging up the farmyard in the search for an undiscovered vein of gold or precious gems. Dwarves in all the old tales always possessed vast quantities of gold and jewels, so why shouldn't he?)
Once they were under way again, Beauty could not refrain from expressing her delight at their success, as well as her appreciation of the Fox's invaluable assistance.
"For the fairy Elegant set me on a difficult task, and I never could have accomplished everything so well or so quickly without your help, dear Fox! I hope that someday I will be able to repay all your kindness."
"There is only one thing I desire, and that is in your power to grant, Beauty," the Fox replied.
"Then tell me at once what it is, my dear friend!" she cried.
The Fox looked back over his shoulder at her. "I will tell you presently, when we stop to rest."
When they came to a pleasant green spot, shaded by a large tree, the Fox came to a halt. Beauty alighted from his tail and settled herself comfortably on the grass, arranging her skirts so that the Fox could comfortably lie upon them, with his head in her lap. Though he seemed not at all tired from his long run, he was glad to pause a while and submitted with good grace when Beauty crowned him with a wreath of wildflowers.
"Now, my sweet Fox, tell me how I may show my thanks." She looked at him expectantly.
The Fox returned her look with his soft brown eyes, and Beauty found she could not read his expression. Merriment and sadness, assurance and fear, all seemed mingled in their liquid depths. He indicated that she should bend her head down, so that he could whisper his request to her.
Hearing it, Beauty instantly leapt to her feet, her face white with shock and surprise, hardly noticing that her sudden movement tumbled the Fox roughly onto the grass, knocking his flowery crown into the dust. "My dear Fox, no! How can you ask me such a thing? I cannot think of it without distress! No, it is utterly impossible."
"You will not do as I ask, Beauty?"
"Again, no, a thousand times no! I beg you not to repeat your entreaty - I could never agree to it."
The Fox sighed. "I cannot promise not to ask again, since this truly is my heart's desire. Yet think of it no more for the present, and let us continue with our journey."
So Beauty, with a heavy heart, once again took her place on the Fox's tail. He did not speak to her as he ran onwards, and she remained silent with the fear that she had deeply disappointed her friend. However, she simply could not bring herself to do what he wished.
Her fears seemed about to be realized when, some time later, the Fox stopped again. Beauty looked around in wonderment at the surrounding landscape. The road the Fox followed had brought them to an open, windswept seashore; though barren, there was yet loveliness in the bright sun glinting on the waves, the white flash of birds flying overhead, and the clean scent of the salt ocean. Just ahead of them, the road forked in two: one way turned to lead inland, and the other continued beside the water. There was not a single human habitation in sight: not a shack, not a cottage, not a house, and certainly nothing resembling a castle.
"Fox, why have you brought us here?" Beauty asked.
He looked at her solemnly. "This is where you and I must part," he answered.
"What? I pray, do not leave me in this desolate place!" she cried. "Do you mean to punish me for not granting your request? Dear Fox! Is this how my friendship is rewarded? For I speak truly when I say it is the friendship I bear you that would not permit me to do as you asked! Can you not return me to Castle Lochlein?"
"Beauty, do not distress yourself," the Fox soothed. "I bear no grudge for your refusal - I am sad for it, but I do comprehend your reluctance. I would be a poor friend indeed if I could let such a small thing come between us! I leave you here because I must, and if you follow my instructions once more, you will shortly discover why. Will you do this?"
His words, as kind as ever, made her feel ashamed. "Oh, Fox, of course I will! I am sorry to have doubted you. Now, what would you have me do?"
The Fox grinned at her, glad to know that they were still friends. "Be assured that this will be far easier than winning the diamond bottle, the emerald watch, or the Ebony Prince! Listen carefully:
Wait here on this shore until sunset
(You may stay on the sand and not get wet);
Soon your keen eyes will note
Something small - say, a boat -
And the sailor and you will be well met!
When you decide to travel onwards again, be sure to follow the road that leads inland, which will eventually bring you back to Castle Lochlein. And so farewell until we meet again, Beauty!" The Fox gave a last grin and then disappeared in a blur of black paws, white muzzle, and red tail.
Beauty watched until he was gone from her sight and then settled herself to wait as the Fox had told her. For a while she amused herself by searching for seashells, which became easier as the declining sun's rays struck longer shadows from the little humps where they were half-buried in the sand. She had just found a particularly large and pretty shell and was holding it to her ear to listen for the ocean sound, when her eyes, scanning the horizon, saw a small dark shape upon the water.
She immediately set the shell aside and rose to her feet, walking closer to the water's edge and shading her eyes against the sun's glare to take a better look at the approaching object. The Fox's words had seemed to imply that whoever was steering the small vessel would be someone Beauty would be glad to see - but who could it be? Having spent her life in an inland village devoted to farming (and woodcutting, of course, for her father), Beauty knew no sailors or fishermen. There were tales of village lads who ran away to look for adventure upon the ocean, but even the most recent of those had left while Beauty was still a small child.
Gradually the little craft approached, revealing itself to be a small but neatly made sailboat, clinker-built of overlapping planks, with oarlocks on the thwarts for use in calm weather but currently rigged with a well-worn red sail on its single mast. The sail blocked Beauty's view of the occupant as the boat made its way gently into the shallow water and slid to a halt against the sand, but she could see that there was an eye painted on either side of the bow.
The sail came rattling down and Beauty let out a cry of delight, for seated beside the tiller, with the last of the sunlight drawing fire from her golden hair, was her sister Serenity! The sisters flew into one another's arms, laughing with the joy of being reunited at last.
Part 43 Posted on Saturday, 30 October 1999
Caprice was only slightly disappointed to have lost track of the dashing, handsome, and mysterious Captain Navarre. There were always other attractive men to be found, were there not? When she resumed her journey (after spending a comfortable night at the inn, and slipping away the next morning before the innkeeper could find her to demand that she settle her account), she was in her customary high spirits.
Those spirits and the rest of her person were somewhat dampened - sodden, in fact - when she was overtaken by a thunderstorm whose heavy downpour soaked her to the skin and turned the road into a muddy quagmire. There was nothing in sight that might serve as adequate shelter, so she was forced to continue onwards. After trudging along for what felt like days, but which was in fact only an hour or two, she noticed that the road (by now nearly a waterway) was slowly climbing a hill. On top of that hill she could see, pushing the wet tendrils of hair out of her eyes, a dark structure that the intermittent lightning flashes showed to be a large manor house.
The storm showed no signs of stopping, so Caprice was relieved to find any refuge. Soon she came to the threshold of the house, where she was duly impressed by its size and grandeur. Even the darkness of the lowering clouds, however, could not hide the cracks in the large wooden doors, or the crumbling edges of the stone blocks that comprised the walls.
"I do wonder what family lives here?" Caprice said to herself. "They must be wealthy, or they could not have built such a place. If they have so much money, though, one would think the house would be in better repair! Well, perhaps the father is an ancient miser, unwilling to use his riches to preserve the dignity of the ancestral seat. Surely such a man is likely to have a handsome son, who chafes at his father's controls and longs to restore the house to its former glory!"
Such pleasant thoughts gave Caprice all the encouragement she needed to grasp the heavy door knocker, which when released sent its clang booming through the house loud enough to overcome even the thunder outside.
Perhaps the door had been left unlocked, or perhaps the doorkeeper was unusually quick and quiet, but when the door creaked open, protesting on rusty hinges, Caprice found no one behind it. She hesitated momentarily on the threshold, but a loud crash of thunder and a bright flash of lightning immediately sent her within. She had to lean her whole weight against the door to close it again.
The interior of the house was no more promising than the outside had been. Dust lay thick on every flat surface, the carpeting bore many threadbare patches, and the curtains were falling away from the windows, disintegrating where they hung. Caprice's calls brought no answer and only echoed hollowly down the long hallways.
"Well, perhaps the master of the house keeps early hours and has retired for the night. The servants - who cannot be many, if the master is so grudging with his coin - must be in a distant wing of the house if they did not hear me." It never occurred to her to wonder who had opened the door, if the servants were so far away from the main entrance; neither did she notice that her own were the only footprints that disturbed the dust on the floor of the entranceway.
By the uncertain light of the lightning flashes, which illuminated the hall through the large (and grimy) windows on either side of the door, Caprice felt her way to the sideboard and rummaged among the drawers until she found a tinderbox and the stub of a candle. In its glow she was then able to explore deeper within the house. Eventually she found the banquet hall and its enormous fireplace. The logs there had their own covering of dust and ash, but they were dry and quickly kindled into a blaze. Caprice was grateful for its warmth and light. She stripped off her still-dripping outer garments and draped them over several of the chairs that were stationed by the long banquet table, pulling them closer to the fireplace so that they would dry more quickly. Then standing before the fire in her shift, she used one end of the thick linen tablecloth to scrub the worst of the wetness out of her hair.
"There, now that is much better!" she said to herself when she was finished, settling herself on the rug before the fireplace. "It's a pity that none of the servants are awake to bring me dinner, but I have no mind to lose myself looking for a kitchen in this enormous dark house! I shall be comfortable enough here until morning, and then we'll see where the heir of this place is hiding."
Lulled by the warmth and the pleasant feeling of being inside while the weather raged without, Caprice fell asleep for a time. She was roused from her slumber by a loud bell ringing twelve times - a clock somewhere within the house was striking midnight.
"Well!" Caprice thought, sitting up and wrapping her now-dry shawl around her shoulders. "When I am mistress of this place, that clock will be the first thing to go!" As long as she was awake, she added a fresh log to the fireplace and blew on the embers until the flames were again leaping merrily. She noticed that it seemed quieter than before, and looking out a nearby window saw that the storm had finally ceased. A round yellow moon hung in the sky, glowering balefully between long streaming clouds, and a few stars shed an icy gleam upon the empty countryside.
Caprice returned to her place by the fire and was about to settle herself for sleep again, when she heard a very strange thing: a thin voice, which seemed to come from high up in the chimney, cried, "Look out! I'm falling!"
"Fall away, then!" Caprice answered. "Only do not fall on my fire, or you will burn yourself, and I do not want to have to rekindle it again."
Then there was a thump and a man's leg tumbled onto the hearth from above. It was a strong, well-shaped leg, and finely clothed, and Caprice made so bold to say so to the mysterious voice - but what was the use of having only one leg?
As if in answer, the voice cried again, "Look out! I'm falling!" Then with another thump, another leg landed beside the first. This leg was just as admirable as the other was, and together they made a fine pair - but again, two legs on their own were not worth any interest. Could there be, Caprice wondered aloud, a body to which they were meant to be attached?
This time, the voice's usual cry sounded a trifle annoyed. "Look out! I'm falling!" The next piece to appear, landing with the accompanying thump upon the legs, was a man's torso. Caprice admired the trim waist and the strong chest, with its covering of satin and velvet (only slightly dusty, from stirring up the ashes in the fireplace). However, she informed the voice, she really could not be impressed unless the body had decent arms.
"Look out!! I'm falling!!" Four words had never sounded more exasperated. In quick succession there were two thumps, and the body in the fireplace had two arms attached, as strong and well muscled within their silken sleeves as any woman would desire. Caprice declared that the arms were indeed very nice, but the whole body would be worthless if the quality of the head did not live up to the promise of the rest. Be a man however well made, if his face was ugly, she would never have anything to do with him.
Something like a contemptuous snort sounded from the high recesses of the chimney. "Look out! I'm faaaaallllllliiiiinnnnnggg!" This time the voice became louder and louder, and with a final thump a head tumbled down and took its place upon the wide shoulders. Now fully assembled, the ghost (for that is what he was, if my readers have not determined that for themselves) turned to stare at Caprice.
Instead of being horrified, she was delighted with what she saw: though very pale, his countenance was quite handsome enough to suit her. And unlike other ghosts of which she had heard, the thumps his limbs had made while falling into the fireplace proved that he was substantial enough for her to catch.
Anyone familiar with the usual endings of ghost stories would be mightily amused by the scene that followed; after all, it's not often that the ghost is chased around the room by the intended victim! The pursuit lasted for some little while: the ghost had his supernatural fleetness of foot, but Caprice was a determined follower, dodging around the table, chairs, and other obstacles the ghost put in her way. She cornered him at last and was about to clasp him in a triumphant embrace when the coming of the dawn allowed him to escape by dematerializing.
It is questionable which was louder: Caprice's sigh of disappointment, of the ghost's sigh of relief.