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At this they clapped their hands； and she escorted them up to the
Baby Walk and back again； one at a time； putting an arm or a
finger round the very frail； setting their leg right when it got
too ridiculous； and treating the foreign ones quite as
courteously as the English； though she could not understand a
word they said。
They behaved well on the whole； though some whimpered that she
had not taken them as far as she took Nancy or Grace or Dorothy；
and others jagged her； but it was quite unintentional； and she
was too much of a lady to cry out。 So much walking tired her and
she was anxious to be off to the ball； but she no longer felt
afraid。 The reason she felt no more fear was that it was now
night…time； and in the dark； you remember； Maimie was always
rather strange。
They were now loath to let her go； for； 〃If the fairies see you；〃
they warned her； 〃they will mischief you； stab you to death or
compel you to nurse their children or turn you into something
tedious； like an evergreen oak。〃 As they said this they looked
with affected pity at an evergreen oak； for in winter they are
very envious of the evergreens。
〃Oh； la！〃 replied the oak bitingly； 〃how deliciously cosy it is
to stand here buttoned to the neck and watch you poor naked
creatures shivering！〃
This made them sulky though they had really brought it on
themselves； and they drew for Maimie a very gloomy picture of the
perils that faced her if she insisted on going to the ball。
She learned from a purple filbert that the court was not in its
usual good temper at present； the cause being the tantalising
heart of the Duke of Christmas Daisies。 He was an Oriental
fairy； very poorly of a dreadful complaint； namely； inability to
love； and though he had tried many ladies in many lands he could
not fall in love with one of them。 Queen Mab； who rules in the
Gardens； had been confident that her girls would bewitch him； but
alas； his heart； the doctor said； remained cold。 This rather
irritating doctor； who was his private physician； felt the Duke's
heart immediately after any lady was presented； and then always
shook his bald head and murmured； 〃Cold； quite cold！〃 Naturally
Queen Mab felt disgraced； and first she tried the effect of
ordering the court into tears for nine minutes； and then she
blamed the Cupids and decreed that they should wear fools' caps
until they thawed the Duke's frozen heart。
〃How I should love to see the Cupids in their dear little fools'
caps！〃 Maimie cried； and away she ran to look for them very
recklessly； for the Cupids hate to be laughed at。
It is always easy to discover where a fairies' ball is being
held； as ribbons are stretched between it and all the populous
parts of the Gardens； on which those invited may walk to the
dance without wetting their pumps。 This night the ribbons were
red and looked very pretty on the snow。
Maimie walked alongside one of them for some distance without
meeting anybody； but at last she saw a fairy cavalcade
approaching。 To her surprise they seemed to be returning from
the ball； and she had just time to hide from them by bending her
knees and holding out her arms and pretending to be a garden
chair。 There were six horsemen in front and six behind； in the
middle walked a prim lady wearing a long train held up by two
pages； and on the train； as if it were a couch； reclined a lovely
girl； for in this way do aristocratic fairies travel about。 She
was dressed in golden rain； but the most enviable part of her was
her neck； which was blue in colour and of a velvet texture； and
of course showed off her diamond necklace as no white throat
could have glorified it。 The high…born fairies obtain this
admired effect by pricking their skin； which lets the blue blood
come through and dye them； and you cannot imagine anything so
dazzling unless you have seen the ladies' busts in the jewellers'
windows。
Maimie also noticed that the whole cavalcade seemed to be in a
passion； tilting their noses higher than it can be safe for even
fairies to tilt them； and she concluded that this must be another
case in which the doctor had said 〃Cold； quite cold！〃
Well； she followed the ribbon to a place where it became a bridge
over a dry puddle into which another fairy had fallen and been
unable to climb out。 At first this little damsel was afraid of
Maimie； who most kindly went to her aid； but soon she sat in her
hand chatting gaily and explaining that her name was Brownie； and
that though only a poor street singer she was on her way to the
ball to see if the Duke would have her。
〃Of course；〃 she said； 〃I am rather plain；〃 and this made Maimie
uncomfortable； for indeed the simple little creature was almost
quite plain for a fairy。
It was difficult to know what to reply。
〃I see you think I have no chance；〃 Brownie said falteringly。
〃I don't say that；〃 Maimie answered politely； 〃of course your
face is just a tiny bit homely； but〃 Really it was quite
awkward for her。
Fortunately she remembered about her father and the bazaar。 He
had gone to a fashionable bazaar where all the most beautiful
ladies in London were on view for half…a…crown the second day；
but on his return home instead of being dissatisfied with
Maimie's mother he had said； 〃You can't think； my dear； what a
relief it is to see a homely face again。〃
Maimie repeated this story； and it fortified Brownie
tremendously； indeed she had no longer the slightest doubt that
the Duke would choose her。 So she scudded away up the ribbon；
calling out to Maimie not to follow lest the Queen should
mischief her。
But Maimie's curiosity tugged her forward； and presently at the
seven Spanish chestnuts； she saw a wonderful light。 She crept
forward until she was quite near it； and then she peeped from
behind a tree。
The light； which was as high as your head above the ground； was
composed of myriads of glow…worms all holding on to each other；
and so forming a dazzling canopy over the fairy ring。 There were
thousands of little people looking on； but they were in shadow
and drab in colour compared to the glorious creatures within that
luminous circle who were so bewilderingly bright that Maimie had
to wink hard all the time she looked at them。
It was amazing and even irritating to her that the Duke of
Christmas Daisies should be able to keep out of love for a
moment： yet out of love his dusky grace still was： you could see
it by the shamed looks of the Queen and court （though they
pretended not to care）； by the way darling ladies brought forward
for his approval burst into tears as they were told to pass on；
and by his own most dreary face。
Maimie could also see the pompous doctor feeling the Duke's heart
and hear him give utterance to his parrot cry； and she was
particularly sorry for the Cupids； who stood in their fools' caps
in obscure places and； every time they heard that 〃