Part 73 (1/2)

It must be here explained, that although the wand when entire had the power of changing people as we have described, yet when broken, its power was divided between the two parts; the one end retaining its half power of changing only the upper portion of the figure, while the other could only change the lower half.

The blows were exchanged. The mayoress, who was a tall woman, immediately sank down a foot and a half, the upper portion of her plump body was now resting upon the two diminutive legs of a two-feet-high fairy--which could only make a stride of six inches at a time. The alderman's lady, on the contrary, retained her lower portion of her body; but instead of her lovely face, and graceful neck, she carried a little round head and shoulders, such as is represented in the figure of Puck. They must all have been very tipsy, for the others thought that they had put on masquerade dresses--the sticks were seized, one by Rochester, the other by the king, and they struck right and left--the lord mayor had the head and beard of a satyr--Rochester had the feet of a goat--the king appeared to have the bust of a beautiful woman, with a pair of splendid blue gossamer wings to his shoulders--one of the aldermen found himself with a naiad's tail, and he fell flat on the terrace, with great violence; all of them, men and women, were transformed into some shape or another--and the more strange the metamorphosis, the louder they all laughed and shouted. Some indeed were very much alarmed; particularly one little woman, who whispered to her neighbour, that she believed she was a little man.

But the scene did not end here: the two parts of the wand found their way into other hands, who as they capered and jumped beat their companions. King Charles, struck by the lower part of the wand, found his transformation complete--he was now a lovely woman;--Rochester was turned by a blow, into a perfect satyr--while the mayoress, struck by the same portion, sank down into a little fairy not two feet high. As the sticks were pa.s.sed round there was no end to the transformations: the fat alderman who had fallen down with a fish's tail, now became a perfect naiad, with long hair, and a comb in his hand. Such was the noise and confusion, that the two little maids of honour came out on the terrace to witness this strange revelling. Rochester seized them and kissed them as they screamed with fright at his s.h.a.ggy beard--the wand was applied to them, and they too were transformed. The d.u.c.h.ess of Portsmouth opened her chamber-window, and perceiving the wild revelling resolved to indulge his Majesty with a good curtain-lecture; but he heard her not.

”To the oak of Herne the hunter,” cried the king; ”away to the oak!”

”To the oak! to the oak!” shouted the whole baccha.n.a.lian crew; and away they flew across the park, starting the quiescent deer with their shouts, their laughter, and their revelry. Rochester took the naiad under his arm, that she might not be left behind, and dancing, capering, tumbling, and getting up again, led by the merry king, who now was a beautiful fairy, they arrived there out of breath.

But before they had reached the oak, their noise had disturbed the slumber of one happy pair who had nestled in each other's arms among the fern.

It was Maya and Elda--who had met, and had been reconciled, proving that with fairies, the quarrels of lovers are but the renewal of love; not the case, although supposed to be so, with us mortals. Maya had missed his wand, but he would not leave Elda to return for it--he intended to have searched for it the next morning.

”What is all that noise, dearest?” cried Elda, waking up and resting on her elbow, as she listened.

”What can it be, but the mad king at his pranks as usual?” replied Maya, who had risen on his feet. ”But what is here? I see--I see how it is--they have found my wand and must have broken it; for it does not otherwise do things by halves.”

As Maya said this, the king with his companions arrived under the oak-tree--Elda retired to a distance, while Maya soon regained the two parts of his wand from the hands of the intoxicated parties, who had possession of them.

”I shall have work to-night, and must repair this mischief,” said Maya.

”Elda, dearest, hasten and bring me poppy-juice to seal up the eyes of these mad people.”

In a few minutes Elda had executed her commission; the whole company were now seated in a circle, singing songs, hugging one another, all merry but the two little maids of honour, who not having taken wine, were horrified at the transformation--they sat together and cried as if their little hearts would break.

Maya pressed the poppy-juice on the eyes of each individual, and in a few seconds they were all in a profound sleep. He then examined the transformations, and completed those which were partial above or below--till then he could not repair his wand. When they were all transformed, he put the two parts of his wand together, breathed upon them, and the wand was reunited. He then went round the circle, touched each person, and the whole company resumed their original forms.

”So far have I done my part,” observed Maya. ”As for colds, catarrhs, fevers, agues, they deserve all they may catch. Now, Elda, let us once more retire to rest.”

The leaves of the old oak-tree were gilded with the rays of the morning sun, before King Charles and his companions awoke, and very much astonished they were to find themselves in such a place and at such an hour--the ladies blushed and canva.s.sed the affair among themselves--they recollected the transformations, they remembered their setting off for the Hunter's Oak--but still they were confused. The mayor and aldermen were puzzled--not so much at finding themselves asleep under the tree, but that their wives should be there also. The king and Rochester were the only two who appeared indifferent.

”Come, ladies--come, my lord mayor and gentlemen of the corporation, we have had a merry night of it, and have slept under the greenwood tree, now let us in to the toilet, and then to breakfast.”

He offered his arm to the lady mayoress, the rest of the company followed--they hastened to the toilet--they ate their breakfasts, and then hastened back to the good city of London.

”Well,” said the king, as soon as the company had departed, ”what think you of this, Rochester--were we visited by the fairies last night, think you?”

”May it please your Majesty,” replied the earl, ”my opinion is that either we were in the hands of the fairies, or else----”

”Else what?”

”Or else, Sire, we were all most confoundedly drunk.”

A Rencontre

One evening I was sitting alone in the _salle a manger_ of the _Couronne d'Or_, at Boulogne, when Colonel G----, an old acquaintance, came in.

After the first greeting he took a chair, and was soon as busily occupied as I was with a cigar, which was occasionally removed from our lips as we asked and replied to questions as to what had been our pursuits subsequent to our last rencontre. After about half an hour's chit-chat, he observed, as he lighted a fresh cigar--