They stopped at the window, for the Queen, with a wave of her sceptre, gave them to understand that she would enter alone.
She was radiant to-night; a magnificent necklace of many-colored stones cut from a rainbow, sparkled like a wreath of prismatic fire around her white and slender throat; her wings were fringed with small diamond dew-drops; her robe was fashioned of the royal purple velvet of the pansy; and her crown and sceptre flashed with precious gems.
"But, oh! her beauty was far beyond
Her sparkling jewels:"
for the sweet loving expression that beamed from her eyes, and the smile that played about the corners of her beautiful mouth, mirrored the pure, unselfish, spotless nature of the Queen.
Softly she floated towards the couch, and gently touched the boy with her sceptre.
Charley opened his blue eyes. In a sweet amaze he slowly raised himself and leaned upon his arm, gazing in bewildered delight upon the radiant stranger. The little mother still slept on; but in the room was a young kitten—a daughter of Crocus, of whom you read in "New Nightcaps," and whom Charley so loved, that he brought her away with him. She was lying at the foot of his bed; in a moment she bristled up her coat and tail, and darted out her sharp claws in terror at the sight; but at a touch of the Queen's sceptre she drew them into their velvety sheath again, and laid quietly down.
"Dear Charley," said the Queen in a low, sweet voice, "we do so love your innocent and guileless nature, that while the pulses beat, and the blood flows in your frail and fading form, we will do our utmost to drive the demon of pain far away; tender and beautiful influences shall surround you; you shall be a most favored mortal, for you shall be hold the happiest scenes in fairy life; you shall dream the sweetest dreams of fairy-land; this night is our great midsummer festival; even now our subjects are hastening to the beautiful hollow, where the fairy revels are kept. Hark to the fairy call! they are inviting the fays from the beautiful green island that is sleeping in the moonlight opposite to us."
Charley with all his senses quickened, his lips slightly apart, his eyes dilated, one hand raised in an attitude of intense listening, caught the delicious harmony of fairy voices singing these words:
"Hasten fairies—haste away;
Hasten through the golden spray;
Hasten to the frolic play.
"Fly o'er water—fly o'er vale;
Ply the oar, and spread the sail;
Hie ye to the moon-lit dale.