[Exeunt, and curtain falls.
From an unpublished manuscript by Charlotte Brontë, entitled ‘Visits in Verreopolis,’ vol. i., completed December 11th, 1880.
THE FAIRY GIFT
Under the title of ‘The Four Wishes’ this story was first printed by Mr. Clement Shorter in April 1918, in an edition limited to twenty copies for private circulation only.
It was published, with three illustrations, in the Strand Magazine, December 1918, pp. 461-466.
The title of ‘The Fairy Gift’ was given to the story by Charlotte Brontë.
C. W. H.
THE FAIRY GIFT
One cold evening in December 17—, while I was yet but a day labourer, though not even at that time wholly without some aspirations after fame and some intimations of future greatness, I was sitting alone by my cottage fire engaged in ambitious reveries of l’avenir, and amusing myself with wild and extravagant imaginations. A thousand evanescent wishes flitted through my mind, one of which was scarcely formed when another succeeded it; then a third, equally transitory, and so on.
While I was thus employed with building castles in the air my frail edifices were suddenly dissipated by an emphatic ‘Hem!’ I started, and raised my head. Nothing was visible, and, after a few minutes, supposing it to be only fancy, I resumed my occupation of weaving the web of waking visions. Again the ‘Hem!’ was heard; again I looked up, when lo! sitting in the opposite chair I beheld the diminutive figure of a man dressed all in green. With a pretty considerable fluster I demanded his business, and how he had contrived to enter the house without my knowledge.