And in this artificial garden of the tropics children were playing who had forgotten that their fathers and mothers were far away, perhaps not even caring. Here they neither got blows nor were hungry; but danced round the "mulberry-bush" and sang. Two beautiful young ladies—wards of the Queen of the Fairies—looked after them, just as in fairy tales.
Bethsaba had now a real true fairy tale to tell of her miraculous rescue from the terrible dangers; the sudden appearance of the handsome knight in her extremity, how his beautiful eyes, his look of daring, his heroic stature—
Sophie grew quite anxious to see him.
"You will soon see him, he is sure to come, he promised me he would. Still it does seem to be a long time before he keeps his word!"
"He is not, on any account, to know who I am," said Sophie. "It is to be kept secret here. Our hostess wishes it."
"Then we will only call you Sophie."
"It is singular that we three have only one Christian name; neither you, nor I, nor Zeneida bear our mother's names in addition, as is usual among us. I cannot understand it."
"Nor I."
"Here he comes!"
"How do you know?"