Deep beyond Fate’s tyranny,
And from King Bubble’s surface free.’
Then said the Dwarf,—
‘But change is mine, and strife and war,—’
Then replied the Child,—
‘Take them—but work within my law.’
The clouds now closed in front of the bright Child-spirit to the sound of soft music, till each cloud became of a dull leaden color as before. Presently came a loud sound of instruments from behind the clouds, and a large silver arrow was seen to fly straight towards the young Prince. It struck him, and he instantly turned into Harlequin, in a dress of bright gold and silver and red and blue, and a black mask! Again the sound of a clang of instruments was heard behind the clouds, and out dropped a bag of money upon the head of the village girl’s father, which knocked him down, and when he got up he was poor old Pantaloon, with a goat’s beard, and a pig-tail, and a short red mantle, and a stick. Again a clang of instruments was heard, and a great heavy stone was seen to fly out of the cloud straight at the glass head of his Majesty, the King of Bubble Island, which it struck,—and, with a sound like the breaking of six dozen of soda-water bottles, his head flew into a million of pieces, and up in its place rose the head of the Clown, with his mouth wide open!—at the same time all the royal robes of the King flew up into the air, where they were blown about in all directions, till they were at last blown quite away, and there was the Clown, in his ridiculous red and white patch-work dress! Once more was heard the clang of instruments behind the clouds, and out of the clouds flew a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which fell upon the head of the little peasant girl, who instantly turned into the prettiest Columbine that ever was seen in all the world. She was like the brightest, silver-footed fairy, and yet at the same time she was such a little dear sweetheart.
But what do you think happened at this moment? Nobody would ever guess. It was this. My mamma Lydia was in such excessive delight that she sank back with her arms thrown up, and totally forgetting me, I slipped over the edge of the box and fell upon the stage, close to the little silver feet of Columbine. My mamma did not know I had fallen. Columbine had no idea where I came from; so the next time she passed the spot where I lay, she caught me up and ran with me to her room behind the scenes.
