At first this little damsel was afraid of Maimie, who most
kindly went to her aid, but soon she sat in her hand chatting gaily
and explaining that her name was Brownie, and that though only a poor
street singer she was on her way to the ball to see if the Duke would
have her.
"Of course," she said, "I am rather plain," and this made Maimie
uncomfortable, for indeed the simple little creature was almost quite
plain for a fairy.
It was difficult to know what to reply.
"I see you think I have no chance," Brownie said falteringly.
"I don't say that," Maimie answered politely, "of course your face is
just a tiny bit homely, but--" Really it was quite awkward for her.
Fortunately she remembered about her father and the bazaar. He had
gone to a fashionable bazaar where all the most beautiful ladies in
London were on view for half-a-crown the second day, but on his return
home instead of being dissatisfied with Maimie's mother he had said,
"You can't think, my dear, what a relief it is to see a homely face
again."
Maimie repeated this story, and it fortified Brownie tremendously,
indeed she had no longer the slightest doubt that the Duke would
choose her. So she scudded away up the ribbon, calling out to Maimie
not to follow lest the Queen should mischief her.
But Maimie's curiosity tugged her forward, and presently at the seven
Spanish chestnuts, she saw a wonderful light.
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