The suspense was awful!
Then in a loud voice, and bowing low, "My Lord Duke," said the
physician elatedly, "I have the honour to inform your excellency that
your grace is in love."
You can't conceive the effect of it. Brownie held out her arms to the
Duke and he flung himself into them, the Queen leapt into the arms of
the Lord Chamberlain, and the ladies of the court leapt into the arms
of her gentlemen, for it is etiquette to follow her example in
everything. Thus in a single moment about fifty marriages took place,
for if you leap into each other's arms it is a fairy wedding. Of
course a clergyman has to be present.
How the crowd cheered and leapt! Trumpets brayed, the moon came out,
and immediately a thousand couples seized hold of its rays as if they
were ribbons in a May dance and waltzed in wild abandon round the
fairy ring. Most gladsome sight of all, the Cupids plucked the hated
fools' caps from their heads and cast them high in the air. And then
Maimie went and spoiled everything. She couldn't help it. She was
crazy with delight over her little friend's good fortune, so she took
several steps forward and cried in an ecstasy, "Oh, Brownie, how
splendid!"
Everybody stood still, the music ceased, the lights went out, and all
in the time you may take to say "Oh dear!" An awful sense of her
peril came upon Maimie, too late she remembered that she was a lost
child in a place where no human must be between the locking and the
opening of the gates, she heard the murmur of an angry multitude, she
saw a thousand swords flashing for her blood, and she uttered a cry of
terror and fled.
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