But she, perceiving that he was looking about
him with a more composed expression than his face had worn for many
days, started up, and came quickly and quietly to his side, and her
face was bright with gladness. Whereupon the fire burned up more
cheerily; and the figures became more composed and respectful in their
behaviour, retreating towards the wall like well-trained attendants.
Then the king of Fairyland had some tea and dry toast, and leaning back
on his pillows, nearly fell asleep; but not quite, for he still watched
the intruders.
Presently the queen left the room to give some of the young princes and
princesses their tea; and the fire burned lower, and behold, the
figures grew as black and as mad in their gambols as ever! Their
favourite games seemed to be _Hide and Seek_; _Touch and Go_; _Grin and
Vanish_; and many other such; and all in the king's bed-chamber, too;
so that it was quite alarming. It was almost as bad as if the house had
been haunted by certain creatures which shall be nameless in a fairy
story, because with them Fairyland will not willingly have much to do.
"But it is a mercy that they have their slippers on!" said the king to
himself; for his head ached.
As he lay back, with his eyes half shut and half open, too tired to pay
longer attention to their games, but, on the whole, considerably more
amused than offended with the liberties they took, for they seemed
good-natured creatures, and more frolicsome than positively
ill-mannered, he became suddenly aware that two of them had stepped
forward from the walls, upon which, after the manner of great spiders,
most of them preferred sprawling, and now stood in the middle of the
floor at the foot of his majesty's bed, becking and bowing and ducking
in the most grotesquely obsequious manner; while every now and then
they turned solemnly round upon one heel, evidently considering that
motion the highest token of homage they could show.
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