The Keepers of the People

919“It’s very like,” he said.

920“And you are the Prince, the fairy Prince, just as I said when I saw you first in Quivern wood. I shall call you Prince Ralph.”

921“That is my name in this country,” he said, smiling.

922“And what do they call the country?” she said.

923“Varandaleel.”

924“Then you are Prince Ralph of Varandaleel,” she said. “What a delightful name!”

925“Well, you are very like a fairy Princess,” he said. “But come, you are cold in the night air.”

926“I am very hungry,” said Althea.

927He carried her back into the room, and set her before a table, sweet with flowers, and loaded with the dainties pleasant to a child; and plied her with food and wine. She was, indeed, hungry; for during the journey the fires of life had lacked fuel. The food and tempered wine were quick to set them aflame; and with the abating of her hunger she began to question him about her new life in this new land.

928He told her that the walls of the palace were the marches of her fairyland; and she only said, “I don’t think I mind that a bit. The more people you see, the more poor people you see. I do not like poor people, Prince Ralph, they are always so ugly; and Miss Blayne always told me I ought to like them. Are there many poor people in Varandaleel?”

929“No; there are none,” said Prince Ralph.

930“Not any!” said Althea. “What a very nice country it must be!”

931A white butterfly, awakened by the light, sailed in through the open casement, on drowsy wing, towards the tapers.

932“Oh, save it, Prince Ralph! Save it!” cried Althea.

933Without a thought, at her bidding, he sprang quickly across the room, and caught it deftly in his right hand.

934“How quick you are!” cried Althea, admiring.

935He carried it to the casement, and flung it upwards; as he watched it fluttering towards the moon, he wondered that he should have been at the pains.

936Coming back to the table, he said idly, “The Varandals say that a butterfly coming to a man and a maid talking together is a messenger from Indra to tell them that they will grow lovers.”

937“Now, that is very pretty,” said Althea. “After all I think I should like to go among the Varandals, sometimes.”

938Her eyelids were beginning to grow heavy, and fall over her eyes; and Prince Ralph bade the two mutes lead her to the rooms where she should lodge till the golden rooms he had in mind for her should be adorned.

939After she had bidden him good-night, and gone with them, he leaned for a while from the casement, gazing out on the moonlit garden; but he only saw dimly among the moon-rays a white face set in red hair. That spell at least the touch of the yellow girl’s lips had not broken.