Part 43 (1/2)

”Good--good! Many thanks. Don't forget. If you do--bless your hearts!--I'll blow up Brother Tempest and have him tear your fine robes into tatters. Good-bye. Come, Ensign, let us away--wheeze!” Once more squeezing herself into scant s.p.a.ce, she got into the chariot.

”Where next?” asked Lawe, when the top of the cliff had been regained.

”Where, where? Jump in--quick! Whirlit, Keener, you rogues, where are you? Oh, you're at your post, are you?--wheeze! All right. Go!--hoogh!”

”Go? Whither?” cried Whirlit, leaping upon Vesper's back and gathering up the reins.

”To be sure! I had forgotten; all owing to that vile asthma! To the falls in the cove. Away!”

A beautiful stream runs through the cove. As it approaches the river, it hugs the base of the southern hill, enters a short ravine, midway of which it tumbles over a rock ten or twelve feet high, making a pretty waterfall. The sides of the ravine around the cascade and pool are covered with ferns. Thrifty young hemlocks stretch their tops upward and interlock their green branches above.

”What a charming spot! what a cool retreat!” cried Lawe, as the chariot dashed through an opening in the foliage, through which the sunlight stole and rested in a golden plate upon the bosom of the pool.

The face of the pool was rippled and dimpled as Madam's chariot stopped upon a flat stone at the edge of the cascade. The waterfall, too, raised a louder splash and broke its broad sheet into many ribbons and tongues of water in welcome of the good Elf. Vesper and Vacuum dipped their beaks thereinto and having kissed the pool's face, threw up their heads and drank to the health of Cove Fall and its people.

”Wait a moment,” said Madam Breeze. She leaped from the chariot and ran under the fall. Presently she returned bringing with her the Fairy Dew, whom she had come to see. Lawe had never seen a more beautiful and dainty sprite. Her face and head were covered with a long white veil which, as well as her gauze robe, glistened with mimic pearls and diamonds. When she shook her head or moved her body these jewels were thrown off in little showers that shone a moment in the sunbeams, and then melted away into the earth or water. But there seemed to be none the less of them for all that. A curious instrument that somewhat resembled Scottish bagpipes, hung from her shoulders, and rested under the left arm. Every moment or two Fairy Dew pressed this instrument between her arm and side, whereupon, from a number of little tubes there would issue a cloud of spray, that settled upon the gra.s.s and leaves in minute round jewels like those which covered the Fairy's dress.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 142.--Fairy Dew at the Mouth of the Cave.]

Madam Breeze presented the Ensign to the Fairy, and then in her own jerky way told the story of the Brownies' troubles. Whereat Dew was sorry and excited, and shook so many pearl drops around her that Lawe had to step beyond the circle of the shower to save himself from being drenched. That was the Fairy's way of shedding tears, it would seem.

”What I want you to do,” continued the Elf, ”is to be up bright and early to-morrow, and cover the lawn at Hillside with these pretty gems of yours. The Pixies--faugh!--have their tents spread out like the camp of Joshua in the plains of Moab. Sprinkle 'em well--wheeze! Make every single thread a string of dew-drops. We'll attend to the rest. What say you, my dear?--hoogh!”

”Will the Cloud Elves be at home?” asked the Fairy.

”Aye,--I've seen to that. The way'll be clear. What say you?--wheeze!”

”Oh, I must consult my husband first, you know. I can do nothing without Dewpoint. I'll run and ask him.”

”Aha! you're as sweet as ever on that--wheeze!--hubby of yours.

Quite--hoogh!--right! Go and consult with Dewpoint.”

”May I go in with the Fairy?” asked Lawe, who was curious to see her home.

”Oh, to be sure,” said Dew, ”and welcome. Come in, both of you!”

”Not I, thank you,” said the Madam. ”Shouldn't wonder if I had taken my death of cold already--hoogh! In with you, Ensign, and hasten back.”

The water in leaping over the edge of the precipice left a s.p.a.ce of a foot or more between the falling sheet and the face of the rock. By this path Lawe pa.s.sed under the fall. He noted that the light shone through the tumbling stream as through a frosted window, and made every object within visible. Above him was a roof and beside him a wall of rus.h.i.+ng water, whose loud, steady roar, as it fell into the pool, quite drowned the sound of his voice. In a moment he was drenched with spray. The stones over which he stepped were wet and slippery, and compelled careful walking. Presently Dew stopped before an opening in the rock, and beckoned Lawe to follow her.

He entered an irregular cave which stretched backward into the cliff as far as the eye could reach. It was dark at first, but as soon as his eyes became used to the change, Lawe could see the objects around the opening, and faintly those further in. Upon the roof were hanging stalact.i.tes white as sea foam, some tapering to points and dropping like icicles, some just touching or blending with like formations called stalagmites, which rose from various spots upon the floor like marble pillars. These beautiful white formations were also spread over the walls of the cave wherever the water had trickled down, and some of them looked like serpents, or roots of trees carved in marble.

Far back toward the end of the cave Lawe saw in the dim light an old-looking Elf, who seemed to be in an uncomfortable state of mind and body. He was clad as scantily as propriety would allow, indeed was naked from the waist up. A long white beard fell upon his bare breast. He sat upon a rude Gothic chair, not unlike the big pulpit seat which the minister sits in on Sundays, which had been formed, by some freak of the cave Sprites, from the interweaving and ma.s.sing of stalact.i.tes and stalagmites. He held in his hand a huge fan made from the feathers of a snow bird, with which he fanned himself so vigorously that his long beard was blown about over his chest, and his white hair was kept streaming behind him. Considering how chilly was the cave, Lawe thought this strange behavior.

”Who is that?” he asked. ”He looks like Saint Nicholas in his summer retreat. Is that your husband?”

”Oh, bless you, no,--no indeed!” laughed Fairy Dew. ”That is my half brother Frost. He gets little comfort in this country until winter begins to come on. He hardly ever goes out of the cave the whole summer, and keeps back there, as you see, in the coolest spot. No wonder that he plays some sorry pranks when he is released in the autumn from his long confinement.”

”But he has been out in the summer, hasn't he?”