What answer could he make so astute a personage? They reached an extensive meadow, enamelled with a thousand various flowers. A deep river surrounded it, and streams from many fountains flowed gently beneath tufted trees, affording ever a refreshing shade. In the distance arose a superb palace, the walls of which were of transparent emeralds. As soon as the swans that drew the Fairy's chariot had descended beneath a portico roofed with rubies, and paved with diamonds, thousands of lovely nymphs appeared on all sides, and advanced to receive them with loud acclamations of joy. They sang the following words:—
"When Love o'er the heart would a triumph obtain,
Defiance is idle—we struggle in vain.
Resistance gives force to the weapons he wields;
The greater the hero, the sooner he yields."
The Fairy of the Desert was delighted at hearing this allusion to her conquest. She led the King into the most superb apartment that had ever existed in the recollection of fairies, and left him there for a few minutes alone, that he might not fancy himself positively a prisoner. He felt assured that she was not far off, and that wherever she might hide herself, she had an eye upon all his actions. He therefore advanced towards a large looking-glass, and, addressing it, he said, "Faithful counsellor, allow me to see what I can do to render myself more agreeable to the charming Fairy of the Desert, for my anxiety to please her is unceasing." So saying, he combed and powdered his hair, put a patch upon his cheek,[1] and seeing on a table a suit of clothes more magnificent than his own, he dressed himself in them as quickly as possible. The Fairy reentered, so transported with joy, that she could not control it. "I appreciate," said she, "the pains you take to please me. You found the way without intending it. Judge then, Sir, if it will be a difficult task when you are anxious to do so."
The King, who had his reasons for saying sweet things to the old Fairy, was not sparing of them, and by degrees obtained permission to take a daily walk by the sea-side. She had, by the exercise of her art, rendered that coast so dangerous that no pilots were sufficiently adventurous to approach
- ↑ Mouches. Patches made of small pieces of court plaister were at this period indispensable to the appearance of a fine gentleman or lady.
