And again the old woman began to speak of the grace and loveliness of
the lady with an animation that sounded strange enough in the mouth of
a withered creature like herself, till Peregrine jumped up all fire and
fury, and cried out like a madman, "Be it as it will--down, down to the
key-hole!" In vain he was warned by Master Flea, who sate in the
neckcloth of the enamoured Peregrine, and had hid himself in a fold.
Peregrine did not hear his voice, and Master Flea learnt, what he ought
to have known long before, namely, that something may be done with the
most obstinate man, but not with a lover.

The lady did, indeed, lie on the sofa, just as the old woman had
described, and Peregrine found that no mortal language was adequate to
the expression of the heavenly charms which overspread the lovely
figure. Her dress, of real silver tissue, with strange embroidery, was
quite fantastic, and might do very well for the negligee of the
princess, Gamaheh, which she had perhaps worn in Famagusta, at the very
moment of her being kissed to death by the malicious Leech-Prince. At
all events it was so beautiful, and so exceedingly strange, that the
idea of it could never have come from the head of the most genial
theatrical tailor, nor have been conceived by the sublimest milliner.

"Yes, it is she! it is the Princess Gamaheh!" murmured Peregrine,
trembling with anxiety and pleasure. But when the fair one sighed,
"Peregrine! my Peregrine!" the full madness of the passion seized
him, and it was only an unnameable anxiety, robbing him of all
self-possession, that prevented him from breaking in the door, and
throwing himself at the feet of the angel.

The friendly reader knows already how it was with the fascinations, the
celestial beauty, of the little Doertje Elverdink. The editor, however,
may safely declare, that, after he too had peeped through the key-hole,
and seen the fair one in her fantastic dress of tissue, he can say
nothing more than that Doertje Elverdink was a very pretty little
puppet. But as no young man can possibly be in love, for the first
time, with any but an angel, without her equal on earth, it may be
allowed also to Mr. Peregrine Tyss to look upon Doertje Elverdink as
something celestial.

"Recollect yourself, my dear Mr. Tyss; think of your promise. You would
never see the seductive Gamaheh again, and now I could put the
microscopic glass into your eye, but without such help you must
perceive that the mali