world. It has killed
the greatest of men. Whoever honestly serves his King must make up his
mind to pay tribute to that crawling, flying horror."

"Boulingrin," said Cicogne, "get dressed." And she snatched off his
night-cap, and threw it down by the bed-side.

A few minutes later they were in the antechamber of the apartment in
which Aurore was sleeping, and seating themselves on a bench they waited
to be introduced.

Now at the news that the decree of the Fates had been accomplished, the
fairy Vivien, one of the Princess's godmothers, repaired in great haste
to Eaux-Perdues, and in order that when she awoke her god-daughter
should have a Court she touched every one in the castle with her ring.
"Governesses, maids of honour, women of the bedchamber, noblemen,
officers, grooms of the chamber, cooks, scullions, messengers, guards,
beadles, pages, and footmen; she also touched the horses in the stables,
the grooms, the great mastiffs in the yard, and little Pouffe, the
Princess's lap-dog, which lay near her upon her bed. The very spits
in front of the fire, loaded with pheasants and partridges, went to
sleep."{*}

* Contes de Perrault, edition Aadre Lefevre, p. 87

Meanwhile, Cicogne and Boulingrin waited side by side upon their bench.

"Boulingrin," whispered the Duchess in her old friend's ear, "does it
not seem to you that there is something suspicious in this business?
Don't you suspect an intrigue on the part of the King's brothers to get
the poor man to abdicate? He is well known as a good father. They may
well have wished to throw him into despair."

"It is possible," answered the Secretary of State. "In any case
the fairies have nothing whatever to do with the matter. Only old
countrywomen can still believe these cock-and-bull stories."

"Be quiet, Boulingrin," said the Duchess. "There is nothing so hateful
as a sceptic. He is an impertinent person who laughs at our simplicity.
I detest strong-minded people; I believe what I ought to believe; but in
this particular case, I suspect a dark intrigue."

At the moment when Cicogne spoke these words, the fairy Vivien touched
them both with her ring, and sent them to sleep like the rest.

CHAPTER V

IN a quarter of an hour there grew all round about the park such an
immense quantity of trees, large and small, with thorns and briars
interlaced,-that neither man nor beast could pass; so that only the
tops of the castle towers could be seen, and thes