whispered something
in Jack's ear; but he could not hear what she said, so she repeated it
more slowly, and still he could neither hear nor understand it.

Mopsa did not seem to like the white fairy; she leaned her face on her
hand and sighed; but when she found that Jack could not hear the
message, she said, "That is well. Cannot you let things alone for this
one day?" The fairy then spoke to Mopsa, but she would not listen; she
made a gesture of dislike and moved away. So then this strange fairy
turned and went out again, but on the door-step she looked round, and
beckoned to Jack to come to her. So he did; and then, as they two
stood together outside, she made him understand what she had said. It
was this:

"Her name was Jenny, her name was Jenny."

When Jack understood what she said he felt so sorrowful; he wondered
why she had told him, and he longed to stay in that great place with
Queen Mopsa,--his own little Mopsa, whom he had carried in his pocket,
and taken care of, and loved.

He walked up and down, up and down, outside, and his heart swelled and
his eyes filled with tears. The bells had said he was to go home, and
the fairy had told him how to go. Mopsa did not need him, she had so
many people to take care of her; and then there was that boy, so
exactly like himself that she would not miss him. Oh, how sorrowful it
all was! Had he really come up the fairy river, and seen those strange
countries, and run away with Mopsa over those dangerous mountains,
only to bring her to the very place she wished to fly from, and there
to leave her, knowing that she wanted him no more, and that she was
quite content?

No; Jack felt that he could not do that. "I will stay," he said; "they
cannot make me leave her. That would be too unkind."

As he spoke, he drew near to the great yawning door, and looked in.
The fairy folk were singing inside; he could hear their pretty
chirping voices, and see their beautiful faces, but he could not bear
it, and he turned away.

The sun began to get low, and all the west was dyed with crimson. Jack
dried his eyes, and, not liking to go in, took one turn more.

"I will go in," he said; "there is nothing to prevent me." He set his
foot on the step of the door, and while he hesitated Mopsa came out to
meet him.

"Jack," she said, in a sweet mournful tone of voice. But he could not
make any answer; he only looked at her earnestly, because her lovely
eyes were not looking at him, but