o have swerved away towards the Palace, she began to wonder whether
there had been any real need for such excessive precautions.

And then Girofle appeared, and she gathered from his despair what must
have happened to the ill-fated Edna, and that he was under the erroneous
impression that she herself was the victim. Surely now the moment had
come for the Fairy to reverse the spell--but, except that the surface of
the pool was becoming violently disturbed, she made no sign. Daphne
tried by rustling all her branches to attract his attention and assure
him of her safety, but naturally failed. Even when the Court Chamberlain
arrived and Girofle had rushed away with him, she was forced to stay
behind as an apparent cypress, while the Fairy still retained the
semblance of a more and more agitated pool. Daphne's uneasiness and
anxiety would have been even greater, but for the fact that the reason
for this agitation was mercifully hidden from her. The truth was that
one of those accidents had happened which are not infrequent with
persons who only occasionally practise the Magic Art. The Fairy had
impulsively pronounced the spell that accomplished the transformation
without waiting to recall the precise formula that was needed to regain
her normal appearance, and for several agonising minutes the vitally
important words persisted in evading her. To Daphne it seemed an age
before the marble rim began to contract and the pool dry up, and
presently, to her unspeakable relief, all trace of pool and basin
disappeared, and in their place stood the Fairy Godmother in a sadly
shaken and exhausted condition. She had strength enough, however, to
restore Daphne, which she did with many groans. "I've been trying to do
this for the last quarter of an hour, child," she panted. "I was
beginning to think I'd forgotten the spell altogether. And now he's gone
off on a fool's errand to rescue _you_! But I may still be in time to
stop him!"

"You won't stop Girofle!" declared Daphne. "He will try to rescue Edna,
just as he would me. And if it can be done he'll do it. I can't bear his
going, Godmother--and yet I hope I shouldn't prevent him, even if I
could!"

"He can't do anything!" said the Fairy. "He couldn't even get into the
Castle, and he won't be so mad as to attempt it. Go you to the Pavilion,
and stay there till I can find out what that old fool of a Baron is
about with him."

Daphne obeyed. She would not deter Girofle, but to encourag