ch any one who heard it, man or
child, could understand; and he understood it, and it went into his
heart to make it so heavy and sad that he could have put his little
face down on the ground and cried as he had never cried before. But
he did not put his face down and cry, for just then the wounded youth
looked down on him as they carried him past and smiled a very sweet
smile: then Martin felt that he loved him above all the bright and
beautiful beings that had passed before him.

Then, when he was gone from sight; when the solemn sound of the
voices began to grow fainter in the distance like the sound of a
storm when it passes away, his heaviness of heart and sorrow left him,
and he began to listen to the shouts and cries and clanging of noisy
instruments of music swiftly coming nearer and nearer; and then all
round and past him came a vast company of youths and maidens singing
and playing and shouting and dancing as they moved onwards. They
were the most beautiful beings he had ever seen in their shining
dresses, some all in white, others in amber-colour, others in
sky-blue, and some in still other lovely colours. "The Queen! the
Queen!" they were shouting. "Stand up, little boy, and bow to the
Queen."

"The Queen! Kneel to the Queen, little boy," cried others.

Then many others in the company began crying out together, "The Queen!
lie down flat on the ground, little boy."

"The Queen! Shut your eyes and open your mouth, little boy."

"The Queen! Run away as fast as you can, little boy."

"Stand on your head to the Queen, little boy!"

"Crow like a cock and bark like a dog, little boy!"

Trying to obey all these conflicting commands at one and the same
time, poor Martin made strange noises and tumbled about this way and
that and set them all laughing at him.

"The Queen wishes to speak to you--stand up, little boy," said one
of the brightest beings, touching Martin on the cheek.

There before him, surrounded by all that beautiful company, stood
the horses that drew her--great milk-white horses impatiently pawing
the dusty ground with their hoofs and proudly champing their gold
bridles, tossing the white froth from their mouths. But when he
lifted his eyes timidly to the majestic being seated in her chariot
before him he was dazzled and overcome with the sight. Her face had
a brightness that was like that of the Mirage at noon, and the eyes
that gazed on him were like two great opals; she appeared clothed