y, and threatening to
make war in case of refusal.

Kristopo gave no direct answer to the fairy's envoys, but kept Toupette
closely guarded in a tower, where the poor girl used all her powers of
persuasion to induce him to put off their marriage. All would, however,
have been quite vain if, in the course of a few days, sorrow, joined
to the spell of the magic water, had not altered her appearance so
completely that Kristopo was quite alarmed, and declared that she needed
amusement and fresh air, and that, as his presence seemed to distress
her, she should be left her own mistress. But one thing he declined to
do, and that was to send her back to Bagota.

In the meantime both sides had been busily collecting armies, and
Kristopo had given the command of his to a famous general, while
Selnozoura had placed Cornichon at the head of her forces. But before
war was actually declared, Toupette's parents, who had been summoned
by the genius, arrived at Ratibouf. They had never seen their daughter
since they parted from her as a baby, but from time to time travellers
to Bagota had brought back accounts of her beauty. What was their
amazement, therefore, at finding, instead of a lovely girl, a
middle-aged woman, handsome indeed, but quite faded--looking, in fact,
older than themselves. Kristopo, hardly less astonished than they were
at the sudden change, thought that it was a joke on the part of one of
his courtiers, who had hidden Toupette away, and put this elderly lady
in her place. Bursting with rage, he sent instantly for all the servants
and guards of the town, and inquired who had the insolence to play him
such a trick, and what had become of their prisoner. They replied that
since Toupette had been in their charge she had never left her rooms
unveiled, and that during her walks in the surrounding gardens, her food
had been brought in and placed on her table; as she preferred to eat
alone no one had ever seen her face, or knew what she was like.

The servants were clearly speaking the truth, and Kristopo was obliged
to believe them. 'But,' thought he, 'if they have not had a hand in
this, it must be the work of the fairy,' and in his anger he ordered the
army to be ready to march.

On her side, Selnozoura of course knew what the genius had to expect,
but was deeply offended when she heard of the base trick which she
was believed to have invented. Her first desire was to give battle to
Kristopo at once, but with great d