"Most illustrious Migajas, what you have just done, far from
lessening my love for you, has only increased it, for you have given
evidence of indomitable valor by your easy triumph over this swarm
of scoffing puppets, the most despicable class of beings on earth.
The tender sentiments that bind me to you move me to propose that you
become my husband with no further delay."
Pacorrito fell on his knees.
"As soon as we are married, the emperors and chancellors will all
venerate you as they do me, for I must tell you that I am queen of
this division of the world. My titles are not usurped; they are
transmitted by the divine law of puppets established by the Supreme
Genius that created us and governs us."
"My lady," Migajas said, or tried to say, "my happiness is so great
that I cannot express it."
"Very well, then," said the lady, with great majesty, "since you are
willing to become my husband, and consequently prince and lord of
this puppet kingdom, I must inform you that in order to do so you
will have to renounce your human personality."
"I do not exactly grasp your Majesty's meaning," said the ragamuffin.
"You belong to the human race. I do not. Our natures being different,
we cannot unite. There is but one way. Give up your humanity. It is
the easiest thing in the world, believe me. It is only necessary that
you will it. Now, answer me. Pacorrito, son of man, will you be a
puppet?"
The peculiar nature of this request set the ragamuffin to thinking
for a few seconds.
"And what does this thing of being a puppet consist in?"
"You will be like me. Our nature is perhaps nearer perfection than
yours. We are to all appearances devoid of life, but we live,
believe me. To the imperfect senses of man we lack movement, words,
affection, but this is far from being the case. You have had an
opportunity of judging how we move, how we speak, and how we feel.
Our fate, for the present at least, is not a very happy one. We are
the toys of your children, and even your men, but as a compensation
for this disadvantage we are eternal."
"Eternal!"
"Yes; we live forever. When these wicked children of yours break us,
we rise with a new life out of our destruction, and are born anew,
describing a mysterious and everlasting circle from the shop to the
children, from them to the Tyrolese factory, and thence to the shop
again through the ages everlasting."
"Through the ages everlasting!" repeated Migajas, absorbed.
"It is not always rose-color with us; but, on the other hand, you
see, we do not know death, and then our Genius Creator permits us to
meet at certain great festivals to celebrate the glory of our race,
as we have done to-night. We cannot elude the laws of our being,--it
is not given us to enter the reign of humanity, although men can
easily enter ours, and in fact have very often been known to become
puppets."
"A most extraordinary thing!" exclaimed Pacorrito, full of amazement.
"You know the requirements of puppet initiation. I have nothing more
to say. Our dogmas are very simple. Now, meditate upon it, and answer
my question, Will you be a doll?"
The princess's attitude was that of a priestess of antiquity.
Pacorrito was captivated.
"I want to be a doll," declared the ragamuffin, resolutely.
The princess then proceeded to trace diabolical characters in the
air, and to utter great words which Pacorrito had never heard before,
and which were neither Latin, Chinese, nor Chaldean. He concluded
that they were Tyrolese. When this was consummated, the lady threw
her arms about Migajas, saying,--
"Now you are my husband. I have the power of marrying, and also of
receiving neophytes into our Great Law. My darling little prince,
may you be blessed through time everlasting!" And the whole court
of figures entered, singing, "Through time everlasting!" to the
accompaniment of canaries and nightingales.