It all began with the collar-stud--at least I put it down at that.
You see, I was dressing rather nervously to go to a charity "At Home" at
the Duchess of Kingslake's. I had not met the lady previously, but some
young friends of mine had been invited to the "At Home," and they had
persuaded the Duchess to ask me too.
I do not know many titled people, and had never before visited a real
live Duchess, so I was just telling myself that I must really be on my
very best behaviour, and above all, that I must not be late in arriving.
The card had mentioned "4 to 6.30," and it was past three o'clock now.
I was just struggling to fix my collar, which was rather stiff and
tight, when suddenly the stud popped out and rolled away to--where?
Down I got on my hands and knees, and groped about in every direction
that I could think of. I lit a candle, and searched in every available
hiding-place; but no--no collar-stud could be anywhere found.
And the time was going on. I rang the bell for Mrs. Putchy, my
housekeeper.
"Please, Mrs. Putchy, send at once to the nearest hosier's and buy me a
plain collar-stud, and kindly ask Mary to get back as quickly as
possible. I am expecting the cab every moment."
"It is at the door, sir," said Mrs. Putchy; "and I don't know, I'm sure,
where Mary will be able to get a collar-stud for you to-day. This is
Thursday, you know, sir, early closing day."
Too true. It was indeed _most_ unfortunate. In my neighbourhood all the
shops close at two o'clock Thursdays, and it would have been as easy to
buy a collar-stud as an elephant at Kensington just then.
What was to be done?
A sudden inspiration struck me.
I ran across to the study, and undoing my desk, I found a little
yellow-covered book attached to a golden chain which I had picked up
just after my friend Shin Shira had vanished the last time he had
visited me.
It was the book which the fairies had given him, and contained
directions as to what to do when in any difficulty. I hurriedly turned
to the letter C, intending to look for "collar-stud"--but, to my great
disappointment, there was no such word to be found.
"Of course not," I suddenly thought; "the people who live in the land
from which Shin Shira comes don't wear such things," and I let my mind
wander back to my little friend with his yellow silk costume and turban.
"Hullo! though," I exclaimed a moment later, "what's this?"
My eyes had caught the words "_To obtain your wishes_" at the top of one
of the pages.
I hastily read what followed, and gathered from what was written that
_anybody_ could have at least _two_ wishes granted by the fairies if he
only went about it in the right way and followed the given directions
closely. It appeared that one must hop round three times, first on one
foot and then on the other, repeating the following words aloud, and
wishing very hard--
"Fairies! fairies! grant my wishes,
You can do so if you will,
Birds and beasts and little fishes
One and all obey you still.
Fairies! Please to show me how
You can grant my wishes _now_."
Of course _I_ immediately wished for a collar-stud, and I was just
hopping round on my right leg for the third time, having begun with the
left one, when Mrs. Putchy entered the room.
She looked rather surprised at seeing me engaged in what must have
seemed to her rather an extraordinary occupation, but she is so used to
strange things happening with me that she made no remark, except to
point to a spot just in front of the fire-place, where, to my great
surprise, I could see the very collar-stud which I had wanted.
"Extraordinary!" I exclaimed, as I picked it up. "I could have declared
that it was not there a minute ago, for as you know, Mrs. Putchy, I
searched everywhere for it."
"The cabman, sir, is getting impatient," said Mrs. Putchy, as she put
down my coat and hat which she had thoughtfully brought to my room.
"Well, we won't keep him waiting long now," I smilingly said as I
hurriedly completed my dressing, and a very few minutes later, the cab
was quickly bowling me towards my destination.
The mansion near Grosvenor Square, at which the Duchess resided, was a
very grand one, and red carpet was laid down the steps and across the
pavement for the convenience of the guests, who were arriving in large
numbers at the same time as myself. Fortunately, just inside the hall I
met my little friends the Verrinder children; Vera, the little girl,
looking very pretty in her white party frock; and her two brothers, Dick
and Fidge, full of excitement and high spirits.
They fastened on me at once and dragged me most unceremoniously up to
our hostess, who it appears was Vera's godmother, and introduced me in
their own fashion.
"This is the gentleman who tells stories, godmamma," said Vera.
"And knows all about the Wallypug and the Dodo and Shin Shira, and all
sorts of things," declared Dick.
"And if you ask him--" began Fidge, when the Duchess interrupted him.
"Really, children, you mustn't rattle on so. I am very pleased to meet
your friend, and I trust that he will have an enjoyable afternoon," and
the lady smiled graciously and held out the tips of her fingers for me
to shake.
I bowed as politely as I knew how, and, following the children, was soon
in the large drawing-room, which was already half filled with young
people who had come to the "At Home."
It appeared that a very grand personage indeed was to be present. A real
live Princess was coming to receive purses of money which the children
had collected themselves, on behalf of the poor and sick in the East-end
of London; and, after the purses had been given, there was to be a kind
of concert and entertainment.
Footmen were walking about with tea and cakes of all sorts, and the time
passed very pleasantly, till presently there was a commotion at the
door, and Her Royal Highness the Princess entered and was led to the end
of the room, where a tiny little girl presented a beautiful bouquet of
flowers.
The Princess made a gracious little speech, saying how glad she was to
come on behalf of the poor people to receive the purses of money which
the children had collected; and then as they passed up one by one and
laid their purses on the silver tray beside her, she had a smile and a
little happy nod for each of them.
It was a very pretty sight, but soon over, for the Princess, who is
devoted to good works, had to hurry away to another work of charity in a
distant part of London.
We were all sorry when she went, but were not allowed to get dull, for
almost immediately afterwards the concert began.
Several ladies and gentlemen sang, and a wonderful boy-pianist played
some music of his own composing; a little girl played the violin
delightfully; and a very humorous gentleman was giving a musical sketch
at the piano and making us all laugh very much, when I suddenly noticed
that the Duchess, who was sitting by herself on a settee, had raised her
lorgnette and was staring curiously, and rather apprehensively, at
something beside her.
It was yellow in colour and seemed to grow larger every minute. I had
imagined at first that it was a cushion, but now it suddenly occurred to
me that it was Shin Shira appearing.
Of course! and a minute or two later there he sat, cross-legged,
composedly fanning himself on the settee beside the Duchess.
I could see her draw her skirts aside and regard the little Yellow Dwarf
in a puzzled and bewildered manner; and, as soon as the musical sketch
was concluded, she called one of the footmen to her and told him to
"remove that extraordinary-looking person immediately."
Vera and the boys, however, had caught sight of Shin Shira, and flew
forward to claim acquaintance with him.
"It's Shin Shira, you know, godmamma. He's a friend of the gentleman
who came with us--and--"
"He was not invited," said the Duchess, looking with great disfavour at
the little Yellow Dwarf, "and it was exceedingly impertinent of your
friend to bring him without an invitation--I am displeased."
"Madam," said Shin Shira, getting down to the floor and bowing low in
the Oriental manner, "you are mistaken in thinking that I came with a
friend. I--er--appeared, because I was _obliged_ to do so--I--"
The Duchess came over to where I was sitting.
"_Do_ you know this person?" she inquired, pointing with her glasses
towards Shin Shira. "Who and what is he? Did you bring him here, and if
so why?"
"I am acquainted with the gentleman, Duchess," I admitted, "but he did
not come with me. I can tell you, however, that now he is here he can be
made very useful in entertaining your guests--he is a conjurer of very
remarkable powers, and I've no doubt whatever but that he would be only
too happy to exercise them for the amusement of the company."
"That is a different matter," said the Duchess, evidently somewhat
mollified. "You may introduce me."
I went to fetch Shin Shira, and had soon performed the necessary
ceremony.
"The Duchess would be very much obliged if you would perform some
conjuring tricks, as I know you will do with pleasure," I whispered.
"Delighted, I'm sure," replied the little Yellow Dwarf; "that is one
thing which I flatter myself I can do very well, owing to my fairy
powers," and so it was arranged that he was to begin immediately.
I cannot possibly tell you of all the wonderful things he showed us. He
made flowers grow straight up from the carpet, and turned a gentleman's
walking-stick into a kind of Christmas-tree, upon which hung a little
present for every child in the room: a fan for each of the ladies, and a
suitable gift for each of the gentlemen.
This was a most popular trick, it is needless to say, and the numerous
ladies and gentlemen who had by this time joined the party were as
delighted as were the children themselves.
Shin Shira had become quite a centre of attraction, and the Duchess
smiled at me approvingly.
"Your friend is a great acquisition," she remarked, coming over to the
settee on which I was seated. "Look! look! whatever is he going to do
now?"
I was as interested and puzzled as herself, for, knowing of the
extraordinary powers which my little friend possessed, I could never
be sure what to expect from him in the way of the marvellous.
[Illustration: "Shin Shira placed them in the Crystal Bowl."]
This time it was really a most interesting trick.
First of all he turned an inkstand into a large clear crystal bowl, and
placed it on a little table which stood in front of him. Then he asked
for anything to be given to him which the owner wished to disappear.
Several gentlemen gave their watches, and one or two ladies laughingly
took off their bracelets and handed them to Shin Shira, who immediately
placed them in the crystal bowl.
To our utter astonishment, each article as it was placed into the bowl
vanished from sight, and Shin Shira turned the bowl upside down to show
that nothing was inside.
"It's really most marvellous," murmured the Duchess, taking off a most
valuable diamond ornament and handing it to the Yellow Dwarf. "Please
make this disappear too. I shall value it more highly than ever if I
know that it has been through such a wonderful adventure."
Shin Shira bowed, and taking the jewelled ornament from the lady, he
dropped it into the bowl, where it at once shared the same fate as the
other articles.
"Ha! Hum!" said a grave and somewhat pompous voice, "our friend here
might readily become a very dangerous person if he exercised his
remarkable gifts in private, and made things disappear in this
extraordinary fashion, and then refused to produce them again. Eh? Ha!
Hum!"
"Yes--ha! ha! very good. Ha! ha!" laughed a number of people who were
standing near to the guest who had spoken.
"That's the Lord Chief Justice," explained a gentleman who stood near
me. "That's why everybody is laughing; it's considered very improper not
to laugh when the Lord Chief Justice makes a joke--however feeble it
is."
I hardly listened to what he was saying, though, for I had suddenly
noticed something which caused me a good deal of anxiety.
Shin Shira was beginning to look very thin and vapoury about the head,
and, while I was watching him, to my horror, he began to vanish
piecemeal till he had entirely disappeared from sight, after giving me a
strange, apologetic look.
The people clapped and stamped and laughed, evidently imagining that it
was all part of the trick--but I--_I_ knew differently, and scarcely
dared realise what it all meant for me.
For a few minutes everybody waited patiently for him to appear again,
and clapped and stamped in great good humour. Presently, however, they
began to get rather tired and impatient, and, after we had waited for
about twenty minutes, the delay began to get very awkward.
"Why doesn't he come back?" inquired the Duchess, in an impatient voice,
coming over to where I was standing. "The delay is becoming very
embarrassing."
I turned very red, I am afraid, for I hardly liked to explain that the
probability was that he would _not_ come back at all.
"Several of my guests are wanting to go early, and they must have their
jewellery before they depart," she continued. "Can you not tell him to
hurry up?"
"I--I--I--am--afraid n--not," I stammered.
"But you _must_," insisted the lady. "He's your friend, and you brought
him here, and I shall look to you to--"
"Oh, Duchess! I'm sorry to interrupt your charming party, but will you
please ask the clever little gentleman who made my diamond and ruby
bracelet disappear if he would kindly return it, as I really must be
going," said a lady, hurrying up. "And my emerald chain, dear Duchess."
"And my gold and pearl locket," chimed in several other voices.
"Yes, you simply must fetch him back somehow," said the Duchess,
clutching my arm nervously. "You see my guests are beginning to get
alarmed. You must!--you must!"
"B-but I can't--it's impossible," I endeavoured to explain.
The Duchess grew pale. "Do you mean to say," she gasped, "that the man
has _really_ disappeared--and--and taken the things with him? It's too
terrible--too dreadful! What _am_ I to do? And all my guests! What will
they think of me? Oh! _Do--do_--do something! I don't mind so much about
my beautiful diamond pendant, but do somehow get back the things
belonging to my guests. You brought him here. You _must_!"
The grown-up guests were whispering together in little anxious and
indignant groups, and things were beginning to look very serious--so
serious that I sank into a chair and buried my head in my hands, trying
to think of some possible way out of the difficulty.
The Duchess was almost in tears, and several ladies were trying to
console her, when suddenly I thought of a means of escape. Of course!
the wish! I had another wish left according to what the little book had
told me. I had _wished_ for a collar-stud, and had found my own.
_Perhaps_ if I wished for the jewellery--
The thought no sooner entered my head than I jumped up and began hopping
on one leg repeating--
"Fairies, fairies! grant my wishes,
You can do so if you will,
Birds and beasts and--"
"Oh, he's mad, he's gone mad. Hold him, somebody!" cried the Duchess
when she saw me hopping about in what must have appeared to her a _most_
eccentric manner; but, though several gentlemen came up and caught hold
of me, I managed to get round three times on one leg, and three times on
the other, repeating the magic rhyme, and then I wished--_wished_ as
hard as ever I could--for the jewellery to be found, before I sank down
exhausted with my struggle.
Then a most remarkable thing happened, for the gentleman who had been
pointed out to me as the Lord Chief Justice, and who had apparently been
more indignant than anyone else at the disappearance of the jewellery,
suddenly began behaving in a very strange manner too, diving his hands
first into one pocket and then into another and muttering--"Strange!
remarkable! Most extraordinary!" and finally drawing out from every part
of his clothing watches, chains, rings, bracelets and jewellery of all
kinds, till _every_ missing article, including the Duchess's diamond
pendant, was restored to its proper owner.
There was a pause at first, and then everybody began to talk at
once--laughing and protesting that "of course they all _knew_ it was
part of the trick, and they weren't _really_ anxious at all," and so on,
and I knew that the situation was saved.
Even the Duchess beamed and admitted that it was "really _quite_ the
most marvellous performance she had ever seen," and thanked me over and
over again for having introduced such a remarkable conjurer to her
party. The guests were all equally delighted, and amidst the laughter
and chatter that followed, the Verrinder children and myself made good
our escape, and I felt very thankful that the fairies' "wish" had got me
out of what at one time bid fair to have been a very awkward
predicament.
* * * * *
The Duchess called on me the next day to thank me again, and to ask
where she might write to my little friend to thank him also. This
information, however, I was naturally unable to impart.