Much Ado About SomethingLawrence, C. E. (Charles Edward)
Science
Much Ado About Something
Lawrence, C. E. (Charles Edward)
England -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Fairies -- Fiction
"Titania?"
"May not June go?" the queen then asked.
"I said ’No!’" Oberon declared with loud authority.
"You are as obstinate as ever," Titania observed impatiently. "Since
you played your trick on me with that oaf--that clown--that donkey’s
head; and foolishly I gave way to your tricks and pleading, you have
been----"
"Silence, Titania! You are my own dearest queen; but I am your king and
the king of Fairyland. I forbid June to go."
There was an end of the suggestion.
Applause, loud and long, greeted the royal pronouncement. The elves did
not wish their favourite to go. They feared for her. Titania,
realizing that the last word was said, for the time being--what a model
for some!--returned to her place by Oberon’s side, and June roused her
drooping happiness.
"Now, fairies," cried the king, "the triumph song!"
They sang. All sang, proudly, proudly! How it rose, swelled, rolled in
a volume of musical delight, over the tree-tops, waking any birds that
foolishly might have been sleeping, compelling them by its power, joy
and confidence to share the grand chorus.
Only June, of all the bright multitude on which the moon then looked,
was silent; only she, though sharing in the pride and happiness--how
could she have done otherwise?--stood, seemingly unemotional, there.
She was thinking, thinking, thinking of the great dim wilderness, whose
crowded wretchedness, referred to by the king, called for the gifts and
presence of the fairies, and could not enjoy them!
"Oh, sad city," whispered she to herself, while her comrades were
singing the triumph song. "Oh, pitiful shadows, foolishly imprisoned
there!"
Dawn came creeping up. The moon grew pale with annoyance that daylight
was coming to close the revels. The more timid of the stars closed eyes
and went to sleep. Only the boldest lights in the greying sky fought
against the progress in the east.
Then the song ended--dying out with a note of long-drawn content, the
sigh of satisfied victory. There was silence again except for the
awakened birds, which, well aware of the rapidly approaching day,
chattered and twittered with increasing energy, careless of the history
happening beneath them.
June was stirred from her inopportune reverie by the touch of the crown
which Oberon, descending from his throne, placed upon her.
A great shout went up.
"June, June, June!"
That was the moment of her triumph. It was the moment of her madness
too.
The touch of the mystic rim quickened her indefinite aspirations and
sharpened her sadness. She would go! Not Oberon and all his fairies
should prevent her. The crown--charged with mighty powers--gave her
strange new determination and an influence more potent far than she had
ever possessed before. That town-world might be hopeless, but she would
not say so till she herself was convinced of it. She would go to
London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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