Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/190

 ‘How pretty you are, Felicia!’ he cried. ‘Don’t keep me in suspense, I entreat you; say that you will marry me.’

‘Ah!’ said the Queen, smiling, ‘I think she will not refuse now.’

Just then Bruno, who was going back to his work, came out of the cottage, and thought he must be dreaming when he saw Felicia; but she called him very kindly, and begged the Queen to take pity on him.

‘What!’ she said, ‘when he was so unkind to you?’

‘Ah! madam,’ said the Princess, ‘I am so happy that I should like everybody else to be happy too.’

The Queen kissed her, and said: ‘Well, to please you, let me see what I can do for this cross Bruno.’ And with a wave of her wand she turned the poor little cottage into a splendid palace, full of treasures; only the two stools and the straw bed remained just as they were, to remind him of his former poverty. Then the Queen touched Bruno himself, and made him gentle and polite and grateful, and he thanked her and the Princess a thousand times. Lastly, the Queen restored the hen and the cabbages to their natural forms, and left them all very contented. The Prince and Princess were married as soon as possible with great splendour, and lived happily ever after.