Dot and Tot of Merryland
CHAPTER 11 The Palace of Wonders
No sooner had Scollops taken Tot from the drawing room than the Queentouched her bell a second time, and in answer to the summons a neatlydressed doll maid entered the room and made her bow before her prettymistress. This maid was a pleasant looking little person; but Dotnoticed her eyebrows were painted upon her face, and her hair seemedpainted on, too, only the little white cap nearly covered it, so itdidn't show much.
"Twinkle," said the Queen, "show this young lady to the musicalchamber and wait upon her as she dresses for dinner." Then, turningto Dot, she added, "I shall retire to my own room and use my thinkingmachine while you are gone, so that I may know what to do with you.Your coming has completely upset my life, for I never thought to seestrangers in Merryland. But you must not worry. Doubtless, mythinking machine will show me exactly what to do with you, and in anyevent I could not harm two such gentle children as you and Tot."
She nodded smilingly and left the room, while the maid Twinkle ledDot up the stairs and along the hallway to her room.
The girl thought she had never seen a prettier chamber, although shehad always been daintily cared for by her wealthy parents. Thebedstead was of pure ivory, and the pillows were covered withcreamy-white silk, embroidered with white flowers. The bedspread was ofpure white, too, and over it were thickly sewn many brilliant diamonds,while the fringe along the edges was made of diamond beads. Thechairs and sofas were covered with white brocaded silks, and thevelvet carpet was scattered with lilies-of-the-valley on a delicategreen groundwork.
In one corner stood a beautiful little dressing table with a bigmirror above it, and through a draped doorway Dot saw a luxuriouslittle bathroom with a tub of white marble.
"It's a lovely room," said Dot to the maid; "but why did the Queencall it the musical chamber?"
"Sit down, please," was Twinkle's reply. So Dot seated herself in aneasy chair, and no sooner had she touched the cushions than thesweetest strains of music fell upon her ears. She listened to itdelightedly until the piece was finished, when Twinkle raised her toher feet.
"The music will play as long as you sit there," she said. "Try thesofa."
Then Dot sat upon one of the sofas, and heard the strains of amilitary band, seemingly far away, but sounding sweetly anddistinctly, nevertheless.
Twinkle now led her to the bath-room that she might bathe her faceand hands, and when the water fell into the basin it played aninspiring waltz tune. The brushes which the maid passed through Dot'shair were musical, too, and everything she touched seemed to play toher the most ravishing strains of melody.
"Now," said Twinkle, "lie down upon the bed a moment."
Dot obeyed, and heard a chorus of sweet, childish voices singing suchdreamy, soothing lullabies that her eyes closed in spite of herself,and she was almost asleep when Twinkle aroused her and bade herattend the Queen's banquet.
"The voices will sing you to sleep when bedtime comes," said themaid; "but now you must have dinner and learn what fate the Queen ofMerryland has in store for you."
She walked to a door that was half hidden behind a rich drapery, and,pushing it open, showed Dot that it led to the laughing chamber. Itwas with real pleasure that the girl saw her friend Tot, who had atthat moment just risen from his bed.
The boy eagerly showed her all the gay, mirthful faces in his room,and they made Dot laugh out of pure sympathy. Then she brought Totinto her own dainty chamber, where he sat upon a chair and heard anorchestra play a merry schottische. But Twinkle and Scollops were nowimpatient to hurry them away, so soon they descended the stairwayagain and were ushered into the royal banquet room.
The Queen had arrived there before them, and her was face was smilingas sweetly as ever. She set Dot upon one side of her at the big tableand Tot upon the other side.
This table was spread with delicate glassware and rare vases offragrant flowers, and the dishes they ate from they perceived were ofsolid gold.
"How did you like your chamber?" the Queen asked Dot.
"It is delightful," she answered. "I did not think there could besuch a beautiful room in all the world."
"And were you also pleased?" inquired the Wax Doll, turning towardthe boy.
"My room's fine," replied Tot; "it made me laugh!"
The dinner was now served, and certainly no more delicious meal wasever eaten by children, unless they chanced to dine with the Queen ofMerryland. There were many courses of rich and rare edibles, and eachdish Dot and Tot thought could not be surpassed until they tasted thenext one.
"Really," said Dot with an admiring glance at her Majesty, "you mustbe a fairy."
"To be sure I am!" laughed the pretty Queen.
"Still, you are not like any fairy I have read about," continued thechild, gravely.
"No, I suppose not," returned the Wax Doll. "You must know thatfairies are as different from one another as other people are, andthe reason you have not read about me is because the folk who writefairy tales have never been to Merryland."
"That is true," agreed Dot. "Tot and I were the first to discoveryou."
"Yes, and you were very wrong to do so," added the Queen,reprovingly. "But I have used my thinking machine, as I promised, andit has shown me an easy way out of my difficulties."
"What will you do with us?" asked Dot, looking at the Queen soanxiously that she forgot to drink her nectar.
"I'm going to adopt you," was the calm reply.
"Adopt us!" exclaimed the girl, wonderingly.
"Yes, that is the only thing to do. You are going to be my adopteddaughter, the Princess Dot of Merryland; and your companion mustbecome my adopted son, Prince Tot of Merryland."
"But must we always live here?" enquired Dot.
"Can't we go home again?" demanded Tot.
"Those are questions I cannot answer now," said the Queen. "For thetime, at least, you must live with me, and I think you will bedelighted with this Valley and all the pretty things I have to showyou. Should you ever grow tired of Merryland we will talk about yourleaving it. At present you will be wise to think of nothing but yourhappiness in becoming members of the royal family of this kingdom."
The boy and girl listened to this silently and thoughtfully, foralthough the Queen smiled, she spoke with a dignity and authoritythat made them realize she was very much in earnest. But seeing thather guests looked serious and troubled, the little lady soon rosefrom the table, saying more cheerfully as she did so, "It is nearlytime for my army to drill, so, if it please you, we will sit upon thebalcony and eat our ice cream while we watch the soldiers."
Dot and Tot sprang up at once and followed the Queen to a balconythat ran across the front of the palace. Here they seated themselvesand were served with delicate ice-cream hollyhocks upon goldensaucers by Twinkle and Scollops.
"Why do you call the maid Twinkle?" Dot asked the Queen.
"Because she steps so quickly and so softly, like the twinkling of astar, and because her eyes are so bright and sparkling," answered theWax Doll.
"Why do you call him Scollops?" enquired Tot, pointing his finger atthe boy doll.
"Because his hair is all knitted in scollops, and he has scollopsaround his wrists and at the bottom of his trousers."
Tot looked, and sure enough the scollops were there.
"You see we always have a reason for the names we bear in thiskingdom. It is only in the big outside world that people have namesthat mean nothing," said the Queen.
"What is your name?" asked the girl.
"Haven't you heard it?" enquired the Queen, with a surprised look.
"No; I have only heard you called the Queen," said Dot; "but, ofcourse, you must have a name of your own."
"Oh, I certainly have," answered the little lady. "My name is----."Then she stopped suddenly and leaned over the balcony, while she heldup one of her pink hands and whispered: "Listen!"
The children now heard the sound of martial music approaching, and ina few minutes there marched around the corner of th
e palace a band ofpewter musicians. They were dressed in brightly painted uniforms andmarched proudly and in excellent time, while they played as loudly aspossible upon their instruments.
Following the band came a squadron of pewter soldiers on horseback,and the horses reared and pranced, while the officers waved theirpewter swords above their heads in an impressive manner. Next camethe foot soldiers, company after company, wearing red painteduniforms and blue painted uniforms, as well as uniforms of green andyellow paint.
Not a man in the entire army was more than six inches high, and allwere made of pewter--just like the boxes of soldiers you buy at thetoy shops; but they marched like real live soldiers, and there wereso many of them that it was actually an impressive sight.
As each company passed beneath the balcony where the Queen sat, themen saluted her respectfully and the officers raised their hats,while the doll Queen bowed graciously in return.
"Isn't that a fine army?" she asked, proudly.
"They're rather small for soldiers," replied Dot.
"I could kick 'em all over with my foot!" said Tot.
"Oh, but that would be wrong," exclaimed the Queen. "Surely theyhaven't done you any harm."
"No," said Tot; "but I could fight 'em all."
"It's wrong to fight," remarked the Queen, reprovingly.
"Then what do you have soldiers for?" questioned Dot.
"Why, to march and drill and look pretty, of course," answered theQueen. "I thought everyone loved to see soldiers march."
"I suppose they do," said the girl.
"No one should wish to hurt such brightly dressed creatures,"continued her Majesty, "nor should a soldier wish to harm anyoneelse."
"Yet the wooden Captain at the gate threatened to stick his swordinto us," declared the child.
"That's different," replied the Queen. "The wooden soldiers areguardians of the Valley, and it is their duty to threaten and scarefolks. But had the Captain really hurt you with his sword, I shouldhave had the quarrelsome fellow chopped into kindling wood. He'squite dry and would burn nicely."
They sat for some time watching the pewter soldiers drill, andfinally the entire army marched away again. When they had gone, thelittle village seemed as silent and deserted as it had been before.