The Under Folk
steps made of something so green and clear that it was plainly either glass or emerald, and I don't think it could have been glass, because how could they have made glass in the sea? There were lights below it which shone through the green transparency so clear and lovely that Francis said dreamily—
"‘Sabrina fair.
Listen where thou art sitting.
Under the glassie, cool, translucent wave,'"
and quite suddenly there was much less room in the net, and they were being embraced all at once and with tears of relief and joy by the Princess Freia—their own Mer Princess.
"Oh, I didn't mean to—Princess dear, I didn't," said Francis. "It was the emerald steps made me think of translucent."
"So they are," she said, "but oh, if you knew what I've felt—you, our guests, our knights-errant, our noble defenders—to be prisoners and all of us safe. I did so hope you'd call me. And I'm so proud that you didn't—that you were brave enough not to call for me until you did it by accident."
"We never thought of doing it," said Mavis candidly, "but I hope we shouldn't have, if we had thought of it."
"Why haven't you pressed your pearl buttons?" she asked, and they told her why.
"Wise children," she said, "but at any rate we must all use the charm that prevents our losing our memories."
"I shan't use mine," said Cathay. "I don't want to remember. If I didn't remember I should forget to be frightened. Do please let me forget to remember." She clung pleadingly to the Princess, who whispered to Mavis, "Perhaps it would be best," and they let Cathay have her way.
The others had only just time to swallow their charms before
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