the enchanted island of yew-第24章

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The　Red　Rogue　thought　he　had　done　a　very　clever　thing；　and　had　no　fear　of　the　consequences　until　one　of　his　men　came　running　up　to　the　castle　to　announce　that　Prince　Marvel　and　his　companions　were　approaching　to　rescue　the　Lady　Seseley。

〃How　many　of　them　are　there？〃　demanded　the　Red　Rogue。

〃There　are　eight；　altogether；〃　answered　the　man；　〃but　two　of　them　are　girls。〃

〃And　they　expect　to　force　me　to　give　up　my　captives？〃　asked　the　Red　One；　laughing　with　a　noise　like　the　roar　of　a　waterfall。　　〃Why；　I　shall　make　prisoners　of　every　one　of　them！〃

The　man　looked　at　his　master　fearfully；　and　replied：

〃This　Prince　Marvel　is　very　famous；　and　all　people　speak　of　his　bravery　and　power。　　It　was　he　who　conquered　King　Terribus　of　Spor；　and　that　mighty　ruler　is　now　his　friend；　and　is　one　of　the　eight　who　approach。〃

The　Red　Rogue　stopped　laughing；　for　the　fame　of　Spor's　terrible　king　had　long　ago　reached　him。　　And　he　reflected　that　any　one　who　could　conquer　the　army　of　giants　and　dwarfs　and　Gray　Men　that　served　Terribus　must　surely　be　one　to　be　regarded　seriously。　　Moreoverand　this　was　a　secretthe　Red　Rogue　had　never　been　able　to　gain　the　strength　to　correspond　with　his　gigantic　size；　but　had　ever　remained　as　weak　as　when　he　was　a　puny　boy。　　So　he　was　accustomed　to　rely　on　his　cunning　and　on　the　terror　his　very　presence　usually　excited　to　triumph　over　his　enemies。　　And　he　began　to　be　afraid　of　this　prince。

〃You　say　two　of　the　party　are　girls？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　also　among　them　are　King　Terribus　himself；　and　the　renowned　Wul…Takim；　formerly　king　of　thieves；　who　was　conquered　by　the　prince；　although　accounted　a　hard　fighter；　and　is　now　his　devoted　servant。　　And　there　are　two　old　men　who　are　just　alike　and　have　a　very　fierce　look　about　them。　　They　are　said　to　come　from　the　hidden　Kingdom　of　Twi。〃

By　this　time　the　Red　Rogue　was　thoroughly　frightened；　but　he　did　not　yet　despair　of　defeating　his　enemies。　　He　knew　better　than　to　attempt　to　oppose　Prince　Marvel　by　force；　but　he　still　hoped　to　conquer　him　by　trickery　and　deceit。

Among　the　wonderful　things　that　the　Red　Rogue's　former　master；　the　wise　scholar　and　magician；　had　made　were　two　large　enchanted　mirrors；　which　were　set　on　each　side　of　the　great　hallway　of　the　castle。　　Heavy　curtains　were　drawn　over　the　surfaces　of　these　mirrors；　because　they　both　possessed　a　dreadful　magical　power。　　For　whenever　any　one　looked　into　one　of　them　his　reflection　was　instantly　caught　and　imprisoned　in　the　mirror；　and　his　body　at　the　same　time　became　invisible　to　all　earthly　eyes；　only　the　mirror　retaining　his　form。

While　considering　a　way　to　prevent　the　prince　from　freeing　the　Lady　Seseley；　the　Red　Rogue　happened　to　think　of　these　mirrors；　which　had　never　yet　been　used。　　So　he　went　stealthily　into　the　great　hall　and　drew　aside　the　covering　from　one　of　the　mirrors。　　He　did　not　dare　look　into　the　mirror　himself；　but　hurried　away　to　another　room；　and　then　sent　a　page　up　a　back　stairway　to　summon　the　Lady　Seseley　and　her　two　maids　into　his　presence。

The　girls　at　once　obeyed；　for　they　greatly　feared　the　Red　Rogue；　and　of　course　they　descended　the　front　stairway　and　walked　through　the　great　hall。　　At　once　the　large　mirror　that　had　been　exposed　to　view　caught　the　eye　of　Seseley；　and　she　paused　to　regard　her　reflection　in　the　glass。　　Her　two　companions　did　likewise；　and　instantly　all　three　girls　became　invisible；　while　the　mirror　held　their　reflections　fast　in　its　magic　surface。

The　Red　Rogue　was　watching　them　through　a　crack　in　the　door；　and　seeing　the　girls　disappear　he　gave　a　joyful　laugh　and　exclaimed：

〃Now　let　Prince　Marvel　find　them　if　he　can！〃

The　three　girls　began　to　wander　aimlessly　through　the　castle；　for　not　only　were　they　invisible　to　others；　but　also　to　themselves　and　to　one　another；　and　they　knew　not　what　to　do　nor　which　way　to　turn。



24。　　The　Enchanted　Mirrors


Presently　Prince　Marvel　and　his　party　arrived　and　paused　before　the　doors　of　the　castle；　where　the　Red　Rogue　stood　bowing　to　them　with　mock　politeness　and　with　an　evil　grin　showing　on　his　red　face。

〃I　come　to　demand　the　release　of　the　Lady　Seseley　and　her　companions！〃　Prince　Marvel　announced；　in　a　bold　voice。　　〃And　I　also　intend　to　call　you　to　account　for　the　murder　of　Baron　Merd。〃

〃You　must　be　at　the　wrong　castle；〃　answered　the　Red　One；　〃for　I　have　murdered　no　baron；　nor　have　I　any　Lady　Seseley　as　prisoner。〃

〃Are　you　not　the　Red　Rogue　of　Dawna？〃　demanded　the　prince。

〃Men　call　me　by　that　name；〃　acknowledged　the　other。

〃Then　you　are　deceiving　me；〃　said　the　prince。

〃No；　indeed！〃　answered　the　Red　Rogue；　mockingly。　　〃I　wouldn't　deceive　any　one　for　the　world。　　But；　if　you　don't　believe　me；　you　are　welcome　to　search　my　castle。〃

〃That　I　shall　do；〃　returned　the　prince；　sternly；　〃whether　I　have　your　permission　or　not；〃　and　he　began　to　dismount。　　But　Nerle　restrained　him；　saying：

〃Master；　I　beg　you　will　allow　me　to　search　the　castle。　　For　this　Red　Rogue　is　playing　some　trick　upon　us；　I　am　sure；　and　if　anything　happened　to　you　there　would　be　no　one　to　protect　the　little　High　Ki　and　our　other　friends。〃

〃But　suppose　something　should　happen　to　you？〃　inquired　the　prince；　anxiously。

〃In　that　case；〃　said　Nerle；　〃you　can　avenge　me。〃

The　advice　was　so　reasonable；　under　the　circumstances；　that　the　prince　decided　to　act　upon　it。

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　〃go　and　search　the　castle；　and　I　will　remain　with　our　friends。　　But　if　anything　happens　to　you；　I　shall　call　the　Red　Rogue　to　account。〃

So　Nerle　entered　the　castle；　passing　by　the　huge　form　of　its　owner；　who　only　nodded　to　the　boy　and　grinned　with　delight。

The　esquire　found　himself　in　the　great　hall　and　began　to　look　around　him；　but　without　seeing　any　one。　　Then　he　advanced　a　few　steps　and；　to　his　surprise；　discovered　a　large　mirror；　in　which　were　reflected　the　faces　and　forms　of　three　girls；　as　well　as　his　own。

〃Why；　here　they　are！〃　he　attempted　to　say；　but　he　could　not　hear　his　own　voice。　　He　glanced　down　at　himself　but　could　see　nothing　at　allfor　his　body　had　become　invisible。　　His　reflection　was　still　in　the　glass；　and　he　knew　that　his　body　existed　the　same　as　before；　but　although　he　yet　saw　plainly　the　hall　and　all　that　it　contained；　he　could　see　neither　himself　nor　any　other　person　of　flesh。

After　waiting　a　considerable　time　for　his　esquire　to　reappear　Prince　Marvel　became　impatient。

〃What　have　you　done　with　Nerle？〃　he　asked　of　the　Red　Rogue。

〃Nothing；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃I　have　been　here；　plainly　within　your　sight；　every　moment。〃

〃Let　me　go　and　find　him！〃　exclaimed　King　Terribus；　and　rushed　into　the　castle　before　the　prince　could　reply。　　But　Terribus　also　encountered　the　enchanted　mirror；　and　the　prince　waited　in　vain　for　his　return。

Then　Wul…Takim　volunteered　to　go　in　search　of　the　others；　and　drew　his　big；　sharp　sword　before　entering　the　hall。　　But　an　hour　passed　by　and　he　did　not　return。

The　Red　Rogue　was　overjoyed　at　the　success　of　his　stratagem；　and　could　scarce　refrain　from　laughing　outright　at　the　prince's　anxiety。

Marvel　was　really　perplexed。　　He　knew　some　treachery　was　afoot；　but　could　not　imagine　what　it　was。　　And　when　the　pretty　High　Ki　declared　their　intention　of　entering　the　castle；　he　used　every　endeavor　to　dissuade　them。　　But　the　twin　girls　would　not　be　denied；　so　great　was　their　curiosity。　　So　the　prince　said：

〃Well；　we　will　all　go　together；　so　that　the　Ki　and　I　may　be　able　to　protect　you。〃

The　Red　Rogue　gladly　granted　them　admittance；　and　they　passed　him　and　entered　the　great　hall。

The　place　appeared　to　them　to　be　completely　empty；　so　they　walked　along　and　came　opposite　the　mirror。　　Here　all　stopped　at　once；　and　the　twin　High　Ki　uttered　exclamations　of　surprise；　and　the　twin　Ki　shouted；　〃Great　Kika…koo！〃

For　there　in　the　glass　were　the　reflections　of　the　three　girls　and　Nerle　and　King　Terribus　and　Wul…Takim。　　And　there　were　also　the　reflections　of　the　twin　High　Ki　and　the　twin　Ki。　Only　Prince　Marvel's　reflection　was　missing；　and　this　was　because　of　his　fairy　origin。　　For　the　glass　could　reflect　and　hold　only　the　forms　of　mortals。

But　the　prince　saw　the　reflections　of　all　the　others；　and　then　made　the　discovery　that　the　forms　of　the　Ki　and　the　High　Ki　had　beco