The Tale of Lal

by Raymond Paton

  CHAPTER II

  BY ORDER OF THE LION

  "Hullo, Lal!" said Ridgwell, as he looked up at the Lion the followingevening.

  "Hullo!" rejoined the Lion huskily. "Who is that you have brought withyou?"

  "This is Christine," said Ridgwell.

  "How do you do?" said the Pleasant-Faced Lion, and he seemed to lookeven more pleasant than usual. The Lion stretched himself, descendedfrom his pedestal, and held out his paw to shake hands with Christine:Christine responded to these greetings shyly.

  Ridgwell really thought the Lion was one of the most amiable creatureshe had ever met.

  "If you do not mind," the Lion observed to Christine, "you might walkupon the other side of Ridgwell and not next to me."

  "Oh, Lal, why?" asked Christine.

  "Who asked Christine to call me Lal?" inquired the Lion, as he liftedhis head up with an intensely comical air of self-importance.

  "I did," said Ridgwell; "you told me always to call you Lal."

  "Quite right," replied the Lion. "But do you always do exactly alike,you two?"

  "Yes, always," said Ridgwell.

  "Humph!" grunted the Lion. "Suppose there is only one apple and youboth want it, what happens?"

  "We exactly divide it," said Ridgwell.

  "Mathematically correct," said the Lion. "Good."

  "But please why can't I walk next to you, _Mister_ Lion?"

  "Ha!" shrieked the Lion, "there she goes, Mister Lion. You taught herthat too, I suppose."

  "Hush, Lal," said Ridgwell, "don't get excited. Christine will soonget out of the habit and call you Lal, directly she knows how pleasantyou are."

  "You haven't answered my question, Lal," objected Christine.

  "Well, little Christine, it is like this," and the Lion pondered deeplyfor awhile. "If you walked _next_ to me and rested your hand upon mymane as you are doing now, anybody who saw us might take us for Una andthe Lion, otherwise Beauty and the Beast, and oh! my dear child,"implored the Lion, "you surely could not wish me ever to be called a_beast_."

  "Of course not," said Christine; "we wouldn't hurt your feelings forworlds. So, Ridgie, you walk next to Lal, and I will walk the otherside of you."

  "A most reasonable child," muttered the Lion, "really quite reasonable."

  "Did you bring the sulphur tablets?" asked the Lion mysteriously.

  "Yes, here they are. Christine has them wrapped up in a packet,"explained Ridgwell; "but, Lal, what can you want with sulphur tablets?You promised me we should both be asked to the party, but sulphurtablets do seem such an odd thing to want as a start. I have thoughtover it, and Christine has thought over it, and we cannot really thinkwhat they can be for."

  The Lion chuckled his most pleasant chuckle.

  "Give it up?"

  "Yes," nodded Ridgwell.

  "So would any one else," grinned the Lion, "except me. Have you everthought how the thick yellow London fogs come?" inquired the Lioninsinuatingly. "Do you know what causes them?"

  "No," said Ridgwell. "I don't think anybody knows that."

  "I do," replied the Lion.

  "What causes them, then?" asked Ridgwell.

  "The yellow fogs are caused solely by the habit the other three lionshave of sucking sulphur tablets whilst they are asleep," declared theLion. "They are always sleeping, and directly two sulphur tablets areplaced in the corner of each one's mouth they go on sleeping andbreathing, sleeping and breathing. The result is a thick yellow fog."

  "I never knew that was the cause of London fogs," mused Ridgwell.

  "One of them," sighed the Lion; "and who can wonder at it? Just lookat the size of their mouths."

  "But your mouth is as large as theirs, is it not?" debated Christine.

  "Yes," said the Lion, "but there is a particular reason for my mouthbeing large."

  "Why?" asked the children.

  "On account of all the wisdom I utter," replied the Lion loftily.

  "Anyway," said Ridgwell, "it does seem a horrid preparation for a partyto start with a fog. Surely nobody would see what was going on."

  "Hush, hush, my children," remonstrated the Pleasant-Faced Lion. "Justgather round and listen, and do not interrupt. You will be amazed atall the things you are about to see and hear, for you are going to bepresent to-night for a few minutes at the most wonderful party evergiven in the whole world."

  "That will be lovely," said Ridgwell and Christine. "And oh! Lal,really we have looked forward to it so much."

  The Lion patted each of the children in turn affectionately upon thehead with its paw, and they remembered afterwards that his paw was assoft as velvet, and really wasn't heavy at all.

  "Chatter, chatter, chatter," said the Lion, "just like the magpies andthe sparrows, and the fashionable Society people for that matter, butyou must not interrupt. I am just like one of those guides that do allthe talking, and if I am interrupted I lose my place, get all mythoughts out of order, and all the ceremony will be wrong. Then KingRichard and King Charles will both be down upon me, and say the partywas rotten, and that I was to blame; and as for Boadicea, she has anasty temper, and will probably hit me over the head with her reins."

  "Oh, Lal, do you mean to say that King Richard and King Charles andBoadicea are coming to the party?"

  "Yes, all of them," grunted the Lion. "Now be quiet, and just listen.The sulphur tablets which seem to cause you so much mystification aresimply to cause a fog upon the _outside_ of Trafalgar Square, and toshut out the sight of the most wonderful party in the world from thegaze of all the other people who have not been invited to it. Imaginethe millions of people who would flock to see such a sight, if it werenot screened off. Drivers of the Buzz Buzz things they callmotor-buses and taxis, loafers, tramps, idlers, City men, work-girls,curious women--and, by the way, remember that women are alwayscurious--would flock in millions, attracted by the lovely lights, whichwill be brighter than anything you have ever seen, by the jewels, whichwill be more dazzling than anything you have ever dreamed of, to saynothing about the gorgeous costumes that will rival anything displayedupon the Field of the Cloth of Gold, outdo the splendours of any court,and put the pageant of the grandest pantomime ever witnessed to shame.Follow me," commanded the Lion, "and you will see what you will seeonly once in your lives, and it all begins with the sulphur tablets."

  Ridgwell and Christine followed, and were dumb with amazement. TheLion gently took the packet of sulphur tablets from Christine andthanked her for providing them. Gingerly he approached each of theother three sleeping lions in turn and insinuatingly placed two in themouth of each lion; one tablet each side between each lion's big frontteeth and its tongue.

  "It's a dreadful habit," said the Pleasant-Faced Lion, "to suck sulphurtablets in your sleep, but I suppose it's soothing. Now watch,"observed Lal maliciously. "Sleeping and breathing, sleeping andbreathing, the sulphur tablets will soon commence to work."

  Slowly as they watched, thick jets of yellow vapour commenced to riseupward and all around.

  "Come," whispered Lal, "the thick fog stops like a wall at the back oftheir pedestals and all round Trafalgar Square. As I told you,"chuckled the Lion, "the fog is only upon the _outside_ of where theparty will take place."

  He now quickly drew the children out of the fog inside the immensecharmed circle of Trafalgar Square, where the atmosphere was quiteclear, but as yet quite dark.

  The Lion lifted up his head and gave a most piercing and peculiarwhistle; once, twice, three times and yet a fourth he repeated thissignal.

  The signal was answered in a curious manner. The whole space commencedto vibrate with a strange humming sound which resembled violins,violoncellos, flageolets and flutes being played upon very faintly.The sounds were so weirdly fascinating that any one might have imaginedit proceeded from a little group of Eastern musicians playing uponreeds in order to charm some snake to uncoil and become sociable aftera lengthy seclusion in its wicker-work basket.

  "What is
that music?" asked Ridgwell.

  "The eight Dolphins of the fountains are humming happily. They arewaiting to carry out my commands," answered the Lion.

  Once again the Lion whistled four times.

  Ridgwell and Christine, who were listening intently, could hear thescurrying of flying feet racing along. The sound drew nearer andnearer, until several dark forms were jostling each other immediatelyin front of where they stood, and they could feel the warm breath ofsome living things upon their hands. Suddenly in the darkness therewas a chorus of hoarse laughter.

  Ridgwell and Christine started slightly.

  "Are they spirits?" inquired Ridgwell, with a note of anxiety in hisvoice.

  "No," vouchsafed the Lion, "only the four merry laughing little Lionsfrom outside Westminster Abbey. They are the most ridiculous creaturesin all London.

  "Stop laughing," commanded the Lion.

  "Hear me, Gamble, Grin, Grub, and Carry-on-Merry, and hearkenattentively.

  "Carry-on-Merry, have you all stopped laughing?" demanded the Lion.

  "Yes, mighty Lal, we are simply grinning at present, which is as nearto being serious as we can ever become. We are only waiting for yourcommands."

  The Lion lifted up his mighty head and called, "Silence, Dolphins."

  Immediately the curious sounds of humming ceased.

  "The party I give is to be the most beautiful in the world, displayingwonders such as no Emperor can procure. Each of the Four Seasons shallappear before us, perfect in every way, to be followed by the Pavilionof Gold."

  "It shall be done, O Lal."

  "My guests will be all the stray children of London. Call them fromevery street and court, from out every by-way, alley, and lane."

  "They are all here waiting, O Lal."

  "Good. Also gather together all the lost and stray dogs of London,every single one who is wandering about to-night."

  "They have all been summoned, O Lal."

  "The Royalty present will include Queen Boadicea, King Richard I., KingCharles I., and St. George."

  "Each has received a royal invitation, O Lal, and the Royal personageswill all be pleased to attend."

  "Each boy and girl is to be dressed in the most costly costume,according to their taste."

  "All is prepared for them, Lal, and even as you desire, great splendourawaits them, and nothing will be lacking for their perfect enjoyment."

  "Good; see that all is well done, and be ready to begin when I give thesignal. You understand?"

  "We understand," laughed the four merry Lions.

  "We obey," squeaked the Dolphins.

  "Only one thing remains to be done, to dress you, Ridgwell, and you,Christine."

  "What shall we be dressed in?" inquired Christine.

  "Shut your eyes," said the Lion gently, "and stretch your hands overthe lake of the fountain and take what the Dolphins give you. Theyknow what you want, and their taste in such matters is exquisite."

  The children shut their eyes and obeyed. The Lion leant over the rimof the lake and whispered to the Dolphins--

  "Dress the boy like a prince, and the girl like a little queen. Therichest stuff, mind, five guineas a yard. Give her a crown of thewhitest daisies with shell pink petal tips for a crown. No jewels, nopearls, no, no.

  Take, oh take the pearls away, For they bring tears, the wise men say.

  chanted the Lion in his rich double bass. "Give them both jewelledshoe buckles; give the boy jewelled levee buttons for his satinbreeches, a plain gold circlet for his head. A train for the girl fromher shoulders, of pure cloth of gold; bring it light, so that it doesnot weigh heavily. White satin for the boy, with richest figuredvelvet doublet set with cloth of gold. Hang round their necks now,with all its luminous jewels, the highest order in the world, the Orderof Great Imagination," commanded the Lion, "For by the Order of GreatImagination they shall see things that no one else can see, they shallbe able to listen to things that no one else shall be able to hear.They shall delight in the exquisiteness of things as no one else candelight in them, who has not received this order. For I declare to youall that a child who has this glittering order shall know of thingsthat nobody else in the whole world shall know of. Everything isready."

  "Let us have Spring," commanded the Lion.

  Immediately the words were uttered there came the soft beating ofbirds' wings over Ridgwell's head. The atmosphere instantly becamefragrant with the myriad scents of wild flowers.

  A mist seemed to swim for a second before their eyes, and, as itcleared away, they were standing together with many other childrenknee-deep in unending banks of bluebells and primroses.

  They were in the midst of the most perfect wooded dell they had everbeheld.

  Thousands of delicate flower-stems thrust their tiny spears from earthand emerald moss, blossoming with flowers before their wondering eyes.

  The spiral hedges slowly shook out dappled clusters of white hawthorn.

  The interlaced trees above them, amidst which all the birds inChristendom appeared to be carolling simultaneously, gently outspreadfriendly arms, overladen with powdered red and white may blossom.

  Butterflies with gaily painted wings hovered tenderly overhead, andtiny silver thistledown balls sailed across the blue sky spaces, likelittle wayward balloons without anybody in charge of them.

  "You can all pick as many flowers as you like," suggested the Lion."Flowers were meant for the children to pick, so make yourselvesnosegays, garlands, and crowns galore. There are no notices _here_ tokeep off the grass. You can also chase the butterflies if you like,but I warn you that you will never catch them. As a matter of factthat is the one thing I don't permit. Any butterfly with really nicefeelings objects most decidedly when a pin is run through its body, asmuch as a happy fish hates to be caught upon a hook. I sympathise withboth of them, and consider such practices ought to be stopped."

  Ridgwell, well-nigh immersed in a bank of bluebells, listened in asemi-enchanted condition to the Lion's words of wisdom, and watched thebrilliant-coloured butterflies chasing each other in the pearly spacesabove him.

  Christine, grasping a great yellow bunch of primroses in each hand,ceased picking flowers and watched the bright-eyed squirrels andrabbits gambolling everywhere around.

  "Ridgie, have you noticed all the rabbits and squirrels are quite tame?"

  "Of course they're tame," agreed the Lion, "Nobody here to hurt them;why, they will come and eat out of your hand."

  "Why is that?" asked Ridgwell.

  "No guns or traps," chuckled the Lion. "Any animal respectably broughtup is indignant at the very thought of a gun or a trap; consequentlythey keep themselves to themselves, and seldom go out into society."

  Ridgwell's gaze roamed over the lovely spring landscape, and restedupon the masses of flowers the other children were picking.

  "Everything here is just as it ought to be, isn't it, Lal?"

  "Every single thing," answered the Lion. "But it is going to change,you know, almost directly."

  "Change?" echoed Ridgwell. "Why, Lal?"

  The Pleasant-Faced Lion chuckled softly, and lifting his head, calledout, "Summer."

  Immediately the Lion said "Summer," everything around commenced toalter most strangely.

  Banks of primroses became stretches of sparkling golden sands, and thegreat masses of bluebells, after swaying once or twice, dissolvedthemselves into the misty rippling waves of a summer sea.

  Christine and Ridgwell, looking hopelessly perplexed, found they wereeach in a tiny boat with a pearly sail, skimming over shallow bluewaters that sparkled like sapphires.

  The sky over their heads had changed to the burning blue of a summerday. The air was filled with the sweet salt spray of the sea, whichdescended in delicious showers upon all of them.

  "Have all the children got boats?" demanded the Lion.

  "All," shrilled the Dolphins. "Their boats can't upset, Lal, and thewaters are transparent, and shallow enough for them to
fish up colouredshells, coral, and mother-of-pearl. There's a sunken treasure-shiphalf buried in the sands far upon the other side, Lal, if they sail forit."

  "They'll all make for that safe enough," answered the Lion. "Pushtheir boats off, Dolphins, and help them all to land upon the farshore."

  The Dolphins, splashing the water into little white frothy waves,accompanied the little bobbing fleet of pearl-boats, and sang gaily asthey swam alongside.

  "Blue and gold on the summer sea, Each little mast with a sail of pearl, Each dipping boat holds a boy or girl, A most enchanting argosy. A ship one's longed for most perhaps That cannot anyhow collapse.

  We'll sail away to the golden strand, And maybe discover No Man's Land; Each one of us will get a peep Into the wonders of the deep, Dredging for shells of brilliant hue, And discovering mermaids too.

  Sing ho! for a galleon of Spanish gold, With jewels and ivory in the hold. What treasure we'll find upon the main! What triumph when we sail home again! The wonder of every lad and lass Will be the booty we amass."

  After a short but entrancing voyage, and even whilst Ridgwell andChristine stood with the other children waist-deep in the great carvenhold of the sunken Spanish galleon, shovelling out golden doubloons andprecious jewels, the sound of Lal's voice came across the water to them.

  "Autumn, ahoy!" shouted Lal.

  * * * * *

  "Isn't it bewildering, Chris?" lamented Ridgwell. "Only a second agowe were enthroned in a castle of golden coins and precious stones, andnow, without any sort of warning whatever, we are standing upon the topof a waggon-load of newly-mown hay."

  "Yes, Ridgie, and look at Lal across there, laughing about it likeanything."

  "He certainly does play tricks with us, Chris. See, he is sending allthe children racing across to draw our hay-cart with those ropes ofacorns and leaves they are holding. Hullo!" broke off Ridgwell,"somebody is throwing things at me, and if they continue doing it Ishall jolly well start throwing back again."

  Christine looked up from the stack of loose hay surrounding her in thecart upon which they stood.

  "Why, it's apples," announced Christine.

  "Where?" inquired her brother.

  "Look, Ridgie, overhead, hundreds of them hanging from every tree. Wecan reach them quite easily."

  There could be no doubt about the matter. Rosy apples ripened by thesun dangled in clusters overhead, and gently fell down at the verymoment when any one felt disposed to eat them.

  Within easy reach grew trailing brambles smothered with ripened patchesof fragrant blackberries.

  The Pleasant-Faced Lion lifted up his voice and inquired if the companypresent desired anything better, at the season they were now passingthrough, than unlimited apples, blackberries, and hay.

  "No," came a simultaneous chorus from all the children.

  "Good," replied the Lion. "After you have all eaten as many apples andblackberries as you want, the battle of the new-mown hay will start. Ishall be the umpire. If Ridgwell and Christine can throw enough hayfrom their big cart to bury all the children around them, they willhave won. If the other children can throw up enough hay to completelysmother the cart, Ridgwell and Christine will have lost. Now start,"laughed the Lion.

  "Look here, Chris, we must get to work, so here goes."

  Whereupon Ridgwell seized a big armful of loose hay and awaited theattack.

  "We have the advantage of height," observed Christine, as she hastilygathered as much hay as she could hold, "and you know, Ridgie, it ismuch easier for us to throw down than it is for them to throw up."

  "How about numbers?" objected Ridgwell; "why, it's two againsthundreds, Chris."

  Then the battle commenced. That engagement was a memorable one amidstthe scented hay. Not infrequently it happened that only a laughingeye, or the tip of a small nose was anywhere visible to show who mightbe the victor. Nobody will ever be quite sure who won, and it isdoubtful if the point was ever decided.

  Ridgwell, feeling very smothered up, was remarking to Christine inmuffled tones that he thought they must have lost, when the voice ofLal announced "Winter."

  "Don't you feel buried, Chris?"

  "Yes," came the unexpected reply, "I am. I'm simply buried in furs andsnow!"

  "Furs and snow?" repeated Ridgwell incredulously. "What on earth doyou mean, Chris? Oh, good gracious, Chris, I've got an extraordinaryfeeling I'm falling over a sort of precipice."

  "So we are," rejoined Christine philosophically. "Don't you see,Ridgie, that Lal has changed everything again. We are on a toboggansleigh, and just starting down no end of a steep hill."

  Ridgwell rubbed the finely powdered snow out of his eyes.

  An entrancing winter scene lay below them. Giant blue-green pine-treeswere dotted about over the glistening snow which flashed with a milliondiamond sparkles. All the children were clad in beautiful furs.

  Some of them were sliding and skating, others snowballing and tumblingin the snow.

  "Hang on, Ridgwell and Christine," shouted the Lion, "your toboggan hasstarted at a pretty good pace. Hold tight."

  Ridgwell and Christine shut their eyes, and as neither of them had anybreath during that wild descent, they could only compare notesafterwards as to the amazing sensations they experienced during thesemoments.

  When the toboggan had finally brought itself to a standstill Ridgwellextricated himself and viewed the snow-powdered spaces in front of thema trifle apprehensively. Bounding along towards them raced a pack ofanimals. Their eyes were glistening and their tongues hanging out.

  "Wolves!" muttered Ridgwell. "Oh! I say, Chris, I don't think I quitecare about meeting wolves. Do you? They don't look very friendlyeither, by the way they are coming along."

  "It's the stray dogs," shouted Christine; "and look, Carry-on-Merry isputting little teams of them into sleighs to draw us along."

  "Sleigh races about to start," called the Lion. "Take your seats,shake the reins and you will hear the silver bells tinkle. The firstsleigh to reach the farthest pine-trees wins the race. Off you go."

  Away flew the dogs, drawing the children over the powdered snow tracks.

  After the race Carry-on-Merry collected all the children together.

  "I propose a snowball match," grinned Carry-on-Merry. "Gamble, Grin,Grub, and myself upon one side, against all you children."

  "Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the Pleasant-Faced Lion. "My goodness, what abeating all you children are going to have. Why, Carry-on-Merry andhis lot can manufacture snowballs as quick as lightning."

  The battle commenced without delay, and it was a terrific conflict.

  Hundreds of little snowballs whizzed through the air.

  "Ha! ha!" laughed the Pleasant-Faced Lion, "the children areretreating. Carry-on-Merry, Gamble, Grin, and Grub, I believe you arethe champion snowballers of the world. I think myself you must haveacquired the gift from some unusually impish urchins whose methods youhave closely observed round Westminster way. I consider your skillquite in accordance with the best street traditions."

  The children were eventually snowballed to a standstill, and flingingaway their remaining ammunition rolled themselves over on the snow toavoid any more of the unerring missiles of Carry-on-Merry and his band.

  "Give in," demanded the Lion pleasantly.

  "Never!" laughed the children.

  "But you're beaten, you know," insisted the Lion. "Carry-on-Merry, youcan take them all prisoners and escort them to the Pavilion of Gold."

  Even whilst the children were tumbling in the snow the atmospherebecame inky black.

  The darkness was not in any way alarming; it had taken place sogradually that they scarcely noticed it, which only intensified themarvellous change which was to follow.