11.] THE SILVER FAIRIES. 127

 

ability, and he had been assured by herself of the
goodwill of the Fairy Queen to be of service to those
with whom her people resided, and the only question
in Simon’s mind was as to the particular manner in
which that service could in his case be best and most
efficiently rendered. Over this point he pondered for
some time, until it occurred to him that the best
thing he could do was to go to bed and sleep over it
before coming to any decision. Accordingly, he
retired to rest, as the saying is; but alas! there was
neither rest nor sleep for worthy Simon that night.
Never was mortal milkman in so sleepless a condition.
As he lay awake, the events of the evening rose up
again and again before him, and the more he closed
his eyes the less could he find that oblivion which he
would gladly have welcomed. He tossed and turned
about, but all to no purpose, the fairy forms still
flitted before his vision, the voice of the Fairy Queen
still sounded in his ears, and sleep was simply impos-
sible. At last, indeed, he went off into a species of
doze, during which he dreamed on the same subject,
and awoke with a start, having in his dreams seen at
least fifty old pieces of furniture from which emerged
hundreds of Silver Fairies, who instantly turned -into
cats and began lapping up all his fresh cream.
Aroused by this singularly unpleasant vision,
Simon slept no more that night, and accordingly felt
somewhat tired and unfit for business when the arrival
of morning once more awakened his household. He
said not one word to Dolly or Mrs. Pattison upon the
subject of his extraordinary visitors; but during the
whole of that day was remarkably silent and reserved