第36章

"She left the witch's house just before we did.Perhaps she has gone back to the King's castle," he said.

"I'm pretty sure she started off in a diff'rent direction," declared Trot."I looked over my shoulder, as I ran, to see how close the witches were, and I'm sure Isaw Gloria walking slowly away toward the north.""Then let us circle around that way," proposed Pon, "and perhaps we shall meet her."Trot agreed to this and they left the grove and began to circle around toward the north, thus drawing nearer and nearer to old Blinkie's house again.The Wicked Witch did not suspect this change of direction, so when she came to the grove she passed through it and continued on.

Pon and Trot had reached a place less than half a mile from the witch's house when they saw Gloria walking toward them.The Princess moved with great dignity and with no show of haste whatever, holding her head high and looking neither to right nor left.

Pon rushed forward, holding out his arms as if to embrace her and calling her sweet names.But Gloria gazed upon him coldly and repelled him with a haughty gesture.

At this the poor gardener's boy sank upon his knees and hid his face in his arms, weeping bitter tears; but the Princess was not at all moved by his distress.Passing him by, she drew her skirts aside, as if unwilling they should touch him, and then she walked up the path a way and hesitated, as if uncertain where to go next.

Trot was grieved by Pon's sobs and indignant because Gloria treated him so badly.But she remembered why.

"I guess your heart is frozen, all right," she said to the Princess.Gloria nodded gravely, in reply, and then turned her back upon the little girl."Can't you like even me?" asked Trot, half pleadingly.

"No," said Gloria.

"Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator," sighed the little girl."I'm awful sorry for you, 'cause you were sweet an' nice to me before this happened.You can't help it, of course; but it's a dreadful thing, jus' the same.""My heart is frozen to all mortal loves," announced Gloria, calmly."I do not love even myself.""That's too bad," said Trot, "for, if you can't love anybody, you can't expect anybody to love you.""I do!" cried Pon."I shall always love her.""Well, you're just a gardener's boy," replied Trot, "and I didn't think you 'mounted to much, from the first.

I can love the old Princess Gloria, with a warm heart an'

nice manners, but this one gives me the shivers.""It's her icy heart, that's all," said Pon.

"That's enough," insisted Trot."Seeing her heart isn't big enough to skate on, I can't see that she's of any use to anyone.For my part, I'm goin' to try to find Button-Bright an' Cap'n Bill."

"I will go with you," decided Pon."It is evident that Gloria no longer loves me and that her heart is frozen too stiff for me to melt it with my own love; therefore Imay as well help you to find your friends."As Trot started off, Pon cast one more imploring look at the Princess, who returned it with a chilly stare.So he followed after the little girl.

As for the Princess, she hesitated a moment and then turned in the same direction the others had taken, but going far more slowly.Soon she heard footsteps pattering behind her, and up came Googly-Goo.a little out of breath with running.

"Stop, Gloria!" he cried."I have come to take you back to my mansion, where we are to be married."She looked at him wonderingly a moment, then tossed her head disdainfully and walked on.But Googly-Goo kept beside her.

"What does this mean?" he demanded."Haven't you discovered that you no longer love that gardener's boy, who stood in my way?""Yes; I have discovered it," she replied."My heart is frozen to all mortal loves.I cannot love you, or Pon, or the cruel King my uncle, or even myself.Go your way, Googly-Goo, for I will wed no one at all."He stopped in dismay when he heard this, but in another minute he exclaimed angrily:

"You must wed me, Princess Gloria, whether you want to or not! I paid to have your heart frozen; I also paid the King to permit our marriage.If you now refuse me it will mean that I have been robbed -- robbed -- robbed of my precious money and jewels!"He almost wept with despair, but she laughed a cold, bitter laugh and passed on.Googly-Goo caught at her arm, as if to restrain her, but she whirled and dealt him a blow that sent him reeling into a ditch beside the path.

Here he lay for a long time, half covered by muddy water, dazed with surprise.

Finally the old courtier arose, dripping, and climbed from the ditch.The Princess had gone; so, muttering threats of vengeance upon her, upon the King and upon Blinkie, old Googly-Goo hobbled back to his mansion to have the mud removed from his costly velvet clothes.