 Chapter 18 of Fantasy Fairies and Ghosts. Volume 2 by Various. This Librivox recording is in the public domain. Balthazar entered carapies at daybreak and ran to his friend Fabian's house. He knocked at the door. A feeble and plaintive voice answered. Come in! Poor Fabian was in bed, pale and weak. Death was in all his features. For heaven's sake, exclaimed Balthazar, what has happened to thee? Alas! murmured Fabian with stifled sobs. I am a lost man. Alpinus is a vile magician to whom I owe my total ruin. Ho-ho! said Balthazar, smiling in spite of himself. We have then changed our manner of thinking. When was the time that you did not believe in this nonsense? I believe in everything now, replied Fabian. Gnomes, hobgoblins, the king of the rats, vegetable men. I think them all real, and I am rudely punished for my doubt. Thou rememberest the laugh to which the tale of my coat exposed me, on returning the other day from the house of Alpinus. Well, look! Balthazar saw the walls of his room draped in an infinity of coats of every form and colour. Figure to thyself, continued Fabian, that I have had this multitude of vestments with the hope of seeing the mystification of which this accursed doctor has made me the victim. Cease! Well, I can put on no kind of coat without seeing the sleeves grow shorter whilst the tails lengthen to at least six Ls. The whole art of the best talus is impotent against the sorcery that oppresses me. I am laughed at wherever I show myself, and, to crown my disgrace, the theologians wish to try me as a heretic, or one possessed, thus pointed out by divine justice, they say, to their zealous vengeance. If the inquisition still existed, I should be roasted like a witch. Oh, God! Oh, God! What will become of me? The rector of the university has given me notice that if I did not present myself before him with a suitable and decent coat in eight days, I should be driven from the class. Today is the eighth day. Oh, unfortunate that I am. Oh, a cursed, prosper Alpinus. Do not blaspheme against the worthiest and best of men, interrupted Balthazar. If he has punished you a little for your ogre the other day, he has too good a heart to allow any serious evil to afflict thee. Dr. Prosper Alpinus is actually my beloved uncle, to whom I am this day indebted for the possession of a delicious country house. And here, comrade, here is an infallible remedy against all the embarrassments of position that are to be met with in the course of a lifetime. And Balthazar presented the shellbox to the disconsolate Fabian. Well, what shall I do with this bauble? asked Fabian. What connection can exist between this shellbox and the sleeves or the tails of a coat? Take it, replied Balthazar. Open the box and we shall know what it contains. Fabian opened the box and took out of it a black coat which grew and was developed to the exact size and proportions to fit the student. The joy of the two friends was as great as their surprise. The name of Prosper Alpinus was loaded with blessings. Fabian immediately ran to the house of the rector of the university and on his return Balthazar told him the plan that had been drawn out by Alpinus to overthrow Sinarbre and displace him from his usurped station and to reconquer the beautiful, the adorable Candida. Thus conversing, Balthazar who was looking into the street saw the referendary Poulcher passing. He called to him and beckoned him to come in, but hardly had Poulcher heard in his turn the narrative with which Balthazar had regaled Fabian when he pitchlessly exclaimed, all that is very fine, but it is too late for this very day the marriage of Sinarbre with Moshterpin's daughter is to take place. There will be a magnificent ball at the house of our professor at which the prince himself will deign to appear. Very well exclaimed Balthazar, it is then today and immediately in Moshterpin's house that we will clap our hands upon Sinarbre. There will be no lack of chandeliers full of wax candles with which to burn the flame-colored tress, which is the power of this odious little creature. Several hours from that time in the middle of the splendidly lighted saloon of Professor Moshterpin sparkled the little Sinarbre by the light of a hundred wax candles. The minister wore a red coat, embroidered with gold at every scene. He had his sword by his side, a plumed hat under his arm and bore himself with an arrogance that everybody admired, out of respect for the insignia of the green-spotted tiger, whose ample decorations muffled him up in the most grotesque manners. Near him, Candida, more beautiful than ever, was dressed in her bride costume. Sinarbre from time to time pressed her hand and hideously grinned, to which she answered by an angelic smile. It was a horrible sight to see, and the enchantment must have been very complete, when no one perceived the infamous fascination exercised by Sinarbre over the numerous company that crowded the saloon. All eyes were fixed upon the accursed dwarf and Candida. No one appeared to pay attention to the presence of Prince Basinou, who had just entered. At the moment when the exchange was to be accomplished between these betrothed lovers of marriage rings, presented by Moshterpin on the silver salver, a quick movement agitated the numerous guests. The door of the room was burst open with a crash. Balthasar, accompanied by Pulcher and Fabian, advanced with a firm step, clenched hands in a high and menacing look. A violent disturbance welcomed them, an outcry was raised from all parts of the room, and Prince Basinou, thinking that it was a political riot, opened his mouth to give an order for the arrest of the three young men. When, quicker than lightning, Balthasar directed the crystal lens upon Sinarbre. The dwarf uttered a cry under the influence of the magical gem, as if he had received an electrical shock. Candida fainted with fright and emotion at the sight of Balthasar. The spectators, struck with stupor, remained with fixed eyes and open mouths. Balthasar, without being disturbed, saw the tress of three flame-coloured hairs sprang upon Sinarbre, threw him down, and in spite of his scratches and struggles, assisted by Pulcher and Fabian, plucked out the talisman of the fairy, rose a belverde, and threw it into the fire. At that instant an explosion was heard. The house was shaken to its foundation, and the spectators of this scene awoke, as if from a long nightmare. Meanwhile, the minister Sinarbre bursting with anger, cries, swears and storms with all the force of his little lungs. He wills, he orders the arrest of the disturbers of the feast, who so insolently retard the celebration of his marriage. But now the enchantment has ceased. They look at him, and they ask what the meaning is of this ignoble dwarf disguised as a minister. He is surrounded. He is thrown from hand to hand like a tennis ball. He loses, whilst thus tossed his hat, his sword, and his dancing shoes. He even has irreverently plucked from him the insignia of the green-spotted tiger, with its twenty diamond buttons. Prince Basanov howled Sinarbre, come to the assistance of your favourite minister. The prince was confused, and tried to reach the door and take to flight. Mosh Terpin stood in his way. His highness seized the poor professor by the throat. Miserable man, said he to him, how dare you make your prince a witness of such a disgusting parade. What? You invite me to be present at the marriage of your daughter with my minister Sinarbre, and in the place of my minister, I find here a most disgusting dwarf. You deserve to be tried for high treason, or rather I ought to have you confined for the remainder of your days in a mad house. I remove you from your office of Director General of Phenomena in my Principality, and I forbid your presence hereafter at my table. To the devil with you. Thereupon Basanov left the room in great anger. Mosh Terpin, furious at the loss of his sinecure, seized upon Sinarbre and was about to throw him out of the window. But the director of the museum threw himself before him crying out, Sir, Master Professor, what are you doing? Do not destroy so precious a national property. You hold in your hands the mycetes bieselbub, simia bieselbub linai, who has escaped from the menagerie of living monkeys. A rude burst of laughter welcomed this claim of the director. But hardly had Mosh Terpin given up Sinarbre when he exclaimed, shaking him from him to the ground like mischievous vermin. Fi, fi, that is not the simia bieselbub, it is a dirty, ignoble mandrake. The burst of laughter recommenced with the ill treatment. Poor little Zach had great difficulty in reaching the door and staircase. None of the servants recognized him. Whilst this burlesque drama was taking place in the parlour, Balthasar had hastened to the neighbouring room, where Candida had been carried in a fainting condition. He threw himself on his knees beside her, covering her hands with tears and kisses, and calling her by the tenderest names. Finally she opened her eyes, recognized her former lover, and gave him caress for caress. When she had recovered from the too powerful emotion she had felt, she related to Balthasar, how one day it had seemed to her suddenly that she had fallen into the power of an evil demon, who had taken possession of her heart and subjected it to a frightful error by taking to seduce her the features even of Balthasar. That is what had happened to her. The talisman of the fairy Rosa Belverde had made the little Cenabre appear to her eyes, clothed in the resemblance of Balthasar. As they were exchanging the most ardent vows, Mosh Turpin entered the room giving signs of the most violent despair. No, he exclaimed, no exclaimed he, I shall not survive it. What? To see myself deprived of so high an important an office? I, driven from the wine cellars of the Prince, deprived of all hope of ever obtaining entrance into the order of the green-spotted tiger, with three or five gold buttons. Alas, alas, all is then ended, lost, destroyed. And what will the illustrious minister Cenabre say when he knows that I have taken him for the ugliest monkey that has ever been seen in the fairs throughout Germany? But my dear sir, remember, repeated the guests. Remember that the minister Cenabre no longer exists. We have been bewitched for some time by the malicious Rosa Belverde. Mosh Turpin rubbed his eyes, sneezed, coughed, and looked with his big eyes over the heads of those about him. Then a feverish glow coloured the centre of his cheeks whilst listening to the marvels that the student Balthasar related, concerning Dr. Alpinus. Yes, certainly, exclaimed he, I feel it beyond a doubt. I was the dupe of an infamous deviltry. But thanks to thee, Prosper Alpinus, come to me, descend from the ethereal regions on thine azure firefly, and bring me a butterfly, saddled and bridled. I will follow thee fearlessly through the air. I will go and have my hair curled by the pretty fairy, Rosa Belverde, and I will then become minister, king, emperor, Huzzah! And the poor man began to dance about in such a frenzy that it was thought they should see him grow mad. After several minutes passed in these extravagancies, he fell exhausted upon a seat. Then Balthasar and Candida took each other by the hand and approached him to speak of their love and ask his blessing whilst kneeling. They both spoke with such elegance that Moshterpin could not restrain his tears. Yes, my children, said he to them, love each other, marry each other, have many children, and die of hunger altogether, for I will not give you a grotion. As for dying of hunger, answered Balthasar smilingly, we can do without that. My gracious uncle Prosper Alpinus has had the goodness to provide for our kitchen. So be it, replied Moshterpin stammeringly, I consent to look at the resources of thy larder tomorrow. But if thou dost not wish to see my head burst, let me go to bed immediately. And he felt his way to bed. End of chapter 18