"There was not one of her ladies who did not believe the Queen to be delirious, and that her mind was at that moment running on the fruit she had so much wished for, so that instead of answering her, they began to weep, and went and woke all the physicians, that they might come and see the state her majesty was in.
"This delay exasperated the Queen. She ordered them to bring her clothes to her directly. They refused. She flew in a passion, and became scarlet with rage. They attributed it to the effect of fever: but the physicians having arrived, after feeling her pulse and going through the usual ceremonies, could not deny that she was in perfect health. Her women, who perceived the error into which their zeal had betrayed them, endeavoured to atone for it by dressing her as quickly as possible. Each of them asked her majesty's pardon; peace was restored, and the Queen hastened to follow the old Fairy, who was still waiting for her.
"She entered the palace, which required no addition to make it the most beautiful place in the world.
"You will easily believe it, my lord," added Queen White Cat, "when I tell you it was that in which we are at present: two other Fairies, a little younger than the one who conducted my mother, received her at the gate, and welcomed her very graciously. She begged they would lead her directly into the garden, and to those espaliers where she would find the best fruit. 'It is all equally good,' said they to her, 'and if it were not that you desired to have the pleasure of picking it yourself, we have only to call the fruit we wish for, and it would come to us here.' 'I implore you, ladies,' said the Queen, 'to gratify me by so extraordinary a sight.' The eldest Fairy put her finger into her mouth and whistled three times, then cried, 'Apricots, peaches, nectarines, brunions,[1] cherries, plumbs, pears, begaroons, melons, muscatel grapes, apples, oranges, lemons, gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, come at my call!' 'But,' said the Queen, 'all the fruit you have summoned is not to be found at the same season.' 'In our orchard,' they replied, 'we have all the fruits of the earth, always ripe, always excellent, and they never spoil or rot.'
"Meanwhile the fruit came rolling in over the floor pell-mell,
- ↑ A sort of peach.
