And her very weariness was good to her,for her eyes closed and she fell fast asleep.
She did not know how long she slept.But she had been tired enough to sleep deeply and profoundly--too deeply and soundly to be disturbed by anything,even by the squeaks and scamperings of Melchisedec's entire family,if all his sons and daughters had chosen to come out of their hole to fight and tumble and play.
When she awakened it was rather suddenly,and she did not know that any particular thing had called her out of her sleep.
The truth was,however,that it was a sound which had called her back--a real sound--the click of the skylight as it fell in closing after a lithe white figure which slipped through it and crouched down close by upon the slates of the roof--just near enough to see what happened in the attic,but not near enough to be seen.
At first she did not open her eyes.She felt too sleepy and--curiously enough--too warm and comfortable.She was so warm and comfortable,indeed,that she did not believe she was really awake.
She never was as warm and cozy as this except in some lovely vision.
"What a nice dream!"she murmured."I feel quite warm.
I--don't--want--to--wake--up."
Of course it was a dream.She felt as if warm,delightful bedclothes were heaped upon her.She could actually FEEL blankets,and when she put out her hand it touched something exactly like a satin-covered eider-down quilt.She must not awaken from this delight--she must be quite still and make it last.
But she could not--even though she kept her eyes closed tightly,she could not.Something was forcing her to awaken--something in the room.It was a sense of light,and a sound--the sound of a crackling,roaring little fire.
"Oh,I am awakening,"she said mournfully."I can't help it--I can't."
Her eyes opened in spite of herself.And then she actually smiled--for what she saw she had never seen in the attic before,and knew she never should see.
"Oh,I HAVEN'T awakened,"she whispered,daring to rise on her elbow and look all about her."I am dreaming yet."She knew it MUST be a dream,for if she were awake such things could not--could not be.
Do you wonder that she felt sure she had not come back to earth?
This is what she saw.In the grate there was a glowing,blazing fire;
on the hob was a little brass kettle hissing and boiling;
spread upon the floor was a thick,warm crimson rug;before the fire a folding-chair,unfolded,and with cushions on it;by the chair a small folding-table,unfolded,covered with a white cloth,and upon it spread small covered dishes,a cup,a saucer,a teapot;on the bed were new warm coverings and a satin-covered down quilt;
at the foot a curious wadded silk robe,a pair of quilted slippers,and some books.The room of her dream seemed changed into fairyland--and it was flooded with warm light,for a bright lamp stood on the table covered with a rosy shade.
She sat up,resting on her elbow,and her breathing came short and fast.
"It does not--melt away,"she panted."Oh,I never had such a dream before."She scarcely dared to stir;but at last she pushed the bedclothes aside,and put her feet on the floor with a rapturous smile.
"I am dreaming--I am getting out of bed,"she heard her own voice say;and then,as she stood up in the midst of it all,turning slowly from side to side--"I am dreaming it stays--real!
I'm dreaming it FEELS real.It's bewitched--or I'm bewitched.
I only THINK I see it all."Her words began to hurry themselves.
"If I can only keep on thinking it,"she cried,"I don't care!
I don't care!"
She stood panting a moment longer,and then cried out again.
"Oh,it isn't true!"she said."It CAN'T be true!But oh,how true it seems!"
The blazing fire drew her to it,and she knelt down and held out her hands close to it--so close that the heat made her start back.
"A fire I only dreamed wouldn't be HOT>,she cried.
She sprang up,touched the table,the dishes,the rug;she went to the bed and touched the blankets.She took up the soft wadded dressing-gown,and suddenly clutched it to her breast and held it to her cheek.
"It's warm.It's soft!"she almost sobbed."It's real.
It must be!"
She threw it over her shoulders,and put her feet into the slippers.
"They are real,too.It's all real!"she cried."I am NOT
I am NOT dreaming!"
She almost staggered to the books and opened the one which lay upon the top.Something was written on the flyleaf--just a few words,and they were these:
"To the little girl in the attic.From a friend."
When she saw that--wasn't it a strange thing for her to do--she put her face down upon the page and burst into tears.
"I don't know who it is,"she said;"but somebody cares for me a little.I have a friend."
She took her candle and stole out of her own room and into Becky's,and stood by her bedside.
"Becky,Becky!"she whispered as loudly as she dared."Wake up!"
When Becky wakened,and she sat upright staring aghast,her face still smudged with traces of tears,beside her stood a little figure in a luxurious wadded robe of crimson silk.The face she saw was a shining,wonderful thing.The Princess Sara--as she remembered her--stood at her very bedside,holding a candle in her hand.
"Come,"she said."Oh,Becky,come!"
Becky was too frightened to speak.She simply got up and followed her,with her mouth and eyes open,and without a word.
And when they crossed the threshold,Sara shut the door gently and drew her into the warm,glowing midst of things which made her brain reel and her hungry senses faint."It's true!It's true!"
she cried."I've touched them all.They are as real as we are.
The Magic has come and done it,Becky,while we were asleep--the Magic that won't let those worst things EVER quite happen."
