490
LEV KASSIL
great love gave the Maker of Mirrors strength and shone in his
crystal.
Time passed, for toil and perfection need time. . . .
*
* *
... Time passed while the beautiful Melchiora languished
in captivity. The cruel Once-Upon-a-Time had thrown her into
a filthy dungeon. Cold slimy toads kept jumping on her, smooth–
tailed rats nipped her beautiful face, and wood lice crawled all
over her arms. Very soon there was not a trace of her former
beauty left. Once-Upon-a-Time brought her a piece of mirror
which had accidently been overlooked in the palace. How bitterly
the poor Melchiora wept when the dull glass reflected a yellow,
ugly, wrinkled face covered with weals, scars, welts, bruises and
sores.
"What have you done to me," cried the poor girl.
At this point Once-Upon-a-Time thought of another crafty
plan.
"Don't fret," he said, "you're as beautiful as ever. It's just
a crooked mirror. We have captured your Master Craftsman
and he has renounced both you and his stupid truth.
As
you see,
he has made a crooked mirror for you. Now you must give in."
But at that moment Melchiora caught sight of Once-Upon–
a-Time's face in the mirror before he had time to move aside.
The face in the mirror was as spiteful and hideous, and just as
horrible, as it was in reality. Melchiora realized that the evil
Windgauge was trying to fool her again, though she also saw
that the mirror was telling her the bitter truth. Yet she was glad
at this, for to lose faith in love seemed much more terrible to her
than to lose her own beauty.
By that time the Master Craftsmen had finished their work
and the Commandos were making ready for their campaign
against Vainglorious. But the drafts sent by the king had already
penetrated through cracks into the Commandos' camp. It was
soon known at the palace where Amalgam, Isobar and John
Greenfingers were hidden, and Vainglorious sent military wind-
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