Very shortly you will pass into the weakness and silliness of extreme old age , and all I can do for you is to make it as easy to you as possible , and to preserve you from the death that others have suffered , from having no one to look after them . But the charm is working already ! Cornichon is taller and more manly than he was an hour ago , and Toupette no longer looks like a little girl . ' It was true ; but this fact did not seem to render the young people as miserable as it did Selnozoura . ` Do not pity us , ' said Cornichon . ` If we are fated to grow old so soon , let us no longer delay our marriage . What matter if we anticipate our decay , if we only anticipate our happiness too ? ' The fairy felt that Cornichon had reason on his side , and seeing by a glance at Toupette 's face that there was no opposition to be feared from her , she answered , ` Let it be so , then . But not in this dreadful place . We will return at once to Bagota , and the festivities shall be the most brilliant ever seen . ' They all returned to the vessel , and in a few hours the four thousand five hundred miles that lay between the island and Bagota were passed . Everyone was surprised to see the change which the short absence had made in the young people , but as the fairy had promised absolute silence about the adventure , they were none the wiser , and busied themselves in preparing their dresses for the marriage , which was fixed for the next night . Early on the following morning the genius Kristopo arrived at the Court , on one of the visits he was in the habit of paying his ward from time to time . Like the rest , he was astonished at the sudden improvement in the child . He had always been fond of her , and in a moment he fell violently in love . Hastily demanding an audience of the fairy , he laid his proposals before her , never doubting that she would give her consent to so brilliant a match . But Selnozoura refused to listen , and even hinted that in his own interest Kristopo had better turn his thoughts elsewhere . The genius pretended to agree , but , instead , he went straight to Toupette 's room , and flew away with her through the window , at the very instant that the bridegroom was awaiting her below . When the fairy discovered what had happened , she was furious , and sent messenger after messenger to the genius in his palace at Ratibouf , commanding him to restore Toupette without delay , and threatening to make war in case of refusal . Kristopo gave no direct answer to the fairy 's envoys , but kept Toupette closely guarded in a tower , where the poor girl used all her powers of persuasion to induce him to put off their marriage .
All would , however , have been quite in vain if , in the course of a few days , sorrow , joined to the spell of the magic water , had not altered her appearance so completely that Kristopo was quite alarmed , and declared XXXXX she needed amusement and fresh air , and that , as his presence seemed to distress her , she should be left her own mistress .
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