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 that she needed amusement and fresh air , and that , as his presence seemed to distress her , she should be left her own mistress . But one thing he declined to do , and that was to send her back to Bagota . In the meantime both sides had been busily collecting armies , and Kristopo had given the command of his to a famous general , while Selnozoura had placed Cornichon at the head of her forces . But before war was actually declared , Toupette 's parents , who had been summoned by the genius , arrived at Ratibouf . They had never seen their daughter since they parted from her as a baby , but from time to time travellers to Bagota had brought back accounts of her beauty . What was their amazement , therefore , at finding , instead of a lovely girl , a middle-aged woman , handsome indeed , but quite faded -- looking , in fact , older than themselves . Kristopo , hardly less astonished than they were at the sudden change , thought that it was a joke on the part of one of his courtiers , who had hidden Toupette away , and put this elderly lady in her place . Bursting with rage , he sent instantly for all the servants and guards of the town , and inquired who had the insolence to play him such a trick , and what had become of their prisoner . They replied that since Toupette had been in their charge she had never left her rooms unveiled , and that during her walks in the surrounding gardens , her food had been brought in and placed on her table ; as she preferred to eat alone no one had ever seen her face , or knew what she was like . The servants were clearly speaking the truth , and Kristopo was obliged to believe them . ` But , ' thought he , ` if they have not had a hand in this , it must be the work of the fairy , ' and in his anger he ordered the army to be ready to march . On her side , Selnozoura of course knew what the genius had to expect , but was deeply offended when she heard of the base trick which she was believed to have invented . Her first desire was to give battle to Kristopo at once , but with great difficulty her ministers induced her to pause , and to send an ambassador to Kristopo to try to arrange matters . So the Prince Zeprady departed for the court of Ratibouf , and on his way he met Cornichon , who was encamped with his army just outside the gates of Bagota . The Prince showed him the fairy 's written order that for the present peace must still be kept , and Cornichon , filled with longing to see Toupette once more , begged to be allowed to accompany Zeprady on his mission to Ratibouf . By this time the genius 's passion for Toupette , which had caused all these troubles , had died out , and he willingly accepted the terms of peace offered by Zeprady , though he informed the prince that he still believed the fairy to be guilty of the dreadful change in the girl . To this the prince only replied that on that point he had a witness who could prove , better than anyone else , if it was Toupette or not , and desired that Cornichon should be sent for . When Toupette was told that she was to see her old lover again , her heart leapt with joy ; but soon the recollection came to her of all that had happened , and she remembered that Cornichon would be changed as well as she .
The moment of their meeting was not all happiness , especially on the part of Toupette , who could not forget her lost beauty , and the genius , who was present , was at last convinced that he had not been deceived , and went out XXXXX sign the treaty of peace , followed by his attendants .
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