But of course it would have been a little too absurd if Ethelinda had taken advice from a flat-headed twopenny doll and a flabby jester from the Lowther Arcade. 'My good creatures,' she said to them, 'you mean well, no doubt, but pray leave this gentleman and me to settle our own affairs. Can you really get Master Archie to take some notice of me, sir?' she said to the figure on the clock.
'And will it be exciting,' she asked, 'and romantic, and--and just the least bit _wicked_, too?'
'You shall be the very wickedest heroine in any nursery in the world,' he replied. 'Oh, dear me, how you _will_ enjoy yourself!'
'Then I accept,' said Ethelinda; 'I put myself quite in your hands--I leave everything to you.'
'That's right!' cried the Sausage-Glutton, 'that's a brave little beauty. It's a bargain, then? To-morrow afternoon the fun will begin, and then--my springs and wheels--what a time you will have of it! He, he! You look out for Archibald!'
And then he trembled all over as the clock struck twelve, and went on eating his sausages without another word, while Ethelinda gave herself up to delightful anticipations of the wonderful adventures that were actually about to happen to her at last.
But the jester felt very uneasy about it all; he felt so sure that the old Sausage-Glutton's amiability had some trickery underneath it.
'You are a fairy, aren't you?' he said to the Dutch doll in a whisper; 'can't you do anything to help her?'
'No,' she said sulkily; 'and if I could, I wouldn't. She has chosen to put herself in his power, and whatever comes of it will serve her right. I don't know what he means to do, and I can't stop him. Still, if I can't help her, I can help you; and you may want it, because he is sure to be angry with you for trying to warn her.'
'But I never gave him leave to meddle with _me_,' said the jester.
'Have you got sawdust or bran inside you, or what?' asked the fairy.
'Neither,' he said; 'only the bellows I squeak with, and wire. But why?'
'I was afraid so. It's only the dolls with sawdust or bran inside them that he can't do whatever he likes with without their consent. He can do anything he chooses with you; but he shan't hurt you this time, if you only take care--for I'll grant you the very next thing you wish. Only _do_ be careful now about wishing; don't be in a hurry and waste the wish. Wait till things are at their very worst.'