She had an exquisite voice, but whether her songs were
grave or gay it did not matter, she did not seem to know what they
meant; and everyone who heard her said:
'She certainly sings perfectly; but there is no tenderness, no
heart in her voice.' Poor Sabella! how could there be when her
heart was far away on the Ice Mountains? And it was just the same
with all the other things that she did. As time went on, in spite
of the admiration of the whole Court and the blind fondness of the
King and Queen, it became more and more evident that something was
fatally wrong: for those who love no one cannot long be loved; and
at last the King called a general assembly, and invited the
Fairies to attend, that they might, if possible, find out what was
the matter. After explaining their grief as well as he could, he
ended by begging them to see the Princess for themselves. 'It is
certain,' said he, 'that something is wrong--what it is I don't
know how to tell you, but in some way your work is imperfect.'
They all assured him that, so far as they knew, everything had
been done for the Princess, and they had forgotten nothing that
they could bestow on so good a neighbour as the King had been to
them. After this they went to see Sabella; but they had no sooner
entered her presence than they cried out with one accord:
'Oh! horror!--she has no heart!'
On hearing this frightful announcement, the King and Queen gave a
cry of despair, and entreated the Fairies to find some remedy for
such an unheard-of misfortune.
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