Adapted from: by Henry Beston
TTo be continued… call died away in a great pattering of hoofs and tinkling of little bells, and suddenly, arriving in a great swirl of yellow dust, came a magnificent coach drawn by twelve white horses. A lady, very richly dressed and wearing many sparkling diamonds, sat within the coach. To Peter’s astonishment, the lady was his Aunt Jane.
The coach stopped with a great jingling of the twelve harnesses, and Aunt Jane leaned out of the window, and said to Peter, “What are you doing here, child?”
“I was on my way to your cottage with a basket of fine fresh eggs,” answered Peter.
“Well, it’s fortunate I found you,” said Aunt Jane, “for I have given up living in the cottage, and have now got a castle of my own. Jump in, Peter, and don’t forget your basket.”
So Peter climbed into the coach, closed the door behind him, and was driven away. The coach went over hill and down dale; it went through strange forests from whose branches green parrots whooped and shrieked; it rolled through valleys in strange shining mountains. Peter stole a look at Aunt Jane and saw that she was wearing a crown.
“Are you a queen, Aunt Jane?” he asked.
“Indeed, I am,” replied his aunt. “You see, Peter, two days ago, while I was looking for my white cow who had strayed away, I came upon the magnificent castle to which we are now going. It has four beautiful towers, and a door set with diamonds.
“‘Whose castle is this?’ I said to the lodge-keeper. “‘It’s nobody’s, ma’am,’ said he. “‘What,’ said I; ‘do you mean to say that nobody owns this fine castle?’
“‘That’s just what I mean to say, ma’am,’ answered he; ‘the castle belongs to anyone who wants it.’
“So into the castle I walked, and I didn’t go out, you may be sure, till I had been into every room that I could find. Then I put on these clothes and these diamonds, which I found in a cupboard, and went down and told the servants I intended to be queen. You see, Peter dear, there’s nothing that a woman of determination and energy can’t accomplish.” he coach rolled on, and soon Peter caught sight of Aunt Jane’s castle. It was rather large and had an enormous round tower at each corner. Peter and Aunt Jane, accompanied by a train of servants dressed in blue-and-buff livery, walked into the castle through the diamond-studded door. “Do you think you could eat a little more of something?” said Aunt Jane, taking off her white-kid gloves; “because if you can I’ll have a place set for you at the luncheon table.”
And Peter, who like all boys, could eat a little more anywhere and at any time, readily answered, “Yes.”
So Peter and Aunt Jane sat down to a wonderful table covered with a snow-white cloth. “Draw your chair nearer, Peter dear,” said Aunt Jane. “I can’t” said Peter, “it’s stuck to the floor.”