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So she answered, with tears in her eyes: 'Oh, Queen of the Air Spirits, I am so sorry for my little brother that I do not any longer care to have everything my own way, or to put on airs, or to do anything except find the Diamond Waterdrop, so that Hector may be saved. Can you tell me where it is? But the Queen shook her beautiful head and frowned. 'I have no Diamond Waterdrop, said she.
'No, your Majesty, replied Hilda faintly, 'I have no time to sit down or to stay. I have come to ask you for the Diamond Waterdrop. 'For the Diamond Waterdrop indeed! exclaimed the Queen, laughing. 'And pray what made you suppose that you would find the Diamond Waterdrop here? However, sit down here beside me, and let us talk about it. Such a question as you ask cannot be answered in a moment.
I felt that this was insanity I sprang forward to throw it off; I rushed into the midst of the crowd. Idris saw me: with light step she advanced; as I folded her in my arms, feeling, as I did, that I thus enclosed what was to me a world, yet frail as the waterdrop which the noon-day sun will drink from the water lily's cup; tears filled my eyes, unwont to be thus moistened.
Through the mist the dawn broke pearly gray at first and then iridescent; and, when the first sunrays penetrated the white haze and gilded every leaf-edge, turning the tree-tops to gold and making every waterdrop a diamond, no lovelier morning could be imagined. The trees about and above us were mostly beeches, with many chestnuts and a few plane-trees and poplars.
So Hilda made haste to open the hollow pearl and to put the Golden Ivy-seed in the hole; and the cat spread the earth over it, and then said: 'Now take the crystal phial, Hilda, and pour half the Diamond Waterdrop upon the place where the seed is planted, and the other half upon the enchanted fire; and make haste, for Harold is burning for Hector's sake!
'Ask yourself where it is. Then poor Hilda felt as if her heart would break, and she sobbed out: 'Oh, what shall I do to save my poor little brother? There was no answer, and Hilda turned away. But, as she did so, the Queen suddenly said: 'I see the Diamond Waterdrop now, Hilda! 'Oh, where? cried Hilda, turning again eagerly. The Queen was smiling upon her now with a very kind expression.
On hearing this the young prince and princess were greatly surprised, and looked about for the horses on which they were to ride. But behold! the Golden Ivy-seed, watered with the Diamond Waterdrop, was already growing and sprouting with marvellous vigour and rapidity.
So Hilda made haste and did what the cat had told her to do. When the half of the Diamond Waterdrop fell upon the fire in which Harold had all this while been burning the fire was immediately put out. And there lay Harold, alive and well, amidst the embers; but the black spot upon his nose was all burned away, and his hair and eyes, which had until then been brown, were now quite black.
'The Golden Ivy-seed must be sought in the centre of the earth, where the King of the Gnomes reigns, replied the cat; 'and the Diamond Waterdrop is to be asked for in the kingdom of the Air Spirits, above the clouds. 'But how are we to get up to the Air Spirits and down to the Gnomes? asked the children disconsolately. 'We will see about that, replied the cat.
That tear upon your cheek, Hilda, which you shed for love of him, is the Diamond Waterdrop that you have sought. Keep it in this crystal phial; be prudent, patient, and resolute, and sooner or later Hector will be free. As the Queen spoke she held out a small crystal phial, and the tear from Hilda's cheek fell into it.
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