human
What do you want here? demanded the Wizard harshly.
gpt
How dare you come here and try to thwart me?
human
I have come to pray you to turn from your evil ways. Let these poor children go, begged the Bird-Fairy in tones sweet and pleading.
gpt
They have realised how much their happy home means to them and the safety there is in being taken care of. Let them go back to it.
human
Tush! Nonsense! What's all that to me? Begone while I let you! I'm in no mood to be trifled with.
gpt
Show kindness and mercy for once,
human
What? Go! You remain to mock me? Remember my little Zoological Collection. Which of us triumphed throughout?
gpt
Don't boast of that.
human
But there is much to boast about. And my experiments have not stood still since that remote period. Science has progressed!
gpt
You will not be merciful?
human
Then know, she continued solemnly,
gpt
Is it to be another tussle between us?
human
It is. And I pray it may be for the last time. I have failed before. But this time I am going to succeed. With the girl my difficulty was not so great, but the boy has been hard to convince that other creatures have troubles greater than his. Others have returned to you through your craft, but this little couple you were forced to go and meet. You sought to entrap the boy as a Crab--it was I who restored the gem and saved him, as you may have guessed. And with that success the Bird-Fairy's hour now has come! You have failed to snare them as Bird, Beast, or Fish--your science can change mortals to nothing else. And now you shall fail to turn them to slaves.
gpt
You certainly got hold of that gem, my dear--and you evidently consider yourself in consequence an apt pupil of that old Fairy who befriended you--worse luck to her! had she but passed a moment later there would have been no time to frustrate me. My science would have been powerful enough to change you into a mere Bird. My Collection would have been the more valuable, and she could not have made you into a Fairy besides; nor would you have known enchanting arts with power to torment me; nor would you have had any hope of future freedom.
human
Were it not for your own salvation perhaps you wouldn't be so ready to help the children, and to dare attempt to triumph over me. But we shall see what progress we have both made!
gpt
We shall see! she repeated.
human
Touch these dear children if you can. You find it difficult? You do not understand it, eh?
gpt
I soon shall understand it, he cried angrily, taking up a bottle containing a green fluid, a few drops of which he poured into his palms, then smiled.
human
This will wake them quickly enough, and probably never let them sleep again.
gpt
You've got them well under your wing. So it must be with you I have to deal first. Ah, ha! I'll show you how Science can outdo your paltry old-fashioned arts!