props.
âJust give us a minute while we put on our costumes,â he called, as he climbed on to the stage.
Gilda climbed up after him. As she picked her way between their props, she pulled on her green silk costume and matching cap, tucking her hair up into it. The doctor started getting dressed up too, pulling on white gloves, a black cloak and a black, four-cornered hat until, finally, he stood centre-stage, utterly transformed.
It was as if a piece of magic had already taken place. Gilda was transformed as well. She didnât look like a young girl any more, but a woman of dark mystery. And Dr Katterfelto didnât look shabby. There wasnât even a hint of dandruff on his shoulders and he definitely didnât look like the sort of man whoâd wearWinnie the Pooh slippers. Instead he stood tall â a Doctor of Conjuring, and the undisputed master of Clockvine House conservatory, not to say anything of village halls and palaces!
I found myself clapping. He hadnât done a trick yet, and I was already impressed. Gilda smiled and bowed, turning towards her father who cried out in a whole, new, ringing voice: âWonders! Wonders! Wonders! I will show you wonders! Greater wonders, my friend Zed, than you will ever see in your whole life!â
And I believed him. How could I not? The show hadnât even begun, and already I was on the edge of my seat! Dr Katterfelto threw back his cloak and, in his hands, he held a long golden hunting horn. He raised it to his lips and blew, and immediately the tall palms on either side of me started rustling like trees in a forest when a stormâs on the way.
âLet the wonders commence!â Dr Katterfelto cried, and suddenly the air was alive with circles of light. They looked like silver moons between the palms. I watched them rise up the conservatory, casting shadows outside in the snowy garden. One by one, they reached the top of the glass and started fluttering down again like white-frocked ballerinas doing pirouettes.
I stared at them in astonishment. I didnât know where theyâd come from, nor what had brought them into being. All I knew was that they were beautiful. As I watched, they formed themselves into an arc over the stage. Then patterns appeared on each of them, moving and shuffling across their surfaces like the shapes in a kaleidoscope. One circle filled with dancing snowflakes. Another filled with dark, wingedbirds. Another filled with floating clouds. Another filled with flowers opening out into exotic shapes.
Then Dr Katterfelto clapped his hands, and the circles disappeared like lights going out. But the moving shapes remained. Not only that, but they came to life! Suddenly clouds were drifting between the palms, and flowers bursting out all around the conservatory. Snow was falling on my face, and birds were flying everywhere. I felt their wings stir the air above my head. For a moment, they were
that
real. And then they disappeared as well, and the conservatory was plunged into darkness.
I clapped until my hands stung. âYou think
that
was a wonder?â Dr Katterfelto cried out, taking centre stage again. âWell, what do you think of
this
?â
He threw back his black conjurorâs cloak. Gilda came and stood in front of him, pressed her cheek against his chest and stood perfectly still while he wrapped his cloak around her until all that could be seen were her head and feet. Then Dr Katterfelto cried out, âWonders! Wonders! Wonders!â and, at the first âWonderâ, Gildaâs feet disappeared, at the second, her head disappeared, and at the third, the rest of her went too.
Dr Katterfelto threw back his cloak and Gilda had gone. All that remained â tucked into the crook of his arm â was a small, black cat with emerald eyes. Dr Katterfelto lifted it up, and I clapped and clapped. I didnât really believe that the doctor had turned Gilda into a cat, but, before I could work
âJust give us a minute while we put on our costumes,â he called, as he climbed on to the stage.
Gilda climbed up after him. As she picked her way between their props, she pulled on her green silk costume and matching cap, tucking her hair up into it. The doctor started getting dressed up too, pulling on white gloves, a black cloak and a black, four-cornered hat until, finally, he stood centre-stage, utterly transformed.
It was as if a piece of magic had already taken place. Gilda was transformed as well. She didnât look like a young girl any more, but a woman of dark mystery. And Dr Katterfelto didnât look shabby. There wasnât even a hint of dandruff on his shoulders and he definitely didnât look like the sort of man whoâd wearWinnie the Pooh slippers. Instead he stood tall â a Doctor of Conjuring, and the undisputed master of Clockvine House conservatory, not to say anything of village halls and palaces!
I found myself clapping. He hadnât done a trick yet, and I was already impressed. Gilda smiled and bowed, turning towards her father who cried out in a whole, new, ringing voice: âWonders! Wonders! Wonders! I will show you wonders! Greater wonders, my friend Zed, than you will ever see in your whole life!â
And I believed him. How could I not? The show hadnât even begun, and already I was on the edge of my seat! Dr Katterfelto threw back his cloak and, in his hands, he held a long golden hunting horn. He raised it to his lips and blew, and immediately the tall palms on either side of me started rustling like trees in a forest when a stormâs on the way.
âLet the wonders commence!â Dr Katterfelto cried, and suddenly the air was alive with circles of light. They looked like silver moons between the palms. I watched them rise up the conservatory, casting shadows outside in the snowy garden. One by one, they reached the top of the glass and started fluttering down again like white-frocked ballerinas doing pirouettes.
I stared at them in astonishment. I didnât know where theyâd come from, nor what had brought them into being. All I knew was that they were beautiful. As I watched, they formed themselves into an arc over the stage. Then patterns appeared on each of them, moving and shuffling across their surfaces like the shapes in a kaleidoscope. One circle filled with dancing snowflakes. Another filled with dark, wingedbirds. Another filled with floating clouds. Another filled with flowers opening out into exotic shapes.
Then Dr Katterfelto clapped his hands, and the circles disappeared like lights going out. But the moving shapes remained. Not only that, but they came to life! Suddenly clouds were drifting between the palms, and flowers bursting out all around the conservatory. Snow was falling on my face, and birds were flying everywhere. I felt their wings stir the air above my head. For a moment, they were
that
real. And then they disappeared as well, and the conservatory was plunged into darkness.
I clapped until my hands stung. âYou think
that
was a wonder?â Dr Katterfelto cried out, taking centre stage again. âWell, what do you think of
this
?â
He threw back his black conjurorâs cloak. Gilda came and stood in front of him, pressed her cheek against his chest and stood perfectly still while he wrapped his cloak around her until all that could be seen were her head and feet. Then Dr Katterfelto cried out, âWonders! Wonders! Wonders!â and, at the first âWonderâ, Gildaâs feet disappeared, at the second, her head disappeared, and at the third, the rest of her went too.
Dr Katterfelto threw back his cloak and Gilda had gone. All that remained â tucked into the crook of his arm â was a small, black cat with emerald eyes. Dr Katterfelto lifted it up, and I clapped and clapped. I didnât really believe that the doctor had turned Gilda into a cat, but, before I could work
Similar Books
