“Yes, certainly they creaked,” resumed the Crow.  “And he went boldly in to the princess herself, who sat on a pearl that was as big as a spinning wheel, and all the maids of honor with their attendants, and all the cavaliers with their followers, and the followers of their followers, who themselves kept a page apiece, were standing round; and the nearer they stood to the door, the prouder they looked.  The followers’ followers’ pages could hardly be looked at, so proudly did they stand in the doorway!”

“That must be terrible!” faltered little Gerda.  “And yet Kay won the princess?”

“If I had not been a crow, I would have married her myself, notwithstanding that I am engaged.  They say he spoke as well as I can when I speak the crows’ language; I heard that from my tame sweetheart.  He was merry and agreeable; he had not come to marry, only to hear the wisdom of the princess; and he approved of her, and she of him.”

“Yes, certainly that was Kay!” said Gerda.  “He was so clever; he could do mental arithmetic up to fractions.  Oh! won’t you lead me to the castle, too?”

“That’s easily said,” replied the Crow.  “But how are we to manage it?  I’ll talk it over with my tame sweetheart:  she can probably advise us; for this I must tell you—­a little girl like yourself will never get leave to go completely in.”

“Yes, I shall get leave,” said Gerda.  “When Kay hears that I’m there he’ll come out directly, and bring me in.”

“Wait for me yonder at the grating,” said the Crow; and it wagged its head and flew away.

It was late in the evening when the Crow came back.

“Rax! rax!” it said.  “I’m to greet you kindly from my sweetheart, and here’s a little loaf for you.  She took it from the kitchen.  There’s plenty of bread there, and you must be hungry.  You can’t possibly get into the palace, for you are barefooted, and the guards in silver and the lackeys in gold would not allow it.  But don’t cry; you shall go up.  My sweetheart knows a little back staircase that leads up to the bedroom, and she knows where she can get the key.”

And they went into the garden, into the great avenue, where one leaf was falling down after another; and when the lights were extinguished in the palace, one after the other, the Crow led Gerda to a back door, which stood ajar.

Oh, how Gerda’s heart beat with fear and longing!  It was just as if she had been going to do something wicked; and yet she only wanted to know whether it was little Kay.  Yes, it must be he.  She thought so deeply of his clear eyes and his long hair; she could fancy she saw how he smiled, as he had smiled at home when they sat among the roses.  He would certainly be glad to see her; to hear what a long distance she had come for his sake; to know how sorry they had all been at home when he did not come back.  Oh, what a fear and what a joy that was!

Now they were on the staircase.  A little lamp was burning upon a cupboard, and in the middle of the floor stood the tame Crow, turning her head on every side and looking at Gerda, who courtesied as her grandmother had taught her to do.