ear Prince?' says Gruff.

'Because I hate him,' says Gil.

'You are jealous of him, and still love poor Angelica,' cries
Gruffanuff, putting her handkerchief to her eyes.

'I did, but I love her no more!' Giglio cried. 'I despise her! Were she
heiress to twenty thousand thrones, I would despise her and scorn her.
But why speak of thrones? I have lost mine. I am too weak to recover
it--I am alone, and have no friend.'

'Oh, say not so, dear Prince!' says Gruffanuff.

'Besides,' says he, 'I am so happy here BEHIND THE THRONE that I would
not change my place, no, not for the throne of the world!'

'What are you two people chattering about there?' says the Queen, who
was rather good-natured, though not overburthened with wisdom. 'It is
time to dress for dinner. Giglio, show Prince Bulbo to his room. Prince,
if your clothes have not come, we shall be very happy to see you as you
are.' But when Prince Bulbo got to his bedroom, his luggage was there
and unpacked; and the hairdresser coming in, cut and curled him entirely
to his own satisfaction; and when the dinner-bell rang, the Royal
company had not to wait above five-and-twenty minutes until Bulbo
appeared, during which time the King, who could not bear to wait, grew
as sulky as possible. As for Giglio, he never left Madam Gruffanuff all
this time, but stood with her in the embrasure of a window, paying her
compliments. At length the Groom of the Chambers announced His Royal
Highness the Prince of Crim Tartary! and the noble company went into the
royal dining-room. It was quite a small party; only the King and Queen,
the Princess, whom Bulbo took out, the two Princes, Countess Gruffanuff,
Glumboso the Prime Minister, and Prince Bulbo's chamberlain. You may be
sure they had a very good dinner--let every boy or girl think of what he
or she likes best, and fancy it on the table.*

*Here a very pretty game may be played by all the children
saying what they like best for dinner.

The Princess talked incessantly all dinner-time to the Prince of Crimea,
who ate an immense deal too much, and never took his eyes off his plate,
except when Giglio, who was carving a goose, sent a quantity of stuffing
and onion sauce into one of them. Giglio only burst out a-laughing
as the Crimean Prince wiped his shirt-front and face with his scented
pocket-handkerchief. He did not make Prince Bulbo any apology. When the
Prince looked at him, Giglio would not look that way. When P