ifically. "That title
soundeth strange in the anointed ears of a crowned King. Straightway
speak out your message, Knight and Herald!"

Reining up his charger in a most elegant manner close under the King's
balcony, Hedzoff turned to the Herald, and bade him begin.

Elephant and Castle, dropping his trumpet over his shoulder, took a
large sheet of paper out of his hat, and began to read:--

"O Yes! O Yes! O Yes! Know all men by these presents, that we, Giglio,
King of Paflagonia, Grand Duke of Cappadocia, Sovereign Prince of Turkey
and the Sausage Islands, having assumed our rightful throne and title,
long time falsely borne by our usurping Uncle, styling himself King of
Paflagonia--"

"Ha!" growled Padella.

"Hereby summon the false traitor, Padella, calling himself King of Crim
Tartary--"

The King's curses were dreadful. "Go on, Elephant and Castle!" said the
intrepid Hedzoff.

"--To release from cowardly imprisonment his liege lady and rightful
Sovereign, ROSALBA, Queen of Crim Tartary, and restore her to her royal
throne: in default of which, I, Giglio, proclaim the said Padella sneak,
traitor, humbug, usurper, and coward. I challenge him to meet me, with
fists or with pistols, with battle-axe or sword, with blunderbuss or
single-stick, alone or at the head of his army, on foot or on horseback;
and will prove my words upon his wicked ugly body!"

"God save the King!" said Captain Hedzoff, executing a demivolte, two
semilunes, and three caracols.

"Is that all?" said Padella, with the terrific calm of concentrated
fury.

"That, sir, is all my royal master's message. Here is his Majesty's
letter in autograph, and here is his glove, and if any gentleman of
Crim Tartary chooses to find fault with his Majesty's expressions, I,
Kustasoff Hedzoff, Captain of the Guard, am very much at his service,"
and he waved his lance, and looked at the assembly all round.

"And what says my good brother of Paflagonia, my dear son's
father-in-law, to this rubbish?" asked the King.

"The King's uncle hath been deprived of the crown he unjustly wore,"
said Hedzoff gravely. "He and his ex-minister, Glumboso, are now in
prison waiting the sentence of my royal master. After the battle of
Bombardaro--"

"Of what?" asked the surprised Padella.

"--Of Bombardaro, where my liege, his present Majesty, would have
performed prodigies of valor, but that the whole of his uncle's army
came over to our side, with the exception of Pr