ear
Gluckstein. I didn't much like the whole affair: he is an alien, you
see; and then there was my niece, Molinda--poor girl, _she_ was certain
to give trouble. Her heart is buried, if I may say so, with poor
Alphonso. But the queen is a very remarkable woman--very remarkable--"

"Very!" said the ambassador, with perfect truth.

"'Caitiff!' she cries to your butler," his majesty went on; "'perjured
knave, thou liest in thy throat! Gluckstein is a hundred leagues from
here, and how say est thou that thou slewest the molester, and earnest
hither in a few hours' space?' This had not occurred to me,--I am a
plain king, but I at once saw the force of her majesty's argument.
Yes,' said I; 'how did you manage it?' But he--your man, I mean--was
not a bit put out. 'Why, your majesty,' says he, 'I just sat down on
that there bit of carpet, wished I was here, and here _I ham_. And I 'd
be glad, having had the trouble,--and my time not being my own,--to see
the colour of them perkisits, according to the proclamation.' On this
her majesty grew more indignant, if possible. 'Nonsense!' she cried; 'a
story out of the 'Arabian Nights' is not suited for a modern public, and
fails to win aesthetic credence.' These were her very words."

"Her majesty's expressions are ever choice and appropriate," said the
ambassador.

"'Sit down there, on the carpet, knave,' she went on; 'ourself and
consort'--meaning _me_--'will take our places by thy side, and I shall
wish us in Gluckstein, at thy master's! When the experiment has failed,
thy head shall from thy shoulders be shorn!' So your man merely said,
'Very well, mum,--your majesty, I mean,' and sat down. The queen took her
place at the edge of the carpet; I sat between her and the butler, and
she said, 'I wish I were in Gluckstein!' Then we rose, flew through the
air at an astonishing pace, and here we are! So I suppose the rest of
the butler's tale is true, which I regret; but a king's word is sacred,
and he shall take the place of that sneak, Prigio. But as we left home
before dinner, and _yours_ is over, may I request your lordship to
believe that I should be delighted to take something cold?"

The ambassador at once ordered a sumptuous collation, to which the king
did full justice; and his majesty was shown to the royal chamber, as he
complained of fatigue. The queen accompanied him, remarking that she
was sound asleep, but would waken presently. Neither of them said
"Good-night" to the