d royal.

"Never better, sire," said the man, bowing with more courtliness than
his profession indicated.

"Very well," said the king; "Prince Prigio, you have your choice.
_There_ is the gallows, _here_ is Lady Molinda. My duty is painful, but
clear. A king's word cannot be broken. Molly, or the gibbet!"

The prince bowed respectfully to Lady Molinda:

"Madam, my cousin," said he, "your clemency will excuse my answer, and
you will not misinterpret the apparent discourtesy of my conduct. I am
compelled, most unwillingly, to slight your charms, and to select the
Extreme Rigour of the Law. Executioner, lead on! Do your duty; for
me, _Prigio est pret_;"--for this was his motto, and meant that he was
ready.

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Poor Lady Molinda could not but be hurt by the prince's preference for
death over marriage to her, little as she liked him.

"Is life, then, so worthless? and is Molinda so terrible a person
that you prefer _those_ arms," and she pointed to the gibbet, "to
_these?_"--here she held out her own, which were very white, round and
pretty; for Molinda was a good-hearted girl, she could not bear to see
Prigio put to death; and then, perhaps, she reflected that there are
worse positions than the queenship of Pantouflia. For Alphonso was
gone--crying would not bring him back.

"Ah, Madam!" said the prince, "you are forgiving--"

"For _you_ are brave!" said Molinda, feeling: quite a respect for him.

"But neither your heart nor mine is ours to give. Since mine was
another's, I understand too well the feeling of _yours!_ Do not let us
buy life at the price of happiness and honour."

Then, turning to the king the prince said:

"Sir, is there no way but by death or marriage? You say you cannot keep
half only of your promise; and that, if I accept the reward, I must also
unite myself with my unwilling cousin. Cannot the whole proclamation
be annulled, and will you consider the bargain void if I tear up this
flimsy scroll?"

And here the prince fluttered the cheque for L1,000,000 in the air.

For a moment the king was tempted; but then he said to himself:

"Never mind, it's only an extra penny on the income-tax." Then, "Keep
your dross," he shouted, meaning the million; "but let _me_ keep my
promise. To chapel at once, or--" and he pointed to the executioner.
"The word of a king of Pantouflia is sacred."

"And so is that of a crown prince," answered Prigio; "and _mine_ is
pledged to a lady.