Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/199

Rh At this news, half the courtiers ran off to pay their duty to the conquering chief, and the other half ran away, laying hands on all the best articles in the palace; and poor little Rosalba was left there quite alone—quite alone: she toddled from one room to another, crying, “Countess! Duchess!” (only she said “Tountess, Duttess,” not being able to speak plain) “bring me my mutton-sop; my Royal Highness hungry! Tountess! Duttess!” And she went from the private apartments into the throne-room, and

nobody was there;—and thence into the ball-room, and nobody was there;—and thence into the pages’ room, and nobody was there;—and she toddled down the great staircase into the hall, and nobody was there;—and the door was open, and she went into the court, and into the garden, and thence into the wilderness, and thence into the forest where the wild beasts live, and was never heard of any more!

A piece of her torn mantle and one of her shoes were found in the wood in the mouth of two lioness’s cubs, whom and a royal hunting party shot—for he was King now, and reigned over Crim Tartary. “So the poor little Princess is done for,” said he. “Well, what’s done can’t be helped. Gentlemen, let us go to luncheon!” And one of the courtiers took up the shoe and put it in his pocket. And there was an end of Rosalba!