Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/216

188 Then Giglio would say, “Betsinda, has the Princess Angelica asked for me to-day?” And Betsinda would answer, “No, my lord, not to-day”; or, “She was very busy practising the piano when I saw her”; or “She was writing invitations for an evening-party, and did not speak to me”; or make some excuse or other, not strictly consonant with truth: for Betsinda was such a good-natured creature, that she strove to do everything to prevent annoyance to Prince Giglio, and even brought him up roast chicken and jellies from the kitchen when the Doctor allowed them, and Giglio was getting better, saying “that the princess had made the jelly, or the bread-sauce, with her own hands, on purpose for Giglio.”

When Giglio heard this he took heart, and began to mend immediately; and gobbled up all the jelly, and picked the last bone of the chicken—drumstick, merry-thought, sides’-bones, back, pope’s-nose, and all—thanking his dear Angelica: and he felt so much better the next day, that he dressed and went down stairs—where whom should he meet but Angelica going into the drawing-room? All the covers were off the chairs, the chandeliers taken out of the bags, the damask curtains uncovered, the work and things carried away, and the handsomest albums on the tables. Angelica had her hair in papers. In a word it was evident there was going to be a party.

“Heavens, Giglio!” cries Angelica; “you here in such a dress! What a ﬁgure you are!”

“Yes, dear Angelica, I am come down stairs, and feel so well today, thanks to the fowl and the jelly.”

“What do I know about fowls and jellies, that you allude to them in that rude way?” says Angelica.

“Why, didn’t—didn’t you send them, Angelica dear?” says Giglio.

“I send them indeed! Angelica dear! No, Giglio dear,” says she, mocking him. “I was engaged in getting the rooms ready for his Royal Highness the Prince of Crim Tartary, who is coming to pay my papa’s court a visit.”

“The—Prince—of—Crim—Tartary!” Giglio said, aghast.

“Yes, the Prince of Crim Tartary,” says Angelica, mocking him. “I dare say you never heard of such a country. What did you ever hear of? You don’t know whether Crim Tartary is on the Red Sea, or on the Black Sea, I dare say.”