Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/238

210 “Stepped out before breakfast in the snow! Impossible!” says the King, sticking his fork into a sausage. “My dear, take one. Angelica wont you have a saveloy?” The Princess took one, being very fond of them; and at this moment Glumboso entered with Captain Hedzoff, both looking very much disturbed. “I am afraid your Majesty—” cries Glumboso. “No business before breakfast, Glum!” says the King. “Breakfast first, business next. Mrs. V., some more sugar!"

“Sire, I am afraid if we wait till after breakfast it will be too late,” says Glumboso. “He—he—he’ll be hanged at half-past nine.”

“Don’t talk about hanging and spoil my breakfast, you unkind vulgar man you,” cries the Princess. “John, some mustard. Pray who is to be hanged?”

“Sire, it is the Prince,” whispers Glumboso to the King.

“Talk about business after breakfast, I tell you!” says his Majesty, quite sulky.

“We shall have a war, sire, depend on it,” says the Minister. “His father, King Padella…”

“His father, King who?” says the King. “King Padella is not Giglio’s father. My brother, King Savio, was Giglio’s father.”

“It’s Prince Bulbo they are hanging, Sire, not Prince Giglio,” says the Prime Minister.

“You told me to hang the Prince, and I took the ugly one,” says Hedzoff. “I didn’t of course, think your Majesty intended to murder your own ﬂesh and blood!”

The King for all reply flung the plate of sausages at Hedzoff’s head. The Princess cried out, “Hee-karee-karee!” and fell down in a fainting-fit.

“Turn the cock of the urn upon her Royal Highness,” said the King, and the boiling water gradually revived her. His Majesty looked at his watch, compared it by the clock in the parlor, and by that of the church in the square opposite; then he wound it up; then he looked at it again. “The great question is,” says he, “am I fast or am I slow? If I’m slow, we may as well go on with breakfast. If I’m fast, why, there is just the possibility of saving Prince Bulbo. It’s a doosid awkward mistake, and upon my word, Hedzoff, I have the greatest mind to have you hanged too.”

“Sire, I did but my duty: a soldier has but his orders. I didn’t expect, after forty-seven years of faithful service,