Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/266

238 the fierce King Padella even felt a little compassion. But Count Hogginarmo, seated by his Majesty, roared out, “Hurray! Now for it! Soo-soo-soo!” that nobleman being uncommonly angry still at Rosalba’s refusal of him.

But, O strange event! O remarkable circumstance! O extraordinary coincidence, which I am sure none of you could by any possibility have divined! When the lions came to Rosalba, instead of devouring her with their great teeth, it was with kisses they gobbled her up! They licked her pretty feet, they nuzzled their noses in her lap, they moo’d, they seemed to say, “Dear, dear sister, don’t you recollect your brothers in the forest?” And she put her pretty white arms round their tawny necks, and kissed them.

King Padella was immensely astonished. The Count Hogginarmo was extremely disgusted. "Pooh!” the Count cried. “Gammon!” exclaimed his lordship. “These lions are tame beasts come from Wombwell’s or Astley’s. It is a shame to put people off in this way. I believe they are little boys dressed up in door-mats. They are no lions at all.”

“Ha!” said the King, “you dare to say ‘Gammon!’ to your Sovereign, do you? These lions are no lions at all, aren’t they? Ho, my beaf-eaters! Ho, my body-guard! Take this Count Hogginarmo and fling him into the circus! Give him a sword and buckler, let him keep his armor on and his weather-eye out, and fight these lions.”

The haughty Hogginarmo laid down his opera-glass and looked scowling round at the King and his attendants. “Touch me not, dogs!” he said, “or by St. Nicholas the Elder, I will gore you! Your Majesty thinks Hogginarmo is afraid? No, not of a hundred thousand lions! Follow me down into the circus, King Padella, and match thyself against one of yon brutes. Thou darest not? Let them both come on then!”

And opening a grating of the box, he jumped lightly down into the circus.