Page:The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray Vol.20.pdf/276

248 Rosalba; but being a prince of great humor, and good humor too, he cast eyes upon a poor youth who happened to be looking on very disconsolately, and said—

“Bulbo, my poor lad! come and try on this ring. The Princess Rosalba, makes it a present to you.” The magic properties of this ring were uncommonly strong, for no sooner had Bulbo put it on, but lo and behold, he appeared a personable, agreeable young prince enough—with a fine complexion, fair hair, rather stout, and with bandy legs; but these were encased in such a beautiful pair of yellow morocco boots that nobody remarked them. And Bulbo’s spirits rose up almost immediately after he had looked in the glass, and he talked to their Majesties in the most lively, agreeable manner, and danced opposite the Queen with one of the prettiest Maids of Honor, and after looking at her Majesty, could not help saying, “How very odd: she is very pretty, but not so extraordinarily handsome.” “Oh, no, by no means!” says the Maid of Honor.

“But what care I, dear sir,” says the Queen, who overheard them, “if you think I am good-looking enough?”

His Majesty’s glance in reply to this affectionate speech was such that no painter could draw it. And the Fairy Blackstick said, “Bless you, my darling children! Now you are united and happy: and now you see what I said from the first, that a little misfortune has done you both good. You, Giglio, had you been bred in prosperity, would scarcely have learned to read or write—you would have been idle and extravagant, and could not have been a good King as you now will be. You, Rosalba, would have been so flattered, that your little head might have been turned like Angelica’s, who thought herself too good for Giglio.”

“As if anybody could be good enough for him,” cried Rosalba.

“Oh, you, you darling!” says Giglio. And so she was; and he was just holding out his arms in order to give her a hug before the whole company, when a messenger came rushing in and said, “My Lord, the enemy!”

“To arms!” cries Giglio.

“Oh, mercy!” says Rosalba, and fainted, of course. He snatched one kiss from her lips, and rushed forth to the field of battle!

The Fairy had provided King Giglio with a suit of armor, which was not only embroidered all over with