Page:The Shaving of Shagpat (1856).djvu/190

176 by my science and my foresight, but there is that upon the head of the King which cleareth a mystery, one concerning himself, and for his sake I will go."

So Rumdrum went and kissed the ground of obedience before the King, and arranged his tackle, and commenced shaving the King, for this time was before the time of Shagpat, when kings were shaved, and men; wullahy! it was a time not without its glory, and there was one art the more exercised!

Now while Rumdrum shaved the King, the King questioned him as to future occurrences, and he said, "How is it, O Rumdrum; will mine enemies succeed in what they undertake?"

And Rumdrum gave the King an answer pleasant in expression, but unsavoury to swallow.

Now the King thought, "This fellow is beguiling me with double meanings, and the sweet concealeth the sour in what he says." So while the blade of Rumdrum swept over him like a gleam across the water, he made a signal to his guard for the guard to close upon Rumdrum. As they closed upon him Rumdrum shrieked, and struggled to get back to the King, and offered the guard bribes of money, rare gifts, to let him peer once more upon the head of the King; and the King was confirmed in his suspicions of Rumdrum. So he had the bow slung about the neck of Rumdrum, and accused him of the crime of a traitor. And Rumdrum said, "O King, there is nought like confidence in thy kind; and he that dishonoureth the barber is in turn dishonoured, seeing