CHAPTER XXI.
VERY early next morning Daffodil was awakened by loud splashings. She had sat up late and, when she went to bed at last, she was both strengthened in heart for the morrow and thoroughly weary; so she slept sound, and she did not hear the softer noises with which her attendants had been trying to arouse her. The moment she knew she was being called, she remembered what the news they would tell her must be.
“Pre‐eminent Madam,” said the head of the Upper Royal Wardrobe Maids, entering her room in obedience to her “Come in.” “The Head Royal Dresspicker and the Head Royal Dressmaker and the Head Royal Secretary Spinster have come in haste with delightful news.”
“The lilies have blown, I suppose,” said Daffodil quietly.
“To perfection!” was the reply.
“Then I will get up at once,” was all Daffodil’s comment. And the Head Royal Dresspicker thought to herself that, although it was very grand and Royal to repress all signs of excitement at so infinitely joyful a moment, such strong constraint must surely be bad for the health.
page: 303Daffodil made haste, for she learned that the officials of her staff who had come to give her the instant information of the event they expected to surprise her as them, and to rejoice her still more than them, must not delay making their report of it to Her Majesty.
“Is it not proper that the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary herself should make such an announcement to Her Majesty?” she asked them.
This was a puzzle to them. The three Ancient Females of Rank had to be consulted, and the discussion became long and intricate. Certainly the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary had always gone at the head of her staff to report on a Royal Wedding morning that the lilies were ready for Her Majesty’s selection, and a failure to do so would have been a most irreverent piece of neglect. On the other hand it was unheard of and inconceivable that a Royal bride should go out Un‐Royal‐bridally on her wedding morning, for any purpose whatever. The Head Royal Secretary Spinster thought of a way out of the dilemma: she proposed that the deputation, instead of going to place the Princess Guachapeara at their head as Her Pre‐eminence the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary’s deputy, which they had at first supposed must necessarily be the course, should go preliminarily, headed only by the Head Royal Secretary Spinster and her colleagues, the Head Royal Dressmaker and the Head Royal Dresspicker, and receive Her Majesty’s instructions as to whether it must be the Princess or Her Pre‐eminence who should undertake the duty of making the announcement to Her Majesty. It would be quite easy, said the page: 304 Secretary Spinster, for the deputation to be considered not to have seen Her Majesty or told her anything till their second appearance in attendance on their proper head for the occasion.
This scheme gained everybody’s approval but Daffodil’s own. “Since you cannot tell me what I am required to do,” she said, respectfully, but firmly, to the three Ancient Females of Rank “I shall take the right of my office and go to Her Majesty.” They wished to hinder her, and her own officials opposed her resolution so urgently that they almost passed the bounds of subordinacy; but she said “I have decided what to do. I wish to see the Queen, for reasons of my own; going to her on this errand is my duty as Dressmaker Plenipotentiary and therefore I shall not be doing wrong. But, if she thinks it wrong, I shall take care she knows I did it against what all of you advised.”
“Well, after all, Her Majesty will not blame anything Your Royal Highness‐that‐is just‐going‐to‐be does to‐day,” said the discreet Ancient Female of Rank.
“And we cannot make you observe a rule, if you positively won’t—even if there were a rule for the case,” said the blind one.
“Exceedingly suitable,” said the deaf one, seeing that her colleagues were agreed about something.
So much time had been lost in the discussion that, before Daffodil and her train arrived, the news, which had flown from lip to lip throughout the Plenipotentiary Department, had been brought to the Queen and the Princesses with their morning dresses, by their Royal Lady’s‐maids, and the Queen had sent page: 305 it to Prince Brekekex with her inquiries after his health. Just as Daffodil with her retinue had been ushered into Her Majesty’s presence, the messenger who had returned from Prince Brekekex entered the room.
“Never mind speaking, Dressmaker Plenipotentiary,” cried the Queen, who was all in a flurry and hurry. “I take your report as made; and I order it to be supposed that you have been the person who brought me the first information, as you ought to have been—though what excuse you can have for not coming sooner I don’t see—By the way, I mean that you had no business to come. A Royal Bride out on the very morning!!! Where’s Guachapeara?”
“Here,” said that Princess, who had just entered the room. “And I think it a great shame I was not sent for to take my proper place and make the report, when it’s I that have got the lilies to blow at all. I think I ought—”
“All right,” said the Queen, cutting her short. “It shall be you that have reported. Daffodil can’t be supposed to be here. Hold your tongue, and let me get on with this wedding.”
“May it please Your Majesty,” began Daffodil, trying to get in what she had come to say, “I came because—”
“Never mind, I told you,” interrupted the Queen. “You’ve said it all—at least your deputy is considered to have said it all, for I have told her to hold her tongue. The message from Brekekex is what I want to hear.”
The message was a thunderstroke. Prince Brekekex said he was no better than he was last night, page: 306 and reminded his Royal Mother that the Head Royal Physician had prescribed that he should be ill in bed for several days.
“But I never dreamed that the Head Royal Physician wasn’t to hurry the cure and get him well at once for a sudden emergency like this!” exclaimed Her disconsolate Majesty.
It appeared that the Head Royal Physician, who had sat by Prince Brekekex’s bed all night, had been summoned by breathless messengers to King Grenoulcrawk a little before the Queen’s message arrived, and that he had begged the Prince not to be too alarmed during his absence, as nothing particular would happen if he kept his eyes shut and never stirred.
Daffodil, on hearing the message from her betrothed, had made up her mind to omit what she had come to say, and to remain a silent observer of what was passing. But the Queen turned to her with “You can give some counsel here. You know the nature of the dreadful thing which stuck in my son’s poor foot: tell me, would there be any danger in his recovering quickly?”
How Daffodil wished she could have said there was! “If it is the same with him as with us, there could not be any danger in that,” she had to reply.
“How soon do people that have had such an accident get over it in your tribe?” asked the Queen.
And Daffodil could only say “Usually in two or three minutes.”
“Then there must be some mistake,” said the Queen “Of course, if such inferior doctors as yours page: 307 must be can cure you of a pin‐thrust that quickly, our Head Royal Physician could do it in a quarter of a breath. However, the Head Royal Physician must be told to come to me at once.”
The Head Royal Physician happened to be at that moment at the entrance of the Palace, to request an audience. He came before Her Majesty pallid and tremulous. The cause of his disquiet was soon told: King Grenoulcrawk could not outlive the day. He could take no food, not even his favourite guggle‐gigs—the Head Royal Physician’s potent medicines seemed at last to have lost all influence upon him. A numbness was creeping over his body by degrees and had already made him more than half dead.
At the first shock of this news, Queen Raucacoäxine was frantic. She sprang into the air, she sprang down again and shook the Head Royal Physician, she threw herself into her seat so hard that she knocked off the back of it, and, lying tumbled there anyhow, she wept at the top of her voice.
“Go for all the Royal Family,” she gurgled out through her sobs. And all her attendants, and all Daffodil’s retinue, rushed off in obedience to the command.
“Take Happypool to the Boa Constrictor,” she cried. But only Daffodil, Guachapeara, and the Head Royal Physician, were left with her, and none of them felt able to carry out the order. The Queen grew calmer, and Princess Guachapeara began to soothe her. Meanwhile Daffodil contrived to write a brief note and to make the Head Royal Physician understand that he must deliver it secretly to Prince page: 308 Brekekex. He was very willing to oblige her, and saw no reason for disliking taking the bride’s little confidential missive to the Royal Bridegroom.
“Dear me!” said the Queen, all at once. “When I come to think of it, I don’t see what you have all been making such a trouble of, after all.” And, as Guachapeara had not left off her attentions, she turned on her rather snappishly. “Do be quiet, Guachapeara, I do wish you would learn the proper self‐control for one so near the throne.” And on this, while the aggrieved Guachapeara was murmuring half audibly “I need to learn self‐control! As if it weren’t I who made the lilies blow when no one else could!” she took Daffodil’s hand kindly, and said “Leave off fretting, daughter‐in‐law that‐will‐be soon: the Head Royal Physician can keep King Grenoulcrawk alive long enough for us to have several weddings by counting the hours days, quite enough weddings for necessary form. We can do them in the private quick way: and that will be quite right, out of respect to Grenoulcrawk. And then, as Brekekex will have become King and a King needs more weddings than a King’s second son, we can begin the course of grand public weddings we have been waiting to have. You have removed all the real difficulty, yourself, you dear sensible creature‐quite a Croäxaxican!”
“I remove it, Your Majesty!” said Daffodil in a tone of perplexity.
“To be sure—Telling me about Brekekex’s getting well, dear. Head Royal Physician, Her Royal Highness that’s just going to be and present Pre‐eminence the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary informs me that the page: 309 proper medical treatment among her nation is that people should get well of pin‐thrusts in two or three minutes. Of course, in that case, any Croäxaxican doctor could cure the thing in half the time, or less, and you yourself can do it in an instant. I am so glad she was clever enough to know.”
“The light thrown on the case by Her Royal Highness that is just going to be and Present Pre‐eminence the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary, from her native knowledge of the weapon of her nation, is invaluable to a physician,” replied the Head Royal Physician. “That is, to any physician of the wholly exceptional skill which can discern its invaluableness.”
“Go and cure him, then,” said Her Majesty.
“But I was going to say that, while so strongly recognising the invaluableness of the light that has just been given me, I see something which needs caution. Has Your Majesty overlooked the all‐important fact that the persons spoken of may not have been Royal?”
On being interrogated, Daffodil stated that she believed it was the same with Royal People, but admitted that the people she had known recover from pin‐thrusts had not been Royal.
“It cannot be contended for a moment that a Royal Person’s illness, from whatever cause, is not more important than any other sort of person’s illness,” said the Head Royal Physician.
“Of course no one could be so nonsensical as to contend that,” said the Queen, impatiently. “Do get on.”
“I was merely going to add that Royal Persons’ page: 310 illnesses, being so important, must naturally be longer in proportion than other persons’ illnesses, and that we cannot assume that a Royal Prince, and above all a Royal Prince of Croäxaxica, can recover as quickly as—”
“Oh dear! oh dear!” broke in the Queen. “Of course not, no; he’ll have to be ill I don’t know how long. What shall we do?”
“I will do my best,” said the Head Royal Physician.
“Run to him as fast as you can,” said the Queen. “Stop, stop a moment,” she cried, calling him back in the middle of the bound away with which he was obeying her emphatic dismissal, “An idea has struck me. Tell him to feel as un‐Royal as ever he can.”
“Splendid!” cried the doctor. “With that hint, the last difficulty in the path of science is removed. His Royal Highness shall recover within an hour.”
“Rush off,” said Queen Raucacoäxine, and he rushed, and nearly knocked down the Crown Prince and Princess who were entering together. One by one, following close upon each other, came the Princesses, and then the King himself.
“It is just as well you have all come,” said the Queen, “because it gathers us altogether to begin the wedding as soon as Brekekex is cured. But I haven’t anything to consult about now. What we have to do is quite plain and easy,” and she told them about King Grenoulcrawk’s condition, and what she meant to have done.
All agreed that there could be no obstacle to carrying out the Queen’s plan, and that it exactly page: 311 met the difficulty. “But why doesn’t Daffodil speak?” asked the Crown Prince.
“Dear thing, she’s so glad, it makes her shy,” said the Princess Royal.
At that moment there was a loud sound of feet and of something heavy being carried, and Brekekex was brought in on his bed. His eyes were shut, and he lay as stiff as stone.
“What does this mean? Why are you brought here thus?” asked the astonished Queen.
“You made me come,” said Brekekex in an aggrieved tone. “And, of course, after the doctor’s telling me not to stir and not to open my eyes, this is the only way I could come.”
The Queen’s order “Go for the Royal Family” had been so scrupulously obeyed by some of her faithful servants that they had summoned even the invalid Prince, and had met all his remonstrances with the emphatic reply “We had Her Majesty’s own direct command.”
The Head Royal Physician had encountered his patient on the way, and now stood beside him very uncomfortable. He had delivered Daffodil’s note: these were its contents—
“My dear Royal Highness
“I promise and declare that I will not marry you. So you can be quite sure that, if there is to be no other way than that or my being given to the Boa Constrictor, I shall be given to the Boa Constrictor. Perhaps you will be kind enough not to get well fast. Only, then you will not be King of Grachidichika. At any rate, I thank you very much for your great kindness already.
“Your extremely obliged Daffodil.”
page: 312On reading this communication, Brekekex, deeply moved at the thought of the fate his betrothed bride’s obstinacy would bring upon her, explained to the Head Royal Physician that he must on no account proceed with his cure, revealing to him, under a solemn pledge of secrecy, the necessity of delaying the possibility of the wedding by any plausible obstacle. It was no safe moment or place for conversation: only a few hurried words from the Prince, with the natural assents from his hearer, could pass between them; then the bearers of the couch had to be told to proceed from the antechamber in which this brief interview had taken place into the corridor leading to Her Majesty’s private apartments close at hand. And the Head Royal Physician, with his brain in a whirl, had to consider in the very presence the appalling difficulties of his position. He wanted to keep Daffodil alive, he wanted to comply with the wishes of Prince Brekekex. On the other hand, dared he fail to obey the Queen? Could he risk the ruin of his court favour, his professional fame, his fortune? Ordered to cure a patient forthwith, he must, at any time, risk at least a temporary disgrace if he expressed inability to fulfil the Royal mandate: but with such a patient, at such a juncture, to express any inability! And what if Grachidichika were lost to the reigning branch of Croäxaxica and the Queen were to ascribe the loss to his incompetency!!! Then again came the consideration that, if he did prove his competency, he should be the cause of Daffodil’s death—a prospect very unpleasant to his kindly heart—and that Prince Brekekex would never forgive him. Nobody, not page: 313 even Daffodil and Brekekex, felt so wretched as the Head Royal Physician just then.
Her Majesty explained to Prince Brekekex the arrangement on which she had resolved for the ceremonies of the day. “We shall begin with a simple wedding,” she said, “in order to start the sooner; but, if we get on pretty quickly now, we can safely come to one with the very full state ceremonials for a second Prince by this afternoon. Then we will wait a week for mourning, and then go on with the weddings on the ceremonial for a King. I shall feel proud to have my second son’s wedding a King’s: I don’t believe any reigning Queen has had that yet.”
“Oh!” cried Brekekex, springing from his couch, in his exultation, “a King’s wedding!”
“You see,” said the Queen, “you will be thoroughly married this morning for all legal purposes, to make your accession safe before poor old Grenoulcrawk quite ends: and, as the ceremonies you have a right to as second Prince will not be ended and his death will interrupt them, you must continue them; and, of course, they must be promoted into a King’s ceremonies, as you will be a reigning King when you do continue them.”
In his delight, he had overlooked the obstacle as to the bride. It suddenly occurred to his mind as page: 314 he ended his verse, and, running to her, he seized both her hands, exclaiming “Oh Daffodil, you can’t help giving in now you have heard that plan!”
“You know that my mind is made up past changing,” she answered very gravely.
Then Brekekex perceived that he had, in his excitement, almost published the secret of Daffodil’s contumacy. So, with great presence of mind, before any one had had time to think what he and Daffodil had been saying could mean, he sprang back to his couch and, lying down fiat again with his eyes closed, said “What a pity though, that the Head Royal Physician cannot possibly cure me for today.”
“WHAT?” screamed the Queen.
“He can’t,” said Brekekex. “I’m a difficult case.”
“SIR!!!” said the Queen to the Head Royal Physician.
The climax of eloquence had been reached. There was silence and a shiver of expectation. The Head Royal Physician opened his mouth several times, but could not speak.
And then presently an event took place. King Logaplop aroused himself, gazed slowly round, and said “Do it by proxy.”
“By proxy? Oh yes,” said the Queen. “Some of you go and fetch a doctor to cure Prince Brekekex by proxy.”
The Head Royal Physician gave a cry of despair. “Oh! Your Majesty!” he burst forth “It isn’t because it’s a difficult case. I like difficult cases, I do them best—it’s because it’s too easy—I mean it isn’t because of anything. A proxy can’t cure him. page: 315 And any proxy for me must be an ignorant fool. I’ll cure him at once—I mean I would if he were different—I mean if the Dressmaker Plenipotentiary were different—Oh! I mean I am dangerously ill myself, of a most infectious illness and—”
“Leave the room instantly,” shrieked the Queen and all her children in a panic, and the unhappy frog turned and fled.
The King said “I meant marry him by proxy,” and resumed his repose.
They all gazed at each other, under the shock of a new idea of such magnitude.
“Can it be done? Is there a precedent?” said the Queen to the Crown Prince.
“I am wondering if there is” he replied, with an exhaustive air.
The Regius Professor of Everything was sent for and interrogated. Alas! there was no precedent. But meanwhile Her Majesty had, in arguing on the subject with Brekekex, who took the anti‐proxy view, convinced herself that the marriage by proxy would just meet the case.
“The King’s having himself suggested the method gives it the authority of a precedent,” she declared. “And it’s only to begin with: of course Brekekex will take his place with his wife in the great celebrations afterwards. But the thing is to get the marriage formally completed to‐day. Now, as to who could be proxy—Prince Brekekex sees a difficulty, Regius Professor, as the Crown Prince would derogate if he took the position for his junior, and as we cannot accept Happypool, and the Prince thinks no one else could be made appropriate—your researches page: 316 will, no doubt, have shown you what would have been done in such a case, if there had been one.”
The Regius Professor of Everything ventured to suggest that the Ambassador for Grachidichika should be selected for the honour.
“Very good,” said the Queen and Crown Prince: and the Crown Princess and the Royal Princesses all echoed “Very good.” The Professor was delighted at his success.
But Brekekex jumped up and said hotly “I won’t have it. He isn’t married himself; and he may make out he has married her in earnest and claim the Kingdom of Grachidichika for himself in right of her.”
“But she has no right to it,” said the Crown Prince.
“That’s nonsense,” said Brekekex. “Haven’t I got to marry her to be able to get it? So of course he can say if he has married her he must have it.”
“There is an awkwardness. certainly,” said the Queen.
Just then Ranacuajha, who had become somewhat interested in the wedding question, remarked musingly to the Princess Royal, who sat next her, “I am sorry Daffodil has to marry the Ambassador instead of Prince Brekekex. My mother, the Queen of Grachidichika always said he was more of a stuffed dummy than the Speaker. If I were Daffodil, I would rather marry the Speaker.”
Her Majesty bounded with delight. “The Crown Princess has made a most judicious suggestion,” she said enthusiastically. “The selection, for a proxy, of the highest Grachidichikan official, a personage at once so exalted and so unobtrusive, is perfect in its page: 317 appropriateness and its security from all embarrassments. That settles everything.”
“But I don’t like it,” said Brekekex.
“My dear boy, don’t make silly difficulties. If you can’t go to your wedding yourself, of course some one must go for you. Some sort of bridegroom is necessary for any wedding.”
“Well, if the wedding has to be, whether I’m at it or not, I’d rather go to it.”
Daffodil came forward before a reply could be made. She saw that her fate was sealed, and she was now afraid that the misdemeanours of Brekekex on her behalf should be revealed by his accidental disclosures.
“Your Majesty,” she said with as steady a voice as she could command, “I have to say that I cannot consent to be married.”
“Oh!” said the Queen petulantly, “I have not time to be teased with that nonsense now. You know you always said it. You said it about Grenoulcrawk.”
“And I did not marry him: I trod on his toe,” replied Daffodil.
“On purpose?” cried the Queen, aghast.
“It was the only way,” Daffodil said apologetically, while everybody listened in stupefaction.
The Queen reflected. “You see, that was High Treason,” she said. “And I don’t know what to do. Having you executed would be so very inconvenient.”
“She ought to be executed for annoying my father, the King of Grachidichika, on purpose,” said the Crown Princess. But every one else said “It would be so inconvenient.”
page: 318“I must order you to have done it by an unfortunate accident, quite unintentionally,” Her Majesty decided. “That settles that part of it. And, you know, the Speaker will not so much mind his toes.”
“I won’t have the Speaker. I’ll go myself if anybody does,” put in Prince Brekekex.
“Not if she wants to tread on your toes,” said her Majesty positively.
“I shan’t mind. And she won’t. Would you now, Daffodil?”
“No,” said Daffodil; “I wouldn’t do that. I shouldn’t like to hurt your toes for no use.”
“Then it is settled,” said Her Majesty. “Now make haste everybody; the wedding must begin as soon as possible.”
“There can be no wedding for me; indeed, indeed, Your Majesty,” said Daffodil.
The Queen commanded, threatened, argued, at last even besought. Then she told Brekekex to try his influence, and he tried. Then she told all the Royal Family, one by one, to try their influence, and they tried. Even the King tried, saying first “I command it,” and then, when it appeared that even that would not suffice, “I request it.” Croässaquagha was sent for and anxiously used her utmost powers of persuasion.
“It will be for you, dear,” said Daffodil, as Croässaquagha pictured the happiness of the wife of Brekekex, King of Grachidichika.
“But I shall be wretched if you go to the Boa Constrictor” replied Croässaquagha, weeping. But Daffodil would not yield.
At last the Queen took a supreme resolution. page: 319 “This cannot go on,” she said. “The crown of Grachidichika may be lost to us while Daffodil wastes the day in hesitation. She must come to a decision.”
“Oh do, DO, Daffodil!” went forth in a chorus.
“Listen to me,” said the Queen. “The Royal Family needs her, Croäxaxica and Grachidichika need her. The having to put her to death would be horribly disagreeable—”
“Horribly!” murmured everybody aloud, except Daffodil, who only said it to herself.
“And” continued the Queen, raising her voice to drown the interruption, “the public scandal would be intolerable. To have it known that the bride of a Prince of our own Royal Family has had to be executed just before the wedding! And for such an act of High Treason! To refuse to marry My son, Prince Brekekex!!! What an example to go forth to the country!!!”
“If we give up Grachidichika for Brekekex, so that he can go on without marrying till there is some one eligible born?” suggested the Crown Prince.
“I won’t mind doing that,” said Brekekex, who was in tears over Daffodil’s impending fate.
“It’s of no use,” Queen Raucacoäxine replied. “The public scandal—THE ATROCIOUS REFUSAL—would be just the same. And Happypool would be King of Grachidichika!!!”
“Ah yes! it’s no use,” the Crown Prince assented regretfully. “I was overlooking at the moment that she can’t be let live and have done what she would have done. It would sap the foundations of the monarchy. Why, it might come to it that a Dress‐ page: 320 maker Plenipotentiary might refuse a second son of my own some day.”
“Quite so,” said Her Majesty. “And now, perhaps you will let me tell you what I have resolved on—a portentous measure, but the crisis is portentous. Royal Princes and Princesses, you shall bow yourselves to supplicate her, you shall kneel to her—I will kneel—the .King will kneel.”
“I won’t,” said the King.
“Oh please, don’t, anybody, take so much trouble,” exclaimed Daffodil.
But the Queen was busy whispering to the King, and did not heed her. And presently the King gave a groan of consent and, immediately leaving his seat with his most imposing air, went right up to Daffodil and arranged himself gravely in the kneeling posture of the Croäxaxicans. “Kneel all—Quick!” cried the Queen, as she saw that the King had proceeded at once to action, and she herself and all the Princes and Princesses promptly followed the King’s example and got on their knees, with their feet meeting sole to sole behind them and their hands in supplicatory attitudes, just as if they had been criminal subjects and Daffodil the Royal Being they had offended.
“I am so sorry. I am so very very sorry,” said Daffodil. “But I can’t, I really and truly CAN’T be married this way: it feels impossible. And I am sure it must be wrong to get married when you know it would make you hate your husband with your whole heart. Oh, please don’t ask me any more, and do get up. Prince Brekekex and I are so different. And I know my Father and Mother page: 321 would think it terrible. Oh! don’t kneel any longer, please Your Majesties and Royal Highnesses.”
“Is it possible?” the Queen murmured feebly, gazing around at the kneeling group. “Is it possible?” She could not believe her senses.
“Hadn’t we better get up?” said the Crown Prince, at last.
“Not at that Traitor’s bidding,” said Her Majesty, pointing fiercely at Daffodil.
“It’s very awkward,” muttered the Crown Prince.
“I have thought of a plan,” the Queen exclaimed presently. “She had better tell us to stay as we are.”
“I will, Your Majesty, with pleasure, if that will enable you to get up: but indeed I never thought of bidding you get up, I only hoped you would,” said Daffodil.
“Do you not think that, after that expression of submission from the Traitor, we can, without derogation, get off our knees?” Queen Raucacoäxine asked her family. And, as all expressed assent, except the King, who did not feel it necessary to trouble himself with deciding details, she gave the command to rise, and dragged up the King.
“Now, we cannot let you waste our time any longer” said the Queen to Daffodil. “Things must go on. You will be executed in a little while—you see, we are forced to wait to make some necessary arrangements, but they will only take a couple of hours or so.”
“I claim a trial,” replied Daffodil. “If you put me to death without a trial, you will be murdering me.”
“Of course you can have a trial if you like. page: 322 What are you making a fuss about?” said the Queen, surprised.
“If I am tried fairly by your laws, I suppose I mustn’t complain. But, if your laws were to condemn a person to death because she won’t marry a frog, they would be very unjust” said Daffodil.
“You are unreasonable, Dressmaker Plenipotentiary,” returned the Queen coldly. “Everything that was possible, and a great deal more, has been done to save you from your own obstinacy. If you cannot be obedient, at least be grateful.”
Croässaquagha and the Regius Professor of Everything had been standing motionless behind Her Majesty, not venturing to put themselves on a fellowship with the Royal Family by kneeling with them. The Queen now turned to Croässaquagha. “Private Under‐Princess and Her Grandeur, you are, of course, aware that, on the death of the present Dressmaker Plenipotentiary, you can again be appointed to your former office and be made eligible for the wedding which takes place to‐day. It will be necessary that His Royal Highness Prince Brekekex should accept you. You had better be preparing for your high destiny.”
Croässaquagha became hysterical. “Oh, what honour! what joy! Oh poor Daffodil! Oh, what can I say?” she cried.
“I am not aware that you need say anything,” said the Queen.
“I don’t know what to do but obey,” said Brekekex. “And I’m sure, Croässaquagha, I’ve nothing to object to you, and in fact I like you quite as much as Daffodil, all but your not being page: 323 such a wonder at rhymes. But poor Daffodil! Oh dear to have her and all the rhymes go to the Boa Constrictor! Can’t you change your mind, Daffodil, dear?”
Daffodil replied still resolute, though her voice was husky and she trembled. And Brekekex, without waiting to ask leave to go, and forgetting his illness, rushed from the room, sobbing in his grief for her.
The Queen sent the Crown Prince himself to order the Officer in Command to come with a guard to march off the Traitor to the State Prison. The Regius Professor of Everything she bade go and ascertain from the Head Royal Physician whether he could make the inspection of the State Boa Constrictor customary before an execution without risk of giving it the infection of his illness. The Ambassador from Grachidichika, who was at hand waiting to join the wedding procession, for which he had been summoned directly the Queen had heard of the lilies ablow, was called in to be instructed of the necessity for the Matrimonial State of Grachidichika being duly represented by witness at the execution: Grachidichika claimed the right of always having an ambassador present at state executions connected with its affairs, and on this occasion the omission of the custom could not be contemplated, since the disappearance of the present Dressmaker Plenipotentiary of Croäxaxica was a vital matter for Grachidichika, as affecting the legality of Croässaquagha’s marriage to its Heir Apparent.
“The Royal Wedding Procession can lawfully start the moment the present Dressmaker Plenipotentiary has had the sentence pronounced on her, as she will page: 324 then be next thing to executed,” said the Queen. “The moment she is executed, a messenger must be sent, in haste, to me. I will at once make Croässaquagha Dressmaker Plenipotentiary and she will then be eligible to pass into the Cathedral as Brekekex’s wife.”
“Oh don’t let me hear it at all,” cried Croässaquagha, and fled as Brekekex had done. But Daffodil had to wait till she was fetched by the guard, and she heard all and saw that, though there was not one of the Royal Family, King and Queen and all, who did not regret the occurrence, her doom was now looked on as inevitable. Yet she fancied there was still a gleam of hope, for there was her Trial to come, and she thought she might just possibly persuade the Jury and the Judges not to condemn her for High Treason.
