The Midnight Queen - Page 87/177

"And now for the next trial!" exclaimed the dwarf, briskly breaking in

upon his drab-colored meditations, and bustling past. "We will get it

over at once, and have done with it!"

"You will do no such thing!" said the imperious voice of the queenly

shrew. "We will have neither trials nor anything else until after

supper, which has already been delayed four full minutes. My lord

chamberlain, have the goodness to step in and see that all is in order."

One of the gilded and decorated gentlemen whom sir Norman had mistaken

for ambassadors stepped off, in obedience, through another opening in

the tapestry--which seemed to be as extensively undermined with such

apertures as a cabman's coat with capes--and, while he was gone, the

queen stood drawn up to her full height, with her scornful face looking

down on the dwarf. That small man knit up his very plain face into a

bristle of the sourest kinks, and frowned sulky disapproval at an order

which he either would not, or dared not, countermand. Probably the

latter had most to do with it, as everybody looked hungry and mutinous,

and a great deal more eager for their supper than the life of Sir Norman

Kingsley.

"Your majesty, the royal banquet is waiting," insinuated the lord high

chamberlain, returning, and bending over until his face and his shoe

buckles almost touched.

"And what is to be done with this prisoner, while we are eating it?"

growled the dwarf, looking drawn swords at his liege lady.

"He can remain here under care of the guards, can he not?" she retorted

sharply. "Or, if you are afraid they are not equal to taking care of

him, you had better stay and watch him yourself."

With which answer, her majesty sailed majestically away, leaving the

gentleman addressed to follow or not, as he pleased. It pleased him to

do so, on the whole; and he went after her, growling anathemas between

his royal teeth, and evidently in the same state of mind that induces

gentlemen in private life to take sticks to their aggravating spouses,

under similar circumstances. However, it might not be just the thing,

perhaps, for kings and queens to take broom-sticks to settle their

little differences of opinion, like common Christians; and so the prince

peaceably followed her, and entered the salle a manger with the rest,

and Sir Norman and his keepers were left in the hall of state, monarchs

of all they surveyed. Notwithstanding he knew his hours were numbered,

the young knight could not avoid feeling curious, and the tapestry

having been drawn aside, he looked through the arch with a good deal of

interest.

The apartment was smaller than the one in which he stood--though still

very large, and instead of being all crimson and gold, was glancing and

glittering with blue and silver. These azure hangings were of satin,

instead of velvet, and looked quite light and cool, compared to the hot,

glowing place where he was. The ceiling was spangled over with silver

stars, with the royal arms quartered in the middle, and the chairs were

of white, polished wood, gleaming like ivory, and cushioned with blue

satin. The table was of immense length, as it had need to be, and

flashed and sparkled in the wax lights with heaps of gold and silver

plate, cut-glass, and precious porcelain. Golden and crimson wines

shone in the carved decanters; great silver baskets of fruit were strewn

about, with piles of cakes and confectionery--not to speak of more solid

substantials, wherein the heart of every true Englishman delighteth.

The queen sat in a great, raised chair at the head, and helped herself

without paying much attention to anybody, and the remainder were ranged

down its length, according to their rank--which, as they were all pretty

much dukes and duchesses, was about equal.