All the company sat down on the ivory chairs on either side of the Hall, except Rose, who still stood at the right of the King on his throne.
“Now we must have everything quite in order,” said the Lord Chancellor cheerfully. “I don’t know who the lady is standing by his Majesty. I’ve nothing to say against her whatever. In fact, I’m sure she will be of great assistance to us in our important deliberations. But I should like her to take her place with the rest, please.”
“I am advising his Majesty on behalf of the Composition dolls,” said Rose hastily. “It is his Majesty’s wish that I should keep by him. Please get on with the Audience, and don’t fuss.”
“Oh, if it’s his Majesty’s wish, I’ve nothing more to say,” said the Lord Chancellor genially. “I only thought you would be more comfortable sitting down. Now the first thing to be done is to announce what steps have been taken by your Majesty for the welfare of the Kingdom of Toyland. Let’s have it all, please, from the time you received the last wishes of our dear lamented Queen Rosebud.”
The King frowned. “I don’t want to have to go into all that again,” he said. “I want my questions answered.”
“All in good time, your Majesty,” said the Lord Chancellor. “But let’s have your statement first, please.”
Peggy quite expected that the King would refuse, and might even do something to the Lord Chancellor for giving him an order in that sort of way. But it seemed as if it was difficult for a doll to refuse to obey any order, if it was given with enough firmness. At any rate, the King obeyed this one, although he frowned and looked very disagreeable about it.
“Well, if you must have it,” he said, “when the late lamented Queen Rosebud was nearing her end she told me that she wished me to reign over Toyland in her place.”
“Will you kindly make a note of this?” said the Lord Chancellor to his secretary, who was standing beside him. “Take it all down in shorthand; then we shall know where we are. Go on, please, your Majesty.”
“That’s all,” said the King. “Queen Rosebud said I was to reign, and I’m reigning.”