"Your Majesty, the two prisoners here were engaged in obstructing your Majesty's high-road."
"They seem to be still doing so."
"And knowing that your Majesty was shortly expected to pass, I proceeded to remove them."
"But what is this? A company of my foot-guards in confusion! One-two-three-four of them wounded—if, indeed, one is not killed outright! Do you tell me that this old man and this boy have done it all, besides bruising the faces of a dozen more?"
"They and a swarm of cursed bees, your Majesty."
"This is incredible!… Bees?"
"Yes, your Majesty," put in Captain Barker, "he is telling you the truth. You see, it happened that my bees swarmed this afternoon, and had no better taste than to alight on this arch, under which your Majesty was shortly expected to pass. We were about to hive them when this young gentleman came along at the head of his company, and there arose a discussion, at the end of which I hived him instead."
"But these wounded men—"
"Ah, your Majesty, it was unfortunate; but one can never tell where these discussions will end."
"Three of my men and a sergeant placed hors de combat—a dozen more unfit to be seen—an officer dismounted, and his whole company scattered like a flock of geese! I am seriously annoyed, sir. What is your name?"