"Boil him," promptly replied the lord chamberlain, who was quite taken aback at being thus suddenly addressed, and who was at the moment thinking of a turkey which he had ordered for dinner, and with which he confused the prisoner at the moment.
"Pompous, you are a fool!" shouted the king.
"As your majesty pleases," responded the old man, with a low obeisance; and Fridolin went on to ask other opinions, which were all given with a guarded reservation, that they were subject to his majesty thinking the same, and if not, were no opinions at all.
"I think," said Fridolin presently, "that the pit of adders is the best place for him."
"Just so, sire."
"Exactly what we thought."
"The very thing," were the muttered exclamations which immediately passed round.
At this moment, Amabilia, rushed forward and threw herself at her father's feet.
"Oh, no! dear father," she cried in piteous tones; "not such a dreadful fate as that, poor boy. Pray be more merciful, for my sake."
Fridolin raised her affectionately from the ground.