“How many people are there in the whole island?”
“No one knows, exactly. One hundred thousand, possibly.”
“Not ten thousand men apiece for the kings! Humph! In my country we have a million men in one town, and nobody but a common man to rule them.”
“Incredible!”
“And what is the name of your particular king,—the one who is lord of this part of the country?”
“King Brandegore; a wise, and good, and valiant monarch.”
“Tilly,” said the Professor, “you might as well jot that down. Eleven kings on the island, and King Brandegore running this part of the government. I must get acquainted with him.”
When the meal was finished the Professor said to the recluse,—
“Do you allow smoking?”
“Smoking!”