He strikes with the knocker: "Toc! toc!"
"Who is there?" asks the porter, putting his head out of the wicket.
"'Tis I, Drakestail. I wish to speak to the king."
"Speak to the king! That's easily said. The king is dining, and will not be disturbed."
"Tell him that it is I, and I have come he well knows why."
The porter shuts his wicket and goes up to say it to the king, who was just sitting down to dinner with a napkin round his neck, and all his ministers.
"Good, good!" said the king, laughing. "I know what it is! Make him come in, and put him with the turkeys and chickens."
The porter descends.
"Have the goodness to enter."
"Good!" says Drakestail to himself, "I shall now see how they eat at court."