The Floral Games
From the painting by Jacques Wagrez. Permission of Braun,
Clement & Co.
Ere he could take it from her hand, however, with a snort and bellow like that of a bull, my lord Aldobrandino faced the Queen.
"Gramercy," he cried, "shall so fair a prize be won foully by false plagiarism?"
"What charge is this you make," demanded Queen Eleanor.
"That yon traitor stole from me that songlet of the peach, and though he has trussed it out of countenance with gawds of his own invention still the root of the matter is mine."
"What answer you to this accusation, Richard?" asked the Queen.
"That he speaks truly," Richard replied, "mine is indeed a spilling cup."
The queen was loth to give judgment against her favourite and there was wrangling between her advisors as to what amount of theft were admissible in literature, but their opinion was stricter than I pray yours may be, most gentle reader, and they gave their verdict, "The prize is to Prince Aldobrandino."