The Chancellor laughed sarcastically.
‘Oh, is it?’ said the Princess; ‘never mind, take him into custody; I depose him—he is no longer Chancellor.’
Merrymineral looked astonished, but the policeman cleared his throat and said:
‘Come, I say, young fellow; will you go quietly, or shall I make you?’
‘Oh, make me, by all means,’ answered Merrymineral.
So the policeman advanced and held out his hand to take him by the collar, but had no sooner touched Merrymineral than he fell to the ground as if he had been thunderstruck.
The Chancellor smiled. ‘I told you so,’ he said.
The Princess was now thoroughly nonplussed. However, she rang the bell again. Again the page appeared.
‘Summon the Lords of the Council; let them come here at once.’
Almost immediately afterwards the lords appeared. As they came in each one bowed profoundly to the Princess. But in spite of their grave appearance they could not help looking astonished at the policeman, who was lying on the floor, and at the three pages who were still sitting on the table—for as they had not yet been told to go they could not depart.