The Court Poet, who was a very curious-looking man, was dressed in a tightly-fitting velvet costume with a deep lace collar, and wore his hair very long. He had most prominent eyes, which he rolled about in a grotesque way as he spoke. When thus called upon he arose, and tragically clutching his hair with one hand, he waved the other about frantically, while he began in a shrill voice:—
THE CAUSE OF DISMAY.
“Oh, men of Zum, what shall we do?
Our King has no successor;
The Prince has vanished from our view,
And—and-”
“Well, go on!” shouted several voices.
“vanished from our view,
And—and——”
repeated the Court Poet, turning very pale.