"It was in this room that we dressed you up as an owl, Bonbon; and you sat here groaning under Siddy's mantle when the Sovereign surprised us."
"And where you received punishment," replied Benno, "because you had so disfigured a poor fellow like me."
"Fix him up again!" cried Siddy.
"Victor took a colored silk handkerchief, formed two points by knots for ear-tufts, and covered the head of the Hereditary Prince, who quietly submitted. His serious face, with his dark eyebrows, looked strangely from under the covering.
"The feather-coat is wanting," exclaimed Siddy; "we must imagine it. I am the quail, and Victor the cock. I know the melody that we used to improvise as children."
She flew to the pianoforte and ran over the notes. The Hereditary Prince twisted the theatre-bill, which he pulled out of his pocket, into a cornet, and cried into it, "Tu-whit, tu-whoo, Mrs. Quail, I eat you."
The quail sang: "Pik werwit old tu-wooh, that you will not do." And the cock crows, "Cock-a-doodle-doo, dearest quail, I love you."
"That has never been true, Victor," said the Princess, in the midst of the game.
"Who knows?" rejoined he; "cock-a-doodle-doo."
The concert was in full flow. Victor sprang about, clapped his hands and crowed; the Hereditary Prince on his chair screeched unweariedly like an owl; Siddy moved her head in time, sang her pik-wer-wit, calling out occasionally, "You are very funny little boys." A slight knocking was heard; they quickly left off their play; the sabre was restored to its belt; and the quail became in a moment the distinguished lady.