Without having recourse to a mirror, he knew exactly how large was the rent in his predecessor’s skin and the difficulties he would have in repairing it. Had it been possible to present himself boldly before his subjects he might have searched in the other houses of the village and probably found needles and thread to repair the damage; but now that he could show no more than his face, such an opportunity for benefiting himself was out of the question.
Mechanically he looked about him, although every article in the room was familiar, and perhaps he had opened the desk for at least the twentieth time, when his eyes fell upon a piece of string.
It was what he most needed, and with it the rent made by “envious fortune” might possibly be repaired.
Taking off the hide carefully and with considerable difficulty, he found that it had been split from just below the jointure of the tail to a distance of fully twelve inches straight up the back, and of course in that particular place his body would serve to make the opening greater.
It was necessary to close it as nearly as possible, and with a splinter of wood as an awl with which to puncture the hide, he finally succeeded in lacing it up like a shoe.
The job was anything rather than satisfactory. The nearest-sighted ape on the island would have perceived at once that there was something the matter with the king’s back, and so familiar were Philip’s subjects with their monarch, there could be no question about their immediately investigating the cause of his singular appearance. Once curiosity was aroused in this direction the secret must be exposed within a very few moments, and he knew that his life would be spared only so long as he succeeded in keeping the apes at a proper distance.
One can readily imagine his condition of mind when he put on, probably for the last time, the dress of skin which had brought him such questionable honors and might now prove to be the immediate cause of his death. He could well say “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” when only the face should be seen by the subjects.
Goliah’s suspicions were undoubtedly aroused, and beyond a question he would be the first, under the guise of excessive loyalty, to discover why the military review had been brought to such an abrupt termination. Therefore Philip understood that unless he could remain in a sitting posture during the balance of his reign, discovery of his false character was certain, and also that under no circumstances must his followers be allowed to approach him.
The entire night was passed in these gloomy reflections, and when the first gray light of dawn appeared in the sky the chattering of apes under his window told Philip that his followers had come to learn the cause of his sudden indisposition.
That they would remain until he showed himself was absolutely positive, and without opening the door he stepped from the window to the balcony as a great howl of joy went up from the assembled throng. They danced and cut capers as if imploring the king to come down, and at the risk of disarranging his very tender hide he was obliged to show them many a royal caper before their anxious solicitude could be stilled in the slightest degree.