‘A halfp’th of cat’s-meat!’[5] sang out a small boy in the shop.
‘Why don’t you go and serve the customer?’ said the tripe-man, knocking the cup out of the queen’s hand.
Fearing another slap, she rose hastily to give the boy what he wanted, but not knowing one thing in the shop from another, she gave him a large piece of the best tripe fit for a prince.
‘Oh, what fine tripe to-day!’ cried the small boy, and ran away as fast as he could.
It was in vain the tripe-man halloed after him, he was in too great a hurry to secure his prize to think of returning.
‘Look what you’ve done!’ cried the tripe-man, giving the queen another slap; ‘you’ve given that boy for a penny a bunch of tripe worth a shilling.’ Luckily, other customers came in and diverted the man’s attention.
Presently all the tripe hanging up had been sold, and more customers kept coming in.
‘What has come to you, to-day!’ roared the tripe-man, as the queen stood not knowing what to do with herself. ‘Do you mean to say you haven’t washed that other lot of tripe!’ and this time he gave her a kick.
To escape his fury, the queen turned to do her best with washing the other tripe, but she did it so awkwardly that she got a volley of abuse and blows too.
Then came dinner-time, and nothing prepared, or even bought to prepare, for dinner. Another stormy scene ensued at the discovery, and the tripe-man went to dine at the inn, leaving her to go without any dinner at all, in punishment for having neglected to prepare it.