"Oh, that it should come to this!" cried the latter, putting the mind of the groom of the chambers into words.
"Mr. Harrison!" cried the Emperor, recovering himself near the door, "get up! get up from the floor, sir!"
But that gentleman was beyond movement, and was indeed at that moment vaguely considering whether he did not owe it to himself to be taken with a paralytic seizure. The Emperor, observing his meditative but complete prostration, condescended to approach him and to lend him a hand.
"Come, come, Mr. Harrison! Rise, I beg. Be a man, Mr. Harrison! Come, come! There, there! Lean against the wall. A glass of water, my dear!" (To the Empress.)
The Empress ran, bearing a tooth-glass brimful.
"There, there, Mr. Harrison! You're spilling it! That's right! You mistook my meaning."
"Sir?"
"I meant that I give you warning that we, Mrs. Lite and me, will hold you responsible for the maids and the valets."
Relief ran over the recovering groom of the chambers in a complete flood.
"Oh, certainly, sir! I beg pardon! Oh, by no—by all means!"