Yac. I heard he overcame the ragans at an argument about the Image.
Bar. Why, I don't know how that was, but it was the doating old ragan did their business; and truly the king's fingers itched to be on Peter's side, but I gave him a judicious nod, and you know he durst not displease so dear a friend as I am; ha, ha, ha! Am not I a sad fellow, my love, to talk so of my king?
Yac. He that wants but one step to a throne, is almost a king's fellow
Bar. And that but a short one too, my dear Yaccee; but I must get rid of that Nasgig, though I think I have almost spoiled him with the king, too. I don't love your thinking rascals: that fellow thinks more than I do, Yaccee.
Yac. He'll never think to so good purpose, I believe. But how goes cousin Harlokin on? I find Gauingrunt is gone over.
Bar. And so shall Bazin, Istell, Pezele, and Ginkatt too, my dear; for I am at work there. And then good-night, my poor King Georigetti; thou shalt be advised to fly, and I'll keep the throne warm for thee.—I don't see but King Barbarsa and Queen Yaccombourse sound much better than Georigetti. Well, my dear, whenever we come to sovereignty, which now cannot be long, if Nicor has but played his part well, for I have not had an account of his success yet; I say, when we come into power, never let us be above minding our own affairs, or suffer ourselves to be led by the nose, as this poor insignificant king does. For, in short, he may as well be a king of mats, as a king of flesh, if he will not use his faculties, but suffer me to make a fool of him thus; and I should be a fool indeed to neglect it, when he thinks it the greatest piece of service I can do him.
Yac. Come, come, my dear! let us enjoy ourselves like king and queen till we come to the dignity.
Finding a pause, the king, who had admirably kept his temper, even beyond imagination, stole into the outer room. "Peter," says he, "I thank you; you have shown me myself. What fools are we kings! In endeavouring to make others happy, how miserable do we make ourselves! How easily are we deceived by the designing flattery of those below us!—Ungrateful villain!—Degenerate strumpet!—I hate you both.—Peter," says he, "give me your sword; I'll destroy them both immediately."
"Hold, sir," says I, "your majesty has heard sufficient to found a true judgment upon; but kings should not be executioners, or act by passion or revenge; but as you would punish that in others, so carefully avoid it yourself. You who are in so exalted a station, as always to have it in your power to punish a known crime in individuals, have not that necessity to prompt you to a violent act that private persons have, to whom it may be difficult to obtain justice. Therefore my advice is, that you summon the colambs to-morrow, when Barbarsa and Nicor cannot fail to attend; and I would also desire Yaccombourse to be there, you having great proposals to make to the states which you shall want her to hear. I will in the meantime prepare the servants under Quilly, and order Maleck with another posse to attend, as by your command, to execute your orders given by me, and I myself will impeach those bad persons in public; and Nicor, if he will not ingenuously confess what commission he was charged with from Barbarsa, shall be put to the torture I direct, till he discovers it."
The king was very well pleased with this method; so I ordered Quilly, as from the king, to bring all my servants to the assembly, appointing him his place, and Maleck to select me fifty stout persons and to wait to execute my orders on a signal given. So soon as the assembly met, I told them, since I had concerned myself in their affairs, I had made it my business to search into the cause of their calamities; and finding some of the traitors were now approached, not only near to, but even into the capital city, his majesty had therefore ordered me to ask their advice, what punishment was adequate, in their judgments, to the crime of conspiring against him and the State, and holding treasonable correspondence with his enemies under the show of his greatest friends.