“‘And where’s your apothecary now?’
“‘That,’ said I, ‘is more than I can tell your Excellency.’
“Well, he thought and thought, and he poked and poked over his papers; and then he rang the bell. And presently they brought in a young man; and his Excellency asked me—
“‘Is this the gentleman who made your pills?’
“I looked at him, but it was quite a strange man.
“‘No, sir,’ said I; ‘I never saw the gentleman in my life.’ And the young man said the same thing. They showed him the pills, and he looked at them, and said—
“‘I don’t understand anything about it.’
“So then his Excellency poked and poked over the papers, and then he rang the bell, and whispered with somebody, and then with somebody else, and then he sent away the young man; and at last he said to me—
“‘Yes, there’s been a mistake; I hope you will not take it amiss.’
“‘God bless me!’ said I; ‘I’m glad enough to be alive!’