“Go away with you, do!” says the Princess.
“Quit the premises!” says Gruffanuff.
Alas! and woe is me! very lamentable events had occurred to Betsinda that morning, and all in consequence of that fatal warming-pan business of the previous night. The King had offered to marry her; of course Her Majesty the Queen was jealous; Bulbo had fallen in love with her; of course Angelica was furious: Giglio was in love with her, and oh, what a fury Gruffy was in!
| “Take off that | { | cap | } | I gave you,” they said, all at once, |
| { | petticoat | } | ||
| { | gown | } |
and began tearing the clothes off poor Betsinda.
| “How dare you flirt with | { | the King?” | } | cried the Queen, the Princess, and Countess. |
| { | Prince Bulbo?” | } | ||
| { | Prince Giglio?” | } |
“Give her the rags she wore when she came into the house and turn her out of it!” cries the Queen. “Mind she does not go with my shoes on, which I lent her so kindly,” says the Princess; and indeed the Princess’s shoes were a great deal too big for Betsinda.
“Come with me, you filthy hussy!” and taking up the Queen’s poker, the cruel Gruffanuff drove Betsinda into her room.
The Countess went to the glass box in which she had kept Betsinda’s old cloak and shoe this ever so long, and said, “Take those rags, you little beggar creature, and strip off everything belonging to honest people, and go about your business”; and she actually tore off the poor little delicate thing’s back almost all her things, and told her to be off out of the house.
Poor Betsinda huddled the cloak round her back, on which were embroidered the letters PRIN… ROSAL… and then came a great rent.