“The dev—! Well, come, you shall be satisfied; I will go and see his majesty, and tell him that you want to be queen, though I know he will shoot me on the spot.”
Ramona bestowed a caress on her husband in reward for his consent, and our good Juan made his way to the court cursing his own foolish weakness of character.
Contrary to his expectations, the emperor hastened to grant him an audience, and received him with the accustomed smile.
“Well, marquis, what is it?” he asked.
“What ought it to be, sire? A fresh impertinence.”
“Come, out with it man, and don't be bashful. Something concerning the marchioness, eh?”
“You've hit it again, sire. These foolish women are never content.”
“Well, what does yours want?”
“Nothing, sire. She says, would it please your majesty to make her queen?”
“Queen! nothing more than that? Well, she is queen already, then. Now, go into the dining-room, and see if there is anything there you can destroy; and, instead of returning to the palace of Marville, go to the palace of the Crown, where you will find your wife installed as becomes the Queen of Micomican.”