“How so?” said the hunchback, sharply.
“With a little remedy of my own,” said I, tapping my pouch.
“Bah!” said the Fool, jerking the monkey’s cord. “Go home, madman, you are wasting your time.”
“One moment!” I said. “Conduct me to the King, I beg you. You shall see me prove my boast.”
He looked up at me sidewise. “Pouf!” said he, snapping his fingers. “Old Fatchaps is as big a fool as you are. Here; I’ll give you a chance; there’s nobody here to help me. I ask you, will you help me? I have a plan to gather the leaves together and burn them. With your help I can do it, and we will save the people together. Will you help?”
“Not I,” said I, laughing again. “The people would tear us both to pieces.”
“What does that matter?” said the Fool.
“It matters to me,” said I.
“Is that your choice?” said the Fool. “You have made your choice? Done, then. Come with me. I will take you to the King; and you will wish that I hadn’t. Oh, these fools! The time is coming when I must take the case in hand myself, all alone; for I will tell you a secret; lend me your ear.” He pulled my head down, and whispered fiercely in my ear. “I love this people, and I will save them; whether they will or no. D’ye hear? They are my people, and they must be saved! Whether they will or no! And then what a bonfire! What a bonfire!”
He jerked the monkey’s cord again, and made off swiftly. We followed him, and my sister said to me, in a low voice, “Do you think he is mad?”