‘I am afraid Your Majesty—’ cries Glumboso.
‘No business before breakfast, Glum!’ says the King.’ Breakfast first, business next. Mrs. V., some more sugar!’
‘Sire, I am afraid if we wait till after breakfast it will be too late,’ says Glumboso. ‘He—he—he’ll be hanged at half-past nine.’
‘Don’t talk about hanging and spoil my breakfast, you unkind, vulgar man you,’ cries the Princess. ‘John, some mustard. Pray who is to be hanged?’
‘Sire, it is the Prince,’ whispers Glumboso to the King.
‘Talk about business after breakfast, I tell you!’ says His Majesty, quite sulky.
‘We shall have a war, Sire, depend on it,’ says the Minister. ‘His father, King Padella. . .’
‘His father, King WHO?’ says the King. ‘King Padella is not Giglio’s father. My brother, King Savio, was Giglio’s father.’
‘It’s Prince Bulbo they are hanging, Sire, not Prince Giglio,’ says the Prime Minister.
‘You told me to hang the Prince, and I took the ugly one,’ says Hedzoff. ‘I didn’t, of course, think Your Majesty intended to murder your own flesh and blood!’