She got up as fast as she could; and when she had laid the table, the King and Queen came down.
‘I wish you’d knock at Treblo’s door and tell him we’re waiting breakfast for him,’ the Queen said to Ernalie, and she accordingly went; but she couldn’t get any answer, and she went downstairs once more and told them he seemed to be out.
‘I rather think he’s gone out for a walk,’ suggested the Princess.
‘It’s funny; he usedn’t to be fond of getting up so early. Just go to the door and see if he is coming across the fields.’
Ernalie obediently went to the door, and shading her eyes from the glare of the sun, looked over the fields towards the road.
‘I can’t see him,’ she said; ‘but there’s a whole lot of people coming across the field.’
‘What on earth do they want?’ he said. ‘It must be some fresh trick of Mumkie for bothering me.’
However, by this time the people had reached the garden gate, and they could hear a man’s step on the gravel-walk. It stopped at the door, and a knock was heard.
‘Come in,’ cried the King; and the man entered, bowing profoundly.
When the King saw who it was he looked surprised, and said:
‘Why, Lord Corax, what do you want with me?’
‘I have come to receive your Majesty’s orders,’ said the man in a singularly hoarse voice.
‘I mean your Majesty’s orders for the management of affairs,’ said the man, with a still deeper obeisance.
‘Oh! that’s what you mean, is it?’ he said.
‘It is, your Majesty,’ answered the courtier, bowing once more.
‘It strikes me you’re rather late in the day coming here, aren’t you?’ asked his Majesty.
‘It is, I believe, at the present moment thirty-five and a half minutes after eight A.M., your Majesty. At eight precisely I received orders from your Majesty’s son to come hither, bringing with me your Majesty’s coach and guard of honour. Likewise a person, by name Mumkie, who is for the future to inhabit this cottage, and to enjoy the privilege of using for his own purposes all the live stock—sheep, oxen, kine, sows, pigs, cocks, hens——’
‘That is enough. Tell them to get the carriage ready for three, and send Mumkie to me.’
‘Just so, your Majesty,’ said the courtier, and departed on his errand.
When he had gone the King said to the Queen and Ernalie:
