第42章

"Who are you, sir, and by what right do you dare to come here?"Her tone was neither very sweet nor suave; but it was much pleasanter to be cross-examined by the owner of such a pretty face than by the ugly little monster, for the moment gasping and extinguished; and Sir Norman turned to her with alacrity, and a bow.

"Madame, I am Sir Norman Kingsley, very much at your service; and I beg to assure you I did not come here, but fell here, through that hole, if you perceive, and very much against my will.""Equivocation will not serve you in this case, sir," said the queen, with an austere dignity."And, allow me to observe, it is just probable you would not have fallen through that hole in our royal ceiling if you had kept away from it.You raised that flag yourself - did you not?""Madam, I fear I must say yes!"

"And why did you do so?" demanded her majesty, with far more sharp asperity than Sir Norman dreamed could ever come from such beautiful lips.

"The rumor of Queen Miranda's charms has gone forth; and I fear Imust own that rumor drew me hither," responded Sir Norman, inventing a polite little work of fiction for the occasion; "and, let me add, that I came to find that rumor had under-rated instead of exaggerated her majesty's said charms."Here Sir Norman, whose spine seemed in danger of becoming the shape of a rainbow, in excess of good breeding, made another genuflection before the queen, with his hand over the region of his heart.Miranda tried to look grave, and wear that expression of severe solemnity I am told queens and rich people always do;but, in spite of herself, a little pleased smile rippled over her face; and, noticing it, and the bow and speech, the prince suddenly and sharply set up such another screech of laughter as no steamboat or locomotive, in the present age of steam, could begin to equal in ghastliness.

"Will your highness have the goodness to hold your tongue?"inquired the queen, with much the air and look of Mrs.Caudle, "and allow me to ask this stranger a few questions uninterrupted?

Sir Norman Kingsley, how long have you been above there, listening and looking on?""Madame, I was not there five minutes when I suddenly, and to my great surprise, found myself here.""A lie! - a lie!" exclaimed the dwarf, furiously."It is over two hours since I met you at the bar of the Golden Crown.""My dear little friend," said Sir Norman, drawing his sword, and flourishing it within an inch of the royal nose, "just make that remark again, and my sword will cleave your pretty head, as the cimetar of Saladin clove the cushion of down! I earnestly assure you, madame, that I had but just knelt down to look, when Idiscovered to my dismay, that I was no longer there, but in your charming presence.""In that case, my lords and gentlemen," said the queen, glancing blandly round the apartment, "he has witnessed nothing, and, therefore, merits but slight punishment.""Permit me, your majesty," said the duke, who had read the roll of death, and who had been eyeing Sir Norman sharply for some time, "permit me one moment! This is the very individual who slew the Earl of Ashley, while his companion was doing for my Lord Craven.Sir Norman Kingsley," said his grace, turning, with awful impressiveness to that young person, "do you know me?""Quite as well as I wish to," answered Sir Norman, with a cool and rather contemptuous glance in his direction."You look extremely like a certain highwayman, with a most villainous countenance, I encountered a few hours back, and whom I would have made mince most of if he lead not been coward enough to fly.

Probably you may be the name; you look fit for that, or anything else.""Cut him down!" "Dash his brains out!" "Run him through!" "Shoot him!" were a few of the mild and pleasant insinuations that went off on every side of him, like a fierce volley of pop-guns; and a score of bright blades flashed blue and threatening on every side; while the prince broke out into another shriek of laughter, that rang high over all.

Sir Norman drew his own sword, and stood on the defence, breathed one thought to Leoline, gave himself up for lost; but before quite doing so - to use a phrase not altogether as original as it might be - "determined to sell his life as dearly as possible."Angry eyes and fierce faces were on every hand, and his dreams of matrimony and Leoline seemed about to terminate then and there, when luck came to his side, in the shape of her most gracious majesty the queen.Springing to her feet, she waved her sceptre, while her black eyes flashed as fiercely as the best of them, and her voice rang out like a trumpet-tone.

"Sheathe your swords, my lords, and back every man of you! Not one hair of his head shall fall without my permission; and the first who lays hands on him until that consent is given, shall die, if I have to shoot him myself! Sir Norman Kingsley, stand near, and fear not.At his peril, let one of them touch you: "Sir Norman bent on one knee, and raised the gracious hand to his lips.At the fierce, ringing, imperious tone, all involuntarily fell back, as if they were accustomed to obey it; and the prince, who seemed to-night in an uncommonly facetious mood, laughed again, long and shrill.

"What are your majesty's commands?" asked the discomfited duke, rather sulkily."Is this insulting interloper to go free?""That is no affair of yours, my lord duke!" answered the spirited voice of the queen."Be good enough to finish Lord Gloucester's trial; and until then I will be responsible for the safekeeping of Sir Norman Kingsley.""And after that, he is to go free eh, your majesty?" said the dwarf, laughing to that extent that he ran the risk of rupturing an artery.