Part 46 (1/2)
Mrs. Russell here made desperate efforts to catch the royal eye, but to no purpose, for that eye was fixed on Katie.
”Yis,” continued ”His Majesty,” ”an' afore to-morrow noon it 'ud be all hers, any time at all--crown an' sceptre an' all--an' the marriage ceremony cud come off in the mornin', loike Tim:
”'Oh, married was Tim at the dawn av day; His bride was a stout owld widdy; She owned a horse, an' she owned a shay, An' her maiden name was Biddy.'”
The habits of this ill.u.s.trious being were singular, and his tendency to make odd quotations, which were not always particularly relevant, was not the least surprising of his ways. In this last quotation Mrs.
Russell found several objectionable expressions; but on the whole the idea was a flattering one, for the subject of the narrative was represented as ”marrying a widow;” and this little circ.u.mstance was taken as a fresh proof of ”His Majesty's” devotion.
”Yez mustn't think,” continued ”His Majesty,” ”that there's any lack av our r'y'l attintion to yez because yez haven't got much to brag av in the way av food; begorra! I'm in the same box mesilf, an' it isn't much at all at all I can get here except mutton, an' it's mesilf that 'ud give all the mutton in Spain for a bit av a pratie. Howandiver, I hope to get some fish by to-morrow mornin'. If we could only get a taste av a few praties there'd be nothin' wantin'; for--
”'It's little I axes, Au' little I wish; If others want luxuries, let them; For praties and fish Make an illigant dish, If ye only have whiskey to wet them.'”
These and other cheerful remarks of a general nature were addressed by ”His Majesty” to the company at large. It is true, the royal eye was fixed exclusively on Katie, and therefore the royal remarks were probably so many efforts to do the agreeable to her. But that young lady persistently evaded the royal eye; and as Dolores was disregarded altogether, it was natural enough that Mrs. Russell should appropriate all the royal remarks and make the necessary replies.
”Ah, sire! your 'Royal Majesty' is so very funny! Are all the crowned heads thus?”
”All av thim--ivery mother's son av thim. An' they're an illigant lot. But moind this--it's mesilf that bates the whole lot, out-an'-out. Ye know, I'm not only King av Spain, but heir to the crown av France.”
”Is it possible?” said Mrs. Russell.
”Divil a loie I'm tellin',” said ”His Majesty.” ”It's thrue, so it is. I'm nixt av kin to Heuri Cinq?that's Chambord, ye know. The Count av Paris is Orleans, not Bourbon. I'm Bourbon, begorra! An' whin Chambord doies, an' the nixt revolution takes place in France, I'll march on Paris an' give pace to that unhappy counthry. An', be jabers! I'll take me wife wid me, an' we'll live in Paris, an' I'll get her the most illigant dhresses, an' coort coschumes, an' bonnets, an' boots, an' laces, an' gims, an' jools, that iver any woman wore.
The Quane av Spain 'll be the Quane av France too; an' what's more, she'll be the quane of beauty an' fas.h.i.+on, an' the ex-Empress Eugenie'll be nowhere. She'll be forgotten.”
It was thus that the royal wooer tried to dazzle Katie's imagination; but whatever the effect on her may have been, it is certain that Mrs.
Russell experienced the full effect of the dazzling visions which those words were intended to call up.
”An' now,” said ”His Majesty,” starting up, ”we must be off. We've got business. But we hope to see yez soon, an' have it all arranged.
Whisper, darlint”--and he bent down his royal head close to Mrs.
Russell's tingling ear--”whisper, jool: I'm wantin' to have a discoorse wid ye--somethin' important--I must see ye alone. It's ill convaynient just now, an' I don't want to be overheard. I'll wait till the gyerruls are aslape, an' I'll luk in. Ye'll moind, will ye?
This noight, jool.”
”Ah, sire--ah, 'Your Majesty,'” sighed Mrs. Russell, ”I'm ready--why not now?”
”Whis-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-sht! shure ye'll spoil all, so ye will. Only moind--to-noight!”
”Ah, sire, I'll never forget--never--never!”
”Thin moind to be on the luk-out,” said ”His Majesty;” and with these remarkable words he retreated, leaving Mrs. Russell in a state of mind which, as the novelists say, ”can better be imagined than described.”
CHAPTER XXIX.
HOW HARRY PAYS ANOTHER VISIT, AND MEETS WITH A STRANGE ADVENTURE.