Mrs. Duddlestone clasped her fat little hands with delight.
"And shall I see the Queen?" she exclaimed.
"And see both the Queen and myself," answered the Prince. "Come, John, say you will do so!"
"Surely, sir," said John, "I should like to give the good woman a bit of pleasure in that way, but your grand servants would shut the doors before us, and never let us in, perhaps."
"I can soon set that right!" and taking a card from his pocket, Prince George wrote a few words on it, and gave it to them.
"That will gain you ready admission," he said, "and now I must leave you. Next time we meet, I shall entertain and care for you. For the present, I thank you for your kind welcome and good dinner, which I have heartily enjoyed."
Then rising, he and the officer bade farewell to the good people and took their leave.
Language Lesson--Let pupils use other words to express what is given below in dark type.
I _must needs go_.
Indeed, _but I"m proud_.
Ours is _but humble fare_.
He _pulled the latch_.
So I _meddle with none_.
To see _the great sights_.
Notes.--Queen Anne ruled over England from 1702 to 1714. Royal Highness is a t.i.tle belonging to all persons in a royal family.
LESSON x.x.xIV.
de sired", _asked; expressed a wish_.
as sem"bled, _come together_.
in tro duce", _make known_.
sum"moned, _called_.
knight, _a man of n.o.ble position_.
grat"i tude, _thankfulness_.
el"e gant, _beautiful; handsome_.
pos sess"ing, _having; holding_.
dis play", _a grand show_.
e vent", _anything that takes place_.
TRUE COURTESY.
PART II.
It was some weeks later that John Duddlestone found his stock of whalebone was growing low.
"Wife," said he, "the whalebone"s nearly gone, and I must have some more at once."
"Surely, John, I know well it"s nearly gone!" she answered. "Haven"t I watched every bit as you"ve used it? and haven"t I pretty near cried to see it go so slowly?"
"Pooh! you foolish woman!" he cried.
"But, John, you"ll take me, and go to see the King and Queen?" she inquired.
"Why, you silly woman, do you think I should leave you behind, when I know you"re nearly crazed to go?"
"O John, John, you dear, good man! I"ve mended all my dresses, and made myself trim and neat. I"ve seen to your coats; and all"s done; and I feel as if I could scarcely live till I see the Queen."
"You"d best keep alive," said her husband; "and if all goes well we"ll start by the coach on Monday."
Monday was as lovely a day as heart could wish; and John and his wife walked down the Bristol streets to the public-house from which the coach was to start.
It was a great event in Mrs. Duddlestone"s life, for she had never been beyond her own town, except for a drive into the country in a neighbor"s cart.
They were quiet people; but it had got about the town, that they were going to London to visit the Queen, and numbers came out to see them go.
Perhaps some of the great merchants wished they had been simple and humble enough to offer to entertain Prince George when he had visited their town.
They journeyed straight to London, where John bought his whalebone, and then found their way to St. James" Palace, where, presenting the Prince"s card, they gained ready admittance.