_Queen._ And sure thou art like nothing but thyself.[85] [_Aside._ _King._ Enough! the vast idea fills my soul. I see them--yes, I see them now before me: The monstrous, ugly, barb'rous sons of clods. But ha! what form majestic strikes our eyes? So perfect, that it seems to have been drawn[86] By all the gods in council: so fair she is, That surely at her birth the council paused, And then at length cry'd out, This is a woman! _Thumb._ Then were the gods mistaken--she is not A woman, but a giantess----whom we, With much ado, have made a shift to haul[87] Within the town: for she is by a foot[88] Shorter than all her subject giants were. _Glum._ We yesterday were both a queen and wife, One hundred thousand giants own'd our sway. Twenty whereof were married to ourself. _Queen._ Oh! happy state of giantism where husbands Like mushrooms grow, whilst hapless we are forced To be content, nay, happy thought, with one. _Glum._ But then to lose them all in one black day, That the same sun which, rising, saw me wife To twenty giants, setting should behold Me widow'd of them all.----My worn-out heart,[89] That ship, leaks fast, and the great heavy lading, My soul, will quickly sink. _Queen._ Madam, believe I view your sorrows with a woman's eye: But learn to bear them with what strength you may, To-morrow we will have our grenadiers Drawn out before you, and you then shall choose What husbands you think fit. _Glum._ Madam, I am[90] Your most obedient and most humble servant. _King._ Think, mighty princess, think this court your own, Nor think the landlord me, this house my inn; Call for whate'er you will, you'll nothing pay. I feel a sudden pain within my breast,[91] Nor know I whether it arise from love Or only the wind-cholic. Time must show. O Thumb! what do we to thy valour owe! Ask some reward, great as we can bestow. _Thumb._ I ask not kingdoms, I can conquer those;[92] I ask not money, money I've enough; For what I've done, and what I mean to do, For giants slain, and giants yet unborn Which I will slay----if this be call'd a debt, Take my receipt in full: I ask but this,-- To sun myself in Huncamunca's eyes.[93] _King._ Prodigious bold request. _Queen._ Be still, my soul.[94] [_Aside._ _Thumb._ My heart is at the threshold of your mouth,[95] And waits its answer there.----Oh! do not frown. I've try'd to reason's tune to tune my soul, But love did overwind and crack the string. Though Jove in thunder had cry'd out, YOU SHAN'T, I should have loved her still----for oh, strange fate, Then when I loved her least I loved her most! _King._ It is resolv'd--the princess is your own.