Every Girl's Library, Volume 8 of 10: A Collection of Appropriate and Instructive Reading for Girls of All Ages from the Best Authors of All Time
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Every Girl's Library, Volume 8 of 10: A Collection of Appropriate and Instructive Reading for Girls of All Ages from the Best Authors of All Time
Literature -- Collections
"You little vulgar thing!" says the Princess.
"You beast!" says Gruffanuff.
"Get out of my sight!" says the Queen.
"Go away with you, do!" says the Princess.
"Quit the premises!" says Gruffanuff.
Alas! and woe is me! very lamentable events had occurred to Betsinda
that morning, and all in consequence of that fatal warming-pan business
of the previous night. The King had offered to marry her; of course her
Majesty the Queen was jealous: Bulbo had fallen in love with her; of
course Angelica was furious; Giglio was in love with her, and oh, what a
fury Gruffy was in!
"Give her the rags she wore when she came into the house, and turn her
out of it!" cries the Queen.
"Mind she does not go with _my_ shoes on, which I lent her so kindly,"
says the Princess; and indeed the Princess' shoes were a great deal too
big for Betsinda.
"Come with me, you filthy hussy!" and taking up the Queen's poker the
cruel Gruffanuff drove Betsinda into her room.
The Countess went to the glass box in which she had kept Betsinda's old
cloak, and shoes this ever so long, and said, "Take those rags, you
little beggar creature, and strip off everything belonging to honest
people, and go about your business." And she actually tore off the poor
little delicate thing's back almost all her things, and told her to be
off out of the house.
Poor Betsinda huddled the cloak round her back, on which were
embroidered the letters PRIN ... ROSAL ... and then came a great rent.
As for the shoe, what was she to do with one poor little tootsey sandal?
The string was still to it, so she hung it round her neck.
"Won't you give me a pair of shoes to go out in the snow, mum, if you
please, mum?" cried the poor child.
"No, you wicked beast!" says Gruffanuff, driving her along with the
poker--driving her down the cold stairs--driving her through the cold
hall--flinging her out into the cold street, so that the knocker itself
shed tears to see her!
But a kind Fairy made the soft snow warm for her little feet, and she
wrapped herself up in the ermine of her mantle, and was gone!
"And now let us think about breakfast," says the greedy Queen.
"What dress shall I put on, mamma? the pink or the pea-green?" says
Angelica. "Which do you think the dear Prince will like best?"
"Mrs. V.!" sings out the King from his dressing-room, "let us have
sausages for breakfast! Remember we have Prince Bulbo staying with us!"
And they all went to get ready.
Nine o'clock came, and they were all in the breakfast room, and no
Prince Bulbo as yet. The urn was hissing and humming: the muffins were
smoking--such a heap of muffins! the eggs were done; there was a pot of
raspberry jam, and coffee, and a beautiful chicken and tongue on the
side-table. Marmatonio the cook brought in the sausages. Oh, how nice
they smelt!
"Where is Bulbo?" said the King.
"John, where is his Royal Highness?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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