Fairies -- Fiction; Great Britain -- History -- Edward VII, 1901-1910 -- Fiction; Siblings -- Fiction; Wishes -- Fiction
Bill was a man who knew his business. In a very little while, the
photographic views, the spyglasses you look at them through so that they
really seem rather real, and the lights you see them by, were all packed
away. A curtain--it was an old red-and-black carpet really--was run
across the tent. Robert was concealed behind, and Bill was standing on a
trestle-table outside the tent making a speech. It was rather a good
speech. It began by saying that the giant it was his privilege to
introduce to the public that day was the eldest son of the Emperor of
San Francisco, compelled through an unfortunate love affair with the
Duchess of the Fiji Islands to leave his own country and take refuge in
England--the land of liberty--where freedom was the right of every man,
no matter how big he was. It ended by the announcement that the first
twenty who came to the tent door should see the giant for threepence
apiece. "After that," said Bill, "the price is riz, and I don't
undertake to say what it won't be riz to. So now's yer time."
A young man with his sweetheart on her afternoon out was the first to
come forward. For this occasion his was the princely attitude--no
expense spared--money no object. His girl wished to see the giant? Well,
she should see the giant, even though seeing the giant cost threepence
each and the other entertainments were all penny ones.
The flap of the tent was raised--the couple entered. Next moment a wild
shriek from the girl thrilled through all present. Bill slapped his leg.
"That's done the trick!" he whispered to 'Becca. It was indeed a
splendid advertisement of the charms of Robert.
When the young girl came out she was pale and trembling, and a crowd was
round the tent.
[Illustration: When the girl came out she was pale and trembling]
"What was it like?" asked a farm-hand.
"Oh!--horrid!--you wouldn't believe," she said. "It's as big as a barn,
and that fierce. It froze the blood in my bones. I wouldn't ha' missed
seeing it for anything."
The fierceness was only caused by Robert's trying not to laugh. But the
desire to do that soon left him, and before sunset he was more inclined
to cry than laugh, and more inclined to sleep than either. For, by ones
and twos and threes, people kept coming in all the afternoon, and Robert
had to shake hands with those who wished it, and to allow himself to be
punched and pulled and patted and thumped, so that people might make
sure he was really real.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account