KING OF HEARTS. And thou hast suspicion? JOKER. True, my lord, I have. KING OF HEARTS. Name him, Sir Joker. ALL. Ay, name him--name him! JOKER. Nay, nay, my liege. 'Twere unjust falsely to accuse-- KING OF HEARTS. Name him, Sir Joker! ALL. Ay, name him! JOKER. My lord-- KING OF HEARTS. Name him. I command thee! JOKER. Hath no man stolen before? KING OF HEARTS. Thou meanest-- JOKER. The Knave of Hearts. ALL (_lifting their hands_). The Knave of Hearts! KING OF HEARTS. The rascal Knave! Where is he? Come, come, I must have him! He is not here? Then hale me hither that churlish lout, and heavily shall he pay his sins! (_Exeunt the three KNAVES, L._) Aha! but there is no cause for laughter here! KING OF SPADES (_very much excited, throws himself in an exhausted condition on the bench, L._). Laughter--laughter? Well, I should say thee nay! Is the larder robbed? QUEEN OF HEARTS. Nay, he has but taken the fire-crackers. KING OF SPADES. The crackers--the crackers! Did he take the cheese too? JOKER. Nothing else is gone. King of Spades. Ah, fortune be praised! QUEEN OF CLUBS (_to QUEEN OF HEARTS_). And did you fashion these fire-crackers? KING OF HEARTS. With her own hands she fashioned them. JOKER. One for each guest. QUEEN OF CLUBS. Indeed--indeed! And is the Queen as dexterous at the fashioning of fire-crackers as she is at the baking of water-crackers and other light confections? QUEEN OF HEARTS. You are sweet so to flatter me. QUEEN OF CLUBS. But I so well remember the Christmas pie. KING OF SPADES. Pie! Where is the pie? JOKER. It was eaten last Christmas, the pie. KING OF SPADES. Oh, alack! JOKER. But it was a noteworthy pie. I have rhymed upon it. Pray listen. [_Sings._] "Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye, Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie; When the pie was opened The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish to set before the King?" KING OF SPADES. Indeed that must have been a toothsome dish. [_Noise and commotion without. Enter the KNAVES, L., two dragging, one pushing the KNAVE OF HEARTS. He is forced to his knees in front of the KING OF HEARTS' throne._] KING OF HEARTS (_sternly_). There be severe accusations against thee, Knave. KNAVE OF HEARTS. Oh, my King! I pray-- [Illustration: "DIDST THOU STEAL THE FIRE-CRACKERS?"] KING OF HEARTS. Silence, churl! Answer but my questions. Didst thou steal the fire-crackers? KNAVE OF HEARTS. Not "steal," my lord. KING OF HEARTS. Didst thou steal the fire-crackers? KNAVE OF HEARTS. I did but take them from the table. KING OF HEARTS. Thou makest confession, then? KNAVE OF HEARTS. My lord, my lord, I would but say one word in explanation.