Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898 -- Parodies, imitations, etc.; Fantasy fiction
He meant “respectfully,” of course, but you know how it is with letters.
One often writes the wrong word, don’t they? I know I do. Well, this
note was taken upstairs and put on the table, and presently the bell
rang again violently, and on going upstairs they found another note
beside it addressed to:
“Master Boy.”
He opened it at once and found the following words:
“Ohah promised that as soon as the Portmanteau was found we should be
made visible again, so please take the’ Portmanteau in one hand and
say, ‘I wish the Crown Prince of Zum and the Princess his wife to become
visible again as Ohah the Magician promised.’”
Boy ran downstairs for the Portmanteau, and grasping the handle firmly
with one hand repeated the words loudly.
[Illustration: 0199]
They were hardly out of his mouth before a thin mist appeared at one end
of the room which gradually divided and became more and more distinct,
till Boy could at last distinguish the outlines of the Prince and the
Princess, and in a very few moments he had the pleasure of seeing them
quite clearly.
“Ah! that’s better,” said His Royal Highness, with a sigh of relief,
when he was quite solid. “How do you feel, my dear?” he asked, turning
to the Princess, who, however, could not answer him yet, as only the
upper part of her head had appeared at present; she waved her hand,
though, to show that she was all right.
“I’m sure we are very much obliged to you,” said the Prince graciously
to Boy. “How did you know we were here?”
And then Boy had to tell them all about his visit to Zum and the
extraordinary events which had been happening since he had been there.
“And you are quite sure that my son is all right?” inquired the Prince
anxiously.
Boy explained how he had sent him to Drinkon College under the charge of
the Nurse and One-and-Nine.
And the Princess, who had by this time quite recovered her voice,
thanked him over and over again for all that he had done, and after
arranging that the Portmanteau should be sent to the King of Limesia the
next day they determined that it would be best for them to go back to
Zum that very night.
So the Prince’s horse was saddled, and with the Princess on a pillion
behind and Boy on a pony which belonged to the little King they rode
back through the gathering darkness to Zum.
All was quiet when they reached the Palace, and Boy led the way through
the private entrance. King Smith had not yet retired to rest and came
forward when he heard them enter. He recognised the Crown Prince at
once, and hastily tearing off his own crown and cloak, bowed low and
welcomed him back to the Palace.
“It is indeed a good thing for Zum, Your Highness, that you have
returned,” he said, “for things could not possibly have gone on like
this much longer. I am sure there is not a King in the place who will
not feel it a pleasure to abdicate in favour of Your Highness.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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