Now, I should like to know, and how did these fine courtiers show
their fidelity? One of King Cavolfiore's vassals, the Duke Padella
just mentioned, rebelled against the King, who went out to chastise
his rebellious subject. "Any one rebel against our beloved and august
Monarch!" cried the courtiers; "any one resist HIM? Pooh! He is
invincible, irresistible. He will bring home Padella a prisoner, and tie
him to a donkey's tail, and drive him round the town, saying, 'This is
the way the Great Cavolfiore treats rebels.'"
The King went forth to vanquish Padella; and the poor Queen, who was a
very timid, anxious creature, grew so frightened and ill that I am sorry
to say she died; leaving injunctions with her ladies to take care of
the dear little Rosalba. Of course they said they would. Of course they
vowed they would die rather than any harm should happen to the Princess.
At first the Crim Tartar Court Journal stated that the King was
obtaining great victories over the audacious rebel: then it was
announced that the troops of the infamous Padella were in flight: then
it was said that the royal army would soon come up with the enemy, and
then--then the news came that King Cavolfiore was vanquished and slain
by his Majesty, King Padella the First!
At this news, half the courtiers ran off to pay their duty to the
conquering chief, and the other half ran away, laying hands on all the
best articles in the palace; and poor little Rosalba was left there
quite alone--quite alone: she toddled from one room to another, crying,
"Countess! Duchess!" (only she said "Tountess, Duttess," not being
able to speak plain) "bring me my mutton-sop; my Royal Highness hungy!
Tountess! Duttess!" And she went from the private apartments into the
throne-room and nobody was there;--and thence into the ballroom and
nobody was there;--and thence into the pages' room and nobody was
there;--and she toddled down the great staircase into the hall and
nobody was there;--and the door was open, and she went into the court,
and into the garden, and thence into the wilderness, and thence into the
forest where the wild beasts live, and was never heard of any more!
A piece of her torn mantle and one of her shoes were found in the wood
in the mouths of two lionesses' cubs whom KING PADELLA and a royal
hunting party shot--for he was King now, and reigned over Crim Tartary.
"So the poor little Princess is done for," said he; "well, what's done
can't be helped. Gentlemen, let us go to luncheon!" And one of the
courtiers took up the shoe and put it in his pocket. And there was an
end of Rosalba!