The idea of marrying such an old creature as Gruffanuff frightened
Prince Giglio so, that he ran up to his room, packed his trunks,
fetched in a couple of porters, and was off to the diligence office in a
twinkling.
It was well that he was so quick in his operations, did not dawdle over
his luggage, and took the early coach: for as soon as the mistake about
Prince Bulbo was found out, that cruel Glumboso sent up a couple of
policemen to Prince Giglio's room, with orders that he should be carried
to Newgate, and his head taken off before twelve o'clock. But the coach
was out of the Paflagonian dominions before two o'clock; and I dare say
the express that was sent after Prince Giglio did not ride very quick,
for many people in Paflagonia had a regard for Giglio, as the son of
their old sovereign; a Prince who, with all his weaknesses, was very
much better than his brother, the usurping, lazy, careless, passionate,
tyrannical, reigning monarch. That Prince busied himself with the balls,
fetes, masquerades, hunting-parties, and so forth, which he thought
proper to give on occasion of his daughter's marriage to Prince Bulbo;
and let us trust was not sorry in his own heart that his brother's son
had escaped the scaffold.
It was very cold weather, and the snow was on the ground, and
Giglio, who gave his name as simple Mr. Giles, was very glad to get a
comfortable place in the coupe of the diligence, where he sat with the
conductor and another gentleman. At the first stage from Blombodinga,
as they stopped to change horses, there came up to the diligence a very
ordinary, vulgar-looking woman, with a bag under her arm, who asked
for a place. All the inside places were taken, and the young woman was
informed that if she wished to travel, she must go upon the roof; and
the passenger inside with Giglio (a rude person, I should think), put
his head out of the window, and said, "Nice weather for travelling
outside! I wish you a pleasant journey, my dear." The poor woman coughed
very much, and Giglio pitied her. "I will give up my place to her,"
says he, "rather than she should travel in the cold air with that horrid
cough." On which the vulgar traveller said, "YOU'D keep her warm, I am
sure, if it's a MUFF she wants." On which Giglio pulled his nose, boxed
his ears, hit him in the eye, and gave this vulgar person a warning
never to call him MUFF again.
Then he sprang up gaily on to the roof of the diligence, and made
himself very comfortable in the straw. The vulgar traveller got down
only at the next station, and Giglio took his place again, and talked
to the person next to him. She appeared to be a most agreeable,
well-informed, and entertaining female. They travelled together till
night, and she gave Giglio all sorts of things out of the bag which
she carried, and which indeed seemed to contain the most wonderful
collection of articles. He was thirsty--out there came a pint bottle
of Bass's pale ale, and a silver mug! Hungry--she took out a cold fowl,
some slices of ham, bread, salt, and a most delicious piece of cold
plum-pudding, and a little glass of brandy afterwards.
As they travelled, this plain-looking, queer woman talked to Giglio on
a variety of subjects, in which the poor Prince showed his ignorance as
much as she did her capacity. He owned, with many blushes, how ignorant
he was; on which the lady said, "My dear Gigl--my good Mr. Giles, you
are a young man, and have plenty of time before you. You have nothing to
do but to improve yourself. Who knows but that you may find use for your
knowledge some day? When--when you may be wanted at home, as some people
may be."
"Good heavens, madam!" says he, "do you know me?"
"I know a number of funny things," says the lady. "I have been at some
people's christenings, and turned away from other folks' doors. I have
seen some people spoilt by good fortune, and others, as I hope, improved
by hardship. I advise you to stay at the town where the coach stops for
the night. Stay there and study, and remember your old friend to whom
you were kind."
"And who is my old friend?" asked Giglio.
"When you want anything," says the lady, "look in this bag, which I
leave to you as a present, and be grateful to--"
"To whom, madam?" says he.
"To the Fairy Blackstick," says the lady, flying out of the window. And
then Giglio asked the conductor if he knew where the lady was?
"What lady?" says the man; "there has been no lady in this coach, except
the old woman, who got out at the last stage." And Giglio thought he
had been dreaming. But there was the bag which Blackstick had given him
lying on his lap; and when he came to the town he took it in his hand
and went into the inn.
They gave him a very bad bedroom, and Giglio, when he woke in the
morning, fancying himself in the Royal Palace at home, called, "John,
Charles, Thomas! My chocolate--my dressing-gown--my slippers;" but
nobody came. There was no bell, so he went and bawled out for water on
the top of the stairs.