PRINCESS FLUFF.
Now when the new king had entered the palace with his sister, the chief
counselor stood upon a golden balcony with the great book in his hand,
and read aloud, to all the people who were gathered below, the law in
regard to choosing a new king, and the severe penalty in case any
refused to obey his slightest wish. And the people were glad enough to
have a change of rulers, and pleased that so young a king had been given
them. So they accepted both the law and the new king cheerfully, and
soon dispersed to their homes to talk over the wonderful events of the
day.
Bud and Meg were ushered into beautifully furnished rooms on the second
floor of the palace, and old Jikki, finding that he had a new master to
serve, flew about in his usual nervous manner, and brought the children
the most delicious breakfast they had ever eaten in their lives.
Bud had been so surprised at his reception at the gate and the sudden
change in his condition that as yet he had not been able to collect his
thoughts. His principal idea was that he was in a dream, and he kept
waiting until he should wake up. But the breakfast was very real and
entirely satisfying, and he began to wonder if he could be dreaming,
after all.
The old servant, when he carried away the dishes, bowed low to Bud and
said: “Beg pardon, your Majesty! But the lord high counselor desires to
know the king’s will.”
Bud stared at him a moment thoughtfully.
“Tell him I want to be left alone to talk with my sister Fluff,” he
replied.
Jikki again bowed low and withdrew, closing the door behind him, and
then the children looked at each other solemnly, until Meg burst into a
merry laugh.
“Oh, Bud!” she cried, “think of it! I’m the royal Princess Fluff, and
you’re the King of all Noland! Isn’t it funny!” And then she danced
about the room in great delight.
Bud answered her seriously.
“What does it all mean, Fluff?” he said. “We’re only poor children, you
know; so I can’t really be a king. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Aunt
Rivette came in any minute and boxed my ears.”
“Nonsense!” laughed Margaret. “Didn’t you hear what that fat, periwigged
man said about the law? The old king is dead, and some one else had to
be king, you know; and the forty-seventh person who entered the east
gate was you, Bud, and so by law you are the king of all this great
country. Don’t you see?”
Bud shook his head and looked at his sister.
“No, I don’t see,” he said. “But if you say it’s all right, Fluff, why,
it must be all right.”
“Of course it’s all right,” declared the girl, throwing off her pretty
cloak and placing it on a chair. “You’re the rightful king, and can do
whatever you please; and I’m the rightful princess, because I’m your
sister; so I can do whatever _I_ please. Don’t you see, Bud?”
“But, look here, Fluff,” returned her brother, “if you’re a princess,
why do you wear that old gray dress and those patched-up shoes? Father
used to tell us that princesses always wore the loveliest dresses.”
Meg looked at herself and sighed.
“I really ought to have some new dresses, Bud. And I suppose if you
order them they will be ready in no time. And you must have some new
clothes, too, for your jacket is ragged and soiled.”
“Do you really think it’s true, Fluff?” he asked anxiously.
“Of course it’s true. Look at your kingly robe, and your golden crown,
and that stick with all those jewels in it!”—meaning the scepter.
“They’re true enough, aren’t they?”
Bud nodded.
“Call in that old man,” he said. “I’ll order something, and see if he
obeys me. If he does, then I’ll believe I’m really a king.”
“But now listen, Bud,” said Meg, gravely; “don’t you let these folks see
you’re afraid, or that you’re not sure whether you’re a king or not.
Order them around and make them afraid of _you_. That’s what the kings
do in all the stories I ever read.”
“I will,” replied Bud. “I’ll order them around. So you call in that old
donkey with the silver buttons all over him.”
“Here’s a bell-rope,” said Meg; “I’ll pull it.”
Instantly Jikki entered and bowed low to each of the children.
“What’s your name?” asked Bud.
“Jikki, your gracious Majesty.”
“Who are you?”
“Your Majesty’s valet, if you please,” answered Jikki.
“Oh!” said Bud. He didn’t know what a valet was, but he wasn’t going to
tell Jikki so.
“I want some new clothes, and so does my sister,” Bud announced, as
boldly as possible.
“Certainly, your Majesty. I’ll send the lord high steward here at once.”
With this he bowed and rushed away, and presently Tallydab, the lord
high steward, entered the room and with a low bow presented himself
respectfully before the children.
“I beg your Majesty to command me,” said Tallydab, gravely.
Bud was a little awed by his appearance, but he resolved to be brave.
“We want some new clothes,” he said.
“They are already ordered, your Majesty, and will be here presently.”
“Oh!” said Bud, and stopped short.
“I have ordered twenty suits for your Majesty and forty gowns for the
princess,” continued Tallydab; “and I hope these will content your
Majesty and the princess until you have time to select a larger
assortment.”
“Oh!” said Bud, greatly amazed.
“I have also selected seven maidens, the most noble in all the land, to
wait upon the princess. They are even now awaiting her Highness in her
own apartments.”
Meg clapped her hands delightedly.
“I’ll go to them at once,” she cried.
“Has your Majesty any further commands?” asked Tallydab. “If not your
five high counselors would like to confer with you in regard to your new
duties and responsibilities.”
“Send ’em in,” said Bud, promptly; and while Margaret went to meet her
new maids the king held his first conference with his high counselors.
[Illustration: “‘I HAVE ORDERED TWENTY SUITS FOR YOUR MAJESTY AND FORTY
GOWNS FOR THE PRINCESS.’”]
In answer to Tallydab’s summons the other four periwigs, pompous and
solemn, filed into the room and stood in a row before Bud, who looked
upon them with a sensation of awe.
“Your Majesty,” began the venerable Tullydub, in a grave voice, “we are
here to instruct you, with your gracious consent, in your new and
important duties.”
Bud shifted uneasily in his chair. It all seemed so unreal and
absurd—this kingly title and polite deference bestowed upon a poor boy
by five dignified and periwigged men—that it was hard for Bud to curb
his suspicion that all was not right.
“See here, all of you,” said he, suddenly, “is this thing a joke? tell
me, is it a joke?”
“A joke?” echoed all of the five counselors, in several degrees of
shocked and horrified tones; and Tellydeb, the lord high executioner,
added reproachfully:
“Could we, by any chance, have the temerity to joke with your mighty and
glorious Majesty?”
“That’s just it,” answered the boy. “I am not a mighty and glorious
Majesty. I’m just Bud, the ferryman’s son, and you know it.”
“You are Bud, the ferryman’s son, to be sure,” agreed the chief
counselor, bowing courteously; “but by the decrees of fate and the just
and unalterable laws of the land you are now become absolute ruler of
the great kingdom of Noland; therefore all that dwell therein are your
loyal and obedient servants.”
[Illustration: “‘A JOKE?’ ECHOED ALL OF THE FIVE COUNSELORS, IN SEVERAL
DEGREES OF SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED TONES.”]
Bud thought this over.
“Are you sure there’s no mistake?” he asked, with hesitation.
“There _can_ be no mistake,” returned old Tullydub, firmly; “for we, the
five high counselors of the kingdom, have ourselves interpreted and
carried out the laws of the land, and the people, your subjects, have
approved our action.”
“Then,” said Bud, “I suppose I’ll have to be king whether I want to or
not.”
“Your Majesty speaks but the truth,” returned the chief counselor, with
a sigh. “With or without your consent, you are the king. It is the law.”
And all the others chanted in a chorus:
“It is the law.”
Bud felt much relieved. He had no notion whatever of refusing to be a
king. If there was no mistake, and he was really the powerful monarch of
Noland, then there ought to be no end of fun and freedom for him during
the rest of his life. To be his own master; to have plenty of money; to
live in a palace and order people around as he pleased—all this seemed
to the poor and friendless boy of yesterday to be quite the most
delightful fate that could possibly overtake one.
So lost did he become in thoughts of the marvelous existence opening
before him that he paid scant attention to the droning speeches of the
five aged counselors, who were endeavoring to acquaint him with the
condition of affairs in his new kingdom, and to instruct him in his many
and difficult duties as its future ruler.
For a full hour he sat quiet and motionless, and they thought he was
listening to these dreary affairs of state; but suddenly he jumped up
and astonished the dignitaries by exclaiming:
“See here; you just fix up things to suit yourselves. I’m going to find
Fluff.” And with no heed to protests, the new king ran from the room and
slammed the door behind him.
[Illustration: “A MAN CAME IN LEADING A BOY BY THE ARM AND HOLDING A
SWITCH IN HIS OTHER HAND.”]