THE KING OF GEE-WHIZ
As the King approached them, it was easy to see that he was indeed a
very important person; for all the people fell down upon their faces
before him and made a slow deep salutation, much as though you should
say "Ah-h-h!" in this way, with a very deep breath. To this respectful
greeting the Monarch made no return whatever. The Widow Pickle noticed
this.
"I see that you are not fully acquainted with Monarchs," said the
Private Secretary, "or at least I should say with Monarchs such as ours.
At times he is even more absent-minded than he now appears. I have
known him to order half a dozen of his best friends to be banished for
some slight offense, and then to forget it before luncheon of that same
day, and ask for them again, just as though nothing had happened."
"That," said the Widow Pickle, "seems to me a very unusual sort of thing
to do. I should like to see him banish me if I did not feel like being
banished at the time!"
"You will pardon me," said the Private Secretary, "but it appears to me
that you must be an extraordinarily ignorant person, for banishing
persons, or even cutting off their heads, in a fit of absent-mindedness,
is a part of the daily routine of any truly royal king, and his loyal
subjects are very fond of both. If they were not, they could not be
called truly loyal subjects; and what is the use of being a subject
unless one is a truly loyal subject, madam?"
"That," said the Widow Pickle, "is a very difficult question."
"I thought you would find it such," replied the Private Secretary. "But
tell me, is not our King a very royal person? And I may add that he is
as kindly a king as ever sat on a throne. Once in a while, he does
something which indicates a slight loss of temper; but how could you
blame him, with his poor stomach, and with his love affair with the
Fairy Queen, as well, to trouble him? It is quite enough to upset any
king in the world, I am sure."
"His stomach?" said the Widow Pickle. "And the Fairy Queen? Well, the
poor King, after all, may be quite like other men. I remember that my
poor dear husband, Aurelius Pickle, used to have just such times with
his stomach. Why, at times, he could eat nothing in the world but some
of my Waffles."
"Your Waffles? What are those?" asked the Private Secretary. "Are they
anything new?"
"Well, I can't say as to that," replied the Widow Pickle, "for my
grandmother taught me how to make them. But I may say with some pride
that the Governor of our State once ate of my Waffles and asked for two
more, and in my family that was considered very high praise, indeed. I
should like to try one on your King, if he is troubled with his
stomach."
"That might be quite a fine idea," said the Private Secretary, "and if
you don't object, I shall place the matter before his Royal Highness. I
have never seen this that you call a Waffle, but if it will make the
King forget his royal trouble it may be very much better for him and for
all the rest of us."
"I should be very glad, indeed, to be of any slight assistance that I
may," said the Widow Pickle modestly.
"But, hush!" whispered the Private Secretary. "He is coming this way.
May I suggest that just as he steps across that white line which you see
marked upon the ground, you make him a deep reverence? I think you call
it a courtesy in your country."
"Very well," said the Widow Pickle, "but I shall do no more than
courtesy, and shall not make it too deep even in that case, for I myself
come of a very proud family."
"Hush!" whispered the Private Secretary again. And now the King came
forward, fixing upon them the keen glance of his royal eye. Seeing this,
Lulu and Zuzu grasped their mother's gown in their hands and shrank back
behind her, much frightened. The Private Secretary bowed flat upon the
ground and began to say "Ah-h-h!" very fast.
The Widow courtesied as she was bid, looking up at the King. Indeed, she
was willing to declare the King most extraordinary in appearance. He was
about six feet or more in height, and very dark in complexion, almost
coffee-brown in color, indeed. His hair, which was of a bright
brick-dust red, was profuse, and stuck out around his head in a sort of
fringe to the extent of two or three feet on each side. In his nose he
wore a large ring, and his teeth shone as he opened his mouth, for in
each tooth was set a fine large diamond. On his fingers were rings of
highly-shining precious stones, like emeralds and diamonds and rubies,
with others whose names the Widow could not guess. The King wore a
garland of flowers about his neck, and carried in his hand a war club or
heavy cane made of dark wood, with a large gold knob at the end, and set
thickly with shining stones about the handle. His feet were clad in
bright-red slippers, whose points turned up nearly to his knees. A rich
cloak of spotted fur hung across his shoulders, although the climate was
so warm that he really was in small need of fur; so he allowed it to
fall back carelessly, confining it with a cord, which latter passed
around his chest and shoulders. Around his neck also was hung a broad
collar of cloth or leather, which was set as thick as it could hold with
all manner of brilliant, shining stones. It was plainly to be seen that
the Island of Gee-Whiz was a land very rich indeed in precious metals
and gems, for the like of this display of gold and gems was never before
seen in any country. As the Widow Pickle looked, she wondered where all
these rich stones and all this gold came from; and mentally she made a
resolution to discover this before very many days had passed.
[Illustration]