19-drakestail-第2章

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‘At　last；'　said　the　poor　chap；　going　up　the　great　stairs；　‘they

have　decided　to　receive　me。'



Imagine　his　terror　when　on　entering　he　sees　the　King　as　red　as

a　turkey　cock；　and　all　his　ministers　attending　him　standing　sword

in　hand。　He　thought　this　time　it　was　all　up　with　him。　Happily；

he　remembered　that　there　was　still　one　remaining　friend；　and　he

cried　with　dying　accents：



‘Wasp's…nest；　Wasp's…nest；　make　a　sally；

Or　Drakestail　nevermore　may　rally。'





Hereupon　the　scene　changes。



‘Bs；　bs；　bayonet　them！　‘The　brave　Wasp's…nest　rushes　out

with　all　his　wasps。　They　threw　themselves　on　the　infuriated　King

and　his　ministers；　and　stung　them　so　fiercely　in　the　face　that　they

lost　their　heads；　and　not　knowing　where　to　hide　themselves　they　all

jumped　pell…mell　from　the　window　and　broke　their　necks　on　the

pavement。



Behold　Drakestail　much　astonished；　all　alone　in　the　big　saloon

and　master　of　the　field。　He　could　not　get　over　it。



Nevertheless；　he　remembered　shortly　what　he　had　come　for　to

the　palace；　and　improving　the　occasion；　he　set　to　work　to　hunt　for

his　dear　money。　But　in　vain　he　rummaged　in　all　the　drawers；　he

found　nothing；　all　had　been　spent。



And　ferreting　thus　from　room　to　room　he　came　at　last　to　the　one

with　the　throne　in　it；　and　feeling　fatigued；　he　sat　himself　down　on　it

to　think　over　his　adventure。　In　the　meanwhile　the　people　had　found

their　King　and　his　ministers　with　their　feet　in　the　air　on　the　pavement；

and　they　had　gone　into　the　palace　to　know　how　it　had　occurred。

On　entering　the　throne…room；　when　the　crowd　saw　that　there　was

already　someone　on　the　royal　seat；　they　broke　out　in　cries　of　surprise

and　joy：





‘The　King　is　dead；　long　live　the　King！

　　Heaven　has　sent　us　down　this　thing。'





Drakestail；　who　was　no　longer　surprised　at　anything；　received　the

acclamations　of　the　people　as　if　he　had　never　done　anything　else　all

his　life。



A　few　of　them　certainly　murmured　that　a　Drakestail　would　make

a　fine　King；　those　who　knew　him　replied　that　a　knowing　Drakestail

was　a　more　worthy　King　than　a　spendthrift　like　him　who　was　lying

on　the　pavement。　In　short；　they　ran　and　took　the　crown　off　the

head　of　the　deceased；　and　placed　it　on　that　of　Drakestail；　whom　it

fitted　like　wax。



Thus　he　became　King。



‘And　now；'　said　he　after　the　ceremony；；　ladies　and　gentlemen；

let's　go　to　supper。　I　am　so　hungry！'＇15＇



＇15＇　Contes　of　Ch。　Marelles。