U, my Giglio?' cries Gruff,
kissing his hand.

'I won't, I can't, I shan't,--I'll resign the crown first,' shouts
Giglio, tearing away his hand; but Gruff clung to it.

'I have a competency, my love,' she says, 'and with thee and a cottage
thy Barbara will be happy.'

Giglio was half mad with rage by this time. 'I will not marry her,'
says he. 'Oh, Fairy, Fairy, give me counsel?' And as he spoke he looked
wildly round at the severe face of the Fairy Blackstick.

"'Why is Fairy Blackstick always advising me, and warning me to keep my
word? Does she suppose that I am not a man of honour?"' said the Fairy,
quoting Giglio's own haughty words. He quailed under the brightness
of her eyes; he felt that there was no escape for him from that awful
inquisition.

'Well, Archbishop,' said he in a dreadful voice, that made his Grace
start, 'since this Fairy has led me to the height of happiness but to
dash me down into the depths of despair, since I am to lose Rosalba, let
me at least keep my honour. Get up, Countess, and let us be married; I
can keep my word, but I can die afterwards.'

'Oh, dear Giglio,' cries Gruffanuff, skipping up, 'I knew, I knew I
could trust thee--I knew that my Prince was the soul of honour. Jump
into your carriages, ladies and gentlemen, and let us go to church at
once; and as for dying, dear Giglio, no, no:--thou wilt forget that
insignificant little chambermaid of a Queen--thou wilt live to be
consoled by thy Barbara! She wishes to be a Queen, and not a Queen
Dowager, my gracious Lord!' And hanging upon poor Giglio's arm, and
leering and grinning in his face in the most disgusting manner, this old
wretch tripped off in her white satin shoes, and jumped into the very
carriage which had been got ready to convey Giglio and Rosalba to
church. The cannons roared again, the bells pealed triple-bobmajors, the
people came out flinging flowers upon the path of the royal bride and
bridegroom, and Gruff looked out of the gilt coach window and bowed and
grinned to them. Phoo! the horrid old wretch!

XIX. AND NOW WE COME TO THE LAST SCENE IN THE PANTOMIME

The many ups and downs of her life had given the Princess Rosalba
prodigious strength of mind, and that highly principled young
woman presently recovered from her fainting-fit, out of which Fairy
Blackstick, by a precious essence which the Fairy always carried in her
pocket, awakened her. Instead of tearing her hair, crying, and bemoaning
herself, a