clothes,' said the Prince. 'I should
have had them on, but that stupid carrier has not brought them. Who's
that laughing?'

It was Giglio laughing. 'I was laughing,' he said, 'because you said
just now that you were in such a hurry to see the Princess, that you
could not wait to change your dress; and now you say you come in those
clothes because you have no others.'

'And who are you?' says Prince Bulbo, very fiercely.

'My father was King of this country, and I am his only son, Prince!'
replies Giglio, with equal haughtiness.

'Ha!' said the King and Glumboso, looking very flurried; but the former,
collecting himself, said, 'Dear Prince Bulbo, I forgot to introduce to
Your Royal Highness my dear nephew, His Royal Highness Prince Giglio!
Know each other! Embrace each other! Giglio, give His Royal Highness
your hand!' and Giglio, giving his hand, squeezed poor Bulbo's until the
tears ran out of his eyes. Glumboso now brought a chair for the Royal
visitor, and placed it on the platform on which the King, Queen, and
Prince were seated; but the chair was on the edge of the platform, and
as Bulbo sat down, it toppled over, and he with it, rolling over and
over, and bellowing like a bull. Giglio roared still louder at this
disaster, but it was with laughter; so did all the Court when Prince
Bulbo got up; for though when he entered the room he appeared not very
ridiculous, as he stood up from his fall for a moment he looked so
exceedingly plain and foolish, that nobody could help laughing at him.
When he had entered the room, he was observed to carry a rose in his
hand, which fell out of it as he tumbled.

'My rose! my rose!' cried Bulbo; and his chamberlain dashed forwards and
picked it up, and gave it to the Prince, who put it in his waistcoat.
Then people wondered why they had laughed; there was nothing
particularly ridiculous in him. He was rather short, rather stout,
rather red-haired, but, in fine, for a Prince, not so bad.

So they sat and talked, the Royal personages together, the Crim
Tartar officers with those of Paflagonia--Giglio very comfortable with
Gruffanuff behind the throne. He looked at her with such tender eyes,
that her heart was all in a flutter. 'Oh, dear Prince,' she said, 'how
could you speak so haughtily in presence of Their Majesties? I protest I
thought I should have fainted.'

'I should have caught you in my arms,' said Giglio, looking raptures.

'Why were you so cruel to Prince Bulbo, d