ER XXV

THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN

"There's an Old Man," said Robert to Freddie. "He lives on the mountain.
I saw him once."

They were sitting on the palace lawn, looking up at the mountain which
rose behind the King's tower. The sun was directly overhead, and was
accordingly hidden by the cloud. The lower slopes of the mountain were
easy and gradual, but they grew steeper as they ascended, and at the
point where the mountain entered the cloud it was a straight and smooth
wall of granite, plainly impossible to climb. The King's eldest child
fixed his big eyes on the tall young man beside him.

"I like you," said he. "I wish you would take me up the mountain some
time for blackberries. Will you?"

"If the Queen permits," said Freddie, "we will go tomorrow."

A long time had passed since the Queen's return; a happy time, during
which the five who had come with the Queen were made to feel as if they
had lived all their lives in a palace. The two Old Codgers were found by
Toby, comfortably established in a double shop of their own, on one side
of which the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg sold tobacco, and on the
other side of which the Sly Old Fox sold jewelry; each of them entirely
contented with his fortune, and settled down for life. The Third
Vice-President had paid his respects at the palace, and was unable to
talk of anything but his Museum, for which he was devising many plans,
including a method whereby the late Mr. Matthew Speak might be assured
against ever being blown out of the window.

The saintly person who had once been the Churchwarden was occupied
nowadays, in a little room in the basement of the palace, in copying in
beautiful letters an ancient book belonging to the King.

Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby spent their time in exploring the city, arm in
arm, very inquisitive, very talkative, and making friends with
everybody.

Mr. Hanlon's work in life was, it appeared, the climbing of the King's
Tower. Every day he disappeared within, and every day he declared that
he would mount to the top before he finished; but he had not yet got to
the top, and there did not seem much prospect of his ever doing so.

As for Freddie,--not that he was called Freddie now; the King had given
him a high-sounding name,--the Chevalier Frederick; and by that name he
was spoken of by everybody, except that Toby sometimes forgot and called
him the Chandelier. As for the Chevalier Frederick, his interest was
mainly in the Qu