Free Delphi Works of Ford Madox Ford (Illustrated) by Ford Madox Ford Page B

their preservers. You’d better choose something for yourself. I will grant it, whatever it is.’
    But the old man shook his head.
    ‘I want no reward, your Majesty; I only did my duty. I couldn’t have done less. See, here come some of the hunters whom you left behind.’
    And just then several of them came up, and when they saw her they shouted and blew their horns to let the others know that the Princess was found. But the huntsman said:
    ‘Good-day, your Majesty. I must go.’
    ‘But you haven’t got your reward yet.’
    But he shook his head.
    ‘I want no reward,’ he said; and before the Princess could say any more he stepped into the forest and was seen no more; so she turned her horse towards the town.
    On her way she met the head huntsman, so she drew rein and said:
    ‘Why did you not follow on the scent of the deer?’
    ‘It lay so thinly, your Majesty, that the dogs could not follow, and they soon gave in.’
    ‘But you should have followed me, at any rate.’
    ‘Ah, your Majesty, we might as well have tried to prove the moon was made of green cheese. Besides, your Majesty had one cavalier; and sometimes two’s company and three’s none.’
    Just at this moment the Princess remembered the Knight.
    ‘Good gracious!’ she said, ‘what has become of the Knight — have none of you seen him?’
    But none of them had, and. although the question went far and wide no news came of him, nor could he be seen anywhere.
    ‘He must have been caught by the Magi — if so, he will have been devoured to a certainty! Poor Knight!’
    The chief huntsman seemed excited:
    ‘Your Majesty has not been near the country of the Magi surely?’ he said.
    ‘I was almost too near, and the poor Knight has probably been torn to pieces in trying to drive them back.’
    ‘Your Majesty should be thankful that knights are so faithful,’ said the chief huntsman; ‘but perhaps, after all, he has escaped by a different path.’
    But the Princess sighed:
    ‘I am afraid not,’ she said However, she rode on to the town to consult Lord Licec as to what had better be done. But when she got there she found that he was out of town and would not be back till next morning. So the poor Princess had to go back home and wait — but she looked so pale that her ladies-in-waiting insisted on sending for the doctor. He came in a hurry, and asked her of course what was the matter, and when she told him he shook his head.
    ‘I’m afraid he’s got rather a poor chance, for these Magi haven’t had a good meal of one of your Majesty’s subjects for nearly three weeks, and they were uncommonly hungry. But if your Majesty will allow me to feel your pulse, I—’
    So she gave him her hand, and he took out his watch and began to count. ‘One, two, three, four’; but just then he looked up and saw the Owl sitting on the Princess’s shoulder, and his hand trembled so much that he dropped his watch, and it smashed to atoms on the floor.
    ‘Oh dear, there goes ten and sixpence,’ he groaned; ‘and I shan’t be able to get another for ever so long. D’you know, your Majesty, I think you are somewhat feverish; and you had better go to bed. And meanwhile, the Owl is too exciting for you; if you could let it be put in a cellar and let it have nothing to eat for, say, three weeks, perhaps it might not be so fiery after that.’
    The Princess smiled:
    ‘Perhaps you would like to take him there yourself,’ she said.
    But the doctor said:
    ‘Good gracious! no. I think he’s perfectly capable of taking himself without any assistance. D’you know, your Majesty, I’ve got a very pressing case outside; and if you will excuse me I will retire.’
    And he retired so quickly that he left his umbrella behind him — for you see he was very frightened of the Owl.
    Acting on his advice the Princess went to bed, and dismissed her ladies-in-waiting and told them not to come to the room again until she called for them.
    And then she lay with her hand