74 ‘THE HISTORY OF A NUT-CRACKER.

what grief have I not caused you, by refusing to listen to
the advice which you have so often given me! But you
behold the guilty one at your feet, and you can punish her
as severely as you think fit.”

«* What is the matter?” demanded the king, ‘‘ and what
has happened that I know not of?”

‘ Alas! alas!” answered the queen, to whom her husband
had never spoken in so cross a tone; ‘‘ Alas! Dame Mousey,
her seven sons, her si

ee

     

nephews, her cousins,
and her friends, de-
voured the fat.”

But the queen could
not say any more; her
strength failed her, she
fell back and fainted.

Then the king rose °
in a great rage, and
cried in a terrible voice,
‘“‘Let her ladyship the
royal housekeeper ex-
plain what all this means! Come, speak !’

Then the royal housekeeper related all that she knew ;
namely, that being alarmed by the queen’s cries, she ran and
beheld her majesty beset
by the entire family of
Dame Mousey, and that,
having summoned the cooks
and scullery boys, the plun-
derers were compelled to
retreat.

The king, perceiving that
this was a case of high
treason, resumed all his dig-
2 nity and calmness,and com-
manded the privy council