98 PRINCE FILDERKIN

important journey without bidding them
farewell. Still he could only interpret the
instruction to ‘speak no word,’ as intended
to convey that his expedition should be of a
secret character, which would clearly be
impossible if he should announce it to his
parents. He knew well enough that, even
if they did not try to hinder it altogether,
they would never permit their darling son
to start without a proper escort, and this
would be perfectly certain to defeat his
object altogether. Secrecy was certainly
necessary, and in order to secure it he
must submit to appear, for a time at least,
undutiful to his parents and neglectful of
the feelings of those who had known and
loved him through his hump-backed child-
hood. This would be hard to bear, no
doubt, but the prize to be gained was of too
great value to be risked by the neglect of
one single atom of the wise man’s instruc-
tions. He determined that he would obey
them to the letter, and accordingly, having
partaken heartily of his favourite supper of
toasted cheese and spiced usquebaugh, he
retired to rest full of hope for the future,

I think, considering his supper and his