230 PRINCE RICARDO.

 

began at once by burning his skull mask (you
may see one like it in the British Museum,
in the Mexican room), and by letting loose all
the birds and beasts which the Manoans used
to worship.

So all the young people were married in
the Golden Temple of the Sun, and all
the Earthquaker’s nurses who were under
thirty were wedded to the young men who
had been fond of them before they were
sent into the hollow hill. These young men
had never cared for any one else. Every-
body wore bridal favours, all the unengaged
young ladies acted as bridesmaids, and such
a throwing of rice and old shoes has very
seldom been witnessed. As for the happy
royal pair, with their fathers, and the other
princess (who did not happen to be engaged),
back they flew to Pantoufiia.

And there was Queen Rosalind waiting at
the palace gates, and crying and laughing with
pleasure when she heard that the wish of her
heart was fulfilled, and Jaqueline was to be her
daughter.

“And, as for the Earthquaker,” said her
Majesty, ‘I never was really anxious in the
least, for I knew no beast in the world was a
match for you, my dear.”

So, just to make everything orderly and
correct, Ricardo and Jaqueline were married
over again, in the Cathedral of Pantouflia. The