She seemed in far better humour than the night
before.
'I was about to say,' she resumed, 'that it does seem a pity to
waste so much fresh meat.'
'What are you thinking of, my love?' said the king. 'The very
notion of starving him implies that we are not going to give him
any meat, either salt or fresh.'
'I'm not such a stupid as that comes to,' returned Her Majesty.
'What I mean is that by the time he is starved there will hardly be
a picking upon his bones.'
The king gave a great laugh.
'Well, my spouse, you may have him when you like,' he said. 'I
don't fancy him for my part. I am pretty sure he is tough eating.'
'That would be to honour instead of punish his insolence,' returned
the queen. 'But why should our poor creatures be deprived of so
much nourishment? Our little dogs and cats and pigs and small
bears would enjoy him very much.'
'You are the best of housekeepers, my lovely queen!' said her
husband. 'Let it be so by all means. Let us have our people in,
and get him out and kill him at once. He deserves it. The
mischief he might have brought upon us, now that he had penetrated
so far as our most retired citadel, is incalculable.
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