Part 26 (1/2)

”Whatever is it, my love?” said her husband.

”Quick, whatever is it?” said the squirrel.

”I can't wait,” said Bevis.

”Nor I,” said the hare.

”Well,” said the lovely creature--for whom an empire had been thrown away--”while the rook council was deliberating about the punishment to be awarded to Ah Kurroo, the legions, disgusted with the treatment they had received after so wonderful a victory, have risen in revolt, overthrown the government, driven the council away, taken the Khan from the tree where he was a prisoner and proclaimed him dictator!”

”Extraordinary!” said the hare; ”the rooks always would have it that theirs was the most perfect form of government ever known.”

”No such rebellion was ever heard of before,” said the squirrel, ”there is nothing like it in history; I know, for I've often slipped into the owl's muniment room (between you and me) on the sly, and taken a peep at his ancient doc.u.ments. It is most extraordinary!”

”I can't see it,” said the jay; ”I don't agree with you; I am not in the least surprised. I always said they would never get on with so much caw-cawing and talking every evening; I always said----”

”Gentlemen,” shouted the woodp.e.c.k.e.r, rus.h.i.+ng up breathless with haste, ”I am sent round to tell you from the dictator that you can now proceed to the election of a king without fear of any kind, for he will keep the enemy employed should they appear, and he will over-awe the two pretenders, Ki Ki and Kauc. Let every one say what he thinks without dread, and let there be no bribery and no intimidation. In the name of Ah Kurroo Khan!” and away he flew through the copse to make the proclamation.

Immediately afterwards the owl, blundering in the daylight, came past and said that they had better come on to his house, for he had just had a private interview with the Khan, and had orders to preside over this business. So Bevis and the squirrel, the hare and the two jays proceeded to the pollard-tree; there was no need for Bevis to hide now, because he was recognised as a great friend of the squirrel's and the enemy of the weasel. A noisy crowd had already collected, which was augmented every minute, and there was a good deal of rough pus.h.i.+ng and loud talking, not unmingled with blows. They were all there (except the weasel), the goldfinch, the tomt.i.t, the chaffinch, the thrush, the blackbird, the missel-thrush, all of them, jays, the alien pigeons, doves, woodp.e.c.k.e.rs, the rat, the mouse, the stoat, and the fox.

As the crowd increased, so did the uproar, till the owl appeared at the balcony of his mansion, and the woodp.e.c.k.e.r called for silence. The owl, when he could get a hearing, said they were all to give their opinions and say who they would have for their king. And that there might be less confusion he would call upon the least of them in size and the youngest in age to speak first, and so on upwards to the oldest and biggest.

”I'm the least,” cried the wren, coming forward without a moment's delay, ”and I think that, after all I have seen of the ins and outs of the world, I myself should make a very good king.”

”Indeed you're not the smallest,” said Te-te, the tomt.i.t; ”I am the smallest, besides which you are a smuggler. Now I, on the contrary, have already rendered great services to my country, and I am used to official life.”

”Yes, you spy,” cried Tc.h.i.n.k, the chaffinch; and all the a.s.sembly hissed Te-te, till he was obliged to give way, as he could not make himself heard.

”Why not have a queen?” said the goldfinch. ”I should think you have had enough of kings; now, why not have me for queen? I have the richest dress of all.”

”Nothing of the kind,” said the yellow-hammer, ”I wear cloth of gold myself.”

”As for that,” said the woodp.e.c.k.e.r, ”I myself have no little claim on the score of colour.”

”But you have no such azure as me,” said the kingfisher.

”Such gaudy hues are in the worst possible taste,” said the blackbird, ”and very vulgar. Now, if I were chosen----”

”Well,” said the thrush, ”well, I never heard anything equal to the blackbird's a.s.surance; he who has never held the slightest appointment.

Now, my relation was amba.s.sador----”

”I think,” said the dove, ”I should be able, if I held the position, to conciliate most parties, and make everything smooth.”

”You're much too smooth for me,” said Tc.h.i.n.k. ”It's my belief you're hand-in-glove with Choo Hoo, for all your tender ways--dear me!”

”If experience,” said Cloctaw, ”if experience is of any value on a throne, I think I myself----”

”Experience!” cried the jay, in high disdain, ”what is he talking of?

Poor Cloctaw has gone past his prime; however, we must make allowance for his infirmities. You want some one with a decided opinion like myself, ladies and gentlemen!”