Punch: Punch (101.1891)

18 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [July 11, 1891.

A TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

(A Scene of To-day, in a Shakspearian Setting.)

Mr. Punch. "How now, my hearts! Did you never see the
picture of ' We Three ?'"

Emperor. Marry, forfend, Mr. Punch! Well quoted indeed,
and, pertinently, from
the Swan ! "A mel-
lifluous, voice, as I
am a true Knight! "
But talk not of things
triune too openly, lest
quidnuncs overhear,
and L-b-ch-re devise
thereanentfresh heck-
ling interrogations for
the Treasury Bench.

Mr. Punch. Nay,
Kaiser; 'tis not the
aetual Triple, but the
conceivable Quad -
ruple, that perturbs
the importunates.
We Three form an in-
formal but fast-knil
trinity, that can offend
none but churls, and
affright none but
dullards. Peace, Good-
fellowship, Wit! By i
my bauble, a triad
that Pythagoras
himself might have
favoured ! Talking 1
of Threes, Kaiser, it's |
your third visit to us— j
and, believe me, you
are thrice welcome.

Emperor. " Yea, j
and I thank your
pretty sweet wit for
it. But look you,
pray, all you that kiss
my lady Peace at
home " (as Jack Fal-
staff put it), that—
you gird not too sus-
piciously at those who
would "fain embrace
her abroad !

Mr. Punch. Well
quoted, Sir, though
not directed to mine
address. But "A
good wit will make
use of anything. I
will turn diseases to
commodity." Two
diseases of the time
are, faction and fussi-
ness—the one a fever,
the other a prurigo.
The one makes little
of greatness, the
other makes much of
littleness. You have
been the mark of both,
young Hohenzollern !

Emperor. " An 't
please you, it is the
disease of not listen-
ing, the malady of not
marking, that I am
troubled withal."

Mr. Punch. Fal-
staff again, and per-

More daring, or more bold, is now alive
To grace this latter age with noble deeds."

Mr. Punch. Bravo! "Delivered with good respect." Your
Royal Highness has fairly capped us ! Harry Monmouth, Kaisee,
could not more fitly have

" Trimmed up your praises with a princely tongue;
Spoke your deserving like a chronicle."

INANITIES OF THE DRAWING-ROOM.

'Seen the Enfant Prodioue, Mr. Softey ? "
' no ; waiting till they 1)0 it in" english ! "

tinently applied. Fitly did the Fat Knight say that he was not only
witty himself, but the cause that wit is in other men.

Prince. By cock and pye, Poins,—Punch I mean—am I to be out
of this tournament of tags, this joust of quotations ? Marry, not so!

[Grasps the Emperor's hand cordially.

" The Prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praise of—Kaiser Wilhelm ; by my hopes,
I do not tliink a braver gentleman,
More active-valiant, or more valiant-voitng,

and Harry Hotspur
less deserved the
praise.

Emperor. "I will
imitate the honourable
Romans in brevity."
I can but thank you
both! {To the
Prince. )

" By heavens, I cannot

flatter; I defy
The tongues of soothers :

but a braver place
In my heart's love hath
no man than yourself."

Mr. Punch. That's
as it should be. If
'twere not always
wholly so — but no
matter! I love not
to speak in needless
or heedless dispraise
of dignities, of
" Shouting Empe -
rors," or "Madcap
Princes," but rather—

" As in reproof of many

tales devised,—
Which oft the ear of great-
ness needs must hear,—
By smiling pick-thanks
and base newsmon-
gers."

Sweet William: (of
Avon, bien entendu),
hath armed us in
advance against even
the latest develop-
ments of the detest-
able. The "base
newsmongers " of the
day are to be shunned
as carefully as the
" smiling pick-
thanks." They would
set strife between the
two sides of a six-
pence or a sovereign.
In vain, let us hope !
Than that Uncle
should admire Nep-
hew, and Nephew
respect Uncle, who
could wish more or
better — for both ?
We Three ! !! My
Emperors and Heirs-
Apparents, pray
charge your glasses !
Something like aTriple
Alliance! A Veritable
League of Peace!
Kaiser; at least this is
as pleasant as the pro-
ceedings on board the
Cobra during her pas-
sage down the Elbe,
n'est-ce pas t No
formal appending of
Statecraft's Scarlet Seals, or scrawlv Imperial Signs-manual need
we for our Amicable Treaty. A handclasp and a Loving-cup shall
suffice us for marking the happy accord of Peace —Groodfellowship
— Mirth!!! These be verily the "Central Powers," which
Rudixi might have referred to when he said,—"Our Alliance, firmly
and sincerely maintained, will assure the Peace of Europe for
a long time to come." So mote it be ! Let us toast them—-in a
Bumper!

[Left doing so.

mm