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The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly — 10.1896

DOI Artikel:
Harland, Henry: The invisible prince
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26393#0082
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The Invisible Prince

78

stops and comforts it, and forgets all about its previous engage-
ments and the prison-van and everything. Shall we cross to the
north, and see whether the Serpentine is in its place ? Or would
you prefer to inspect the eastern front of the Palace ? Or may I
offer you a penny chair ? ”

“ I think a penny chair would be the maddest of the three
dissipations.”

And they sat down in penny chairs.

“ It’s rather jolly here, isn’t it?” said he. “The trees, with
their black trunks, and their leaves, and things. Have you ever seen
such sumptuous foliage ? And the greensward, and the shadows,
and the sunlight, and the atmosphere, and the mistiness—isn’t it
like pearl-dust and gold-dust floating in the air ? It’s all got up
to imitate the background of a Watteau. We must do our best
to be frivolous and ribald, and supply a proper foreground. How
big and fleecy and white the clouds are. Do you think they’re
made of cotton-wool ? And what do you suppose they paint the
sky with ? There never was such a brilliant, breath-taking blue.
It’s much too nice to be natural. And they’ve sprinkled the
whole place with scent, haven’t they ? You notice how fresh and
sweet it smells. If only one could get rid of the sparrows—the
cynical little beasts ! hear how they’re chortling—and the people,
and the nursemaids and children. I have never been able to under-
stand why they admit the public to the parks.”

“ Go on,” she encouraged him. “ You’re succeeding admirably
in your effort to be ribald.”

“But that last remark wasn’t ribald in the least—it was
desperately sincere. I do think it’s inconsiderate of them to admit
the public to the parks. They ought to exclude all the lower
classes, the People, at one fell swoop, and then to discriminate
tremendously amongst the others.”

“ Mercy,
 
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