I hope and
think that the King will pardon us all round; but whatever he may do I
shall tell him everything."
Hanky was up in arms at once. "Sheer madness," he exclaimed. Yram and
the Mayor looked anxious; Dr. Downie eyed George as though he were some
curious creature, which he heard of but had never seen, and was rather
disposed to like. Mrs. Humdrum nodded her head approvingly.
"Quite right, George," said she, "tell his Majesty everything."
Dr. Downie then said, "Your son, Mayoress, is a very sensible fellow. I
will go with him, and with the Professors--for they had better come too:
each will hear what the other says, and we will tell the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. I am, as you know, a _persona grata_
at Court; I will say that I advised your son's action. The King has
liked him ever since he was a boy, and I am not much afraid about what he
will do. In public, no doubt we had better hush things up, but in
private the King must be told."
Hanky fought hard for some time, but George told him that it did not
matter whether he agreed or no. "You can come," he said, "or stop away,
just as you please. If you come, you can hear and speak; if you do not,
you will not hear, but these two depositions will speak for you. Please
yourself."
"Very well," he said at last, "I suppose we had better go.
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