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Page 22
"Now," said Terribus, regarding the prince gloomily, "I must dispose
of you in another way."
For a moment he dropped his scarlet head in thought. Then he turned
fiercely upon his attendants.
"Let the Wrestler come forward!" he shouted, as loudly as his mild
voice would carry.
Instantly a tall blackamoor advanced from the throng and cast off his
flowing robe, showing a strong figure clad only in a silver loincloth.
"Crack me this fellow's bones!" commanded Terribus.
"I beg your Majesty will not compel me to touch him," said Prince
Marvel, with a slight shudder; "for his skin is greasy, and will soil
my hands. Here, Nerle!" he continued, turning to his esquire,
"dispose of this black man, and save me the trouble."
Nerle laughed pleasantly. The black was a powerfully built man, and
compared with Nerle and the prince, who had but the stature of boys,
he towered like a very giant in size. Nevertheless, Nerle did not
hesitate to spring upon the Wrestler, who with a quick movement sent
the boy crashing against the stone pavement.
Nerle was much bruised by the fall, and as he painfully raised himself
to his feet a great lump was swelling behind his left ear, where his
head had struck the floor, and he was so dizzy that the room seemed
swimming around him in a circle. But he gave a happy little laugh,
and said to the prince, gratefully:
"Thank you very much, my master! The fall is hurting me delightfully.
I almost feel as if I could cry, and that would be joy indeed!"
"Well," answered the prince, with a sigh, "I see I must get my hands
greased after all"--for the black's body had really been greased to
enable him to elude the grasp of his opponents.
But Marvel made a quick leap and seized the Wrestler firmly around the
waist. The next moment, to the astonishment of all, the black man
flew swiftly into the air, plunged through one of the open windows
high up in the wall, and disappeared from view. When the king and his
people again turned their wondering eyes upon the prince he was wiping
his hands carefully upon a silk handkerchief.
At this sight a pretty young girl, who stood near the throne, laughed
aloud, and the sound of her laughter made King Terribus very angry.
"Come here!" he commanded, sternly. The girl stepped forward, her
face now pale and frightened, while tear-drops trembled upon the
lashes that fringed her downcast eyes. "You have dared to laugh at
the humiliation of your king," said Terribus, his horrid face more
crimson than ever, "and as atonement I command that you drink of the
poisoned cup."
Instantly a dwarf came near, bearing a beautiful golden goblet in his
crooked hands.
"Drink!" he said, an evil leer upon his face.
The girl well knew this goblet contained a vile poison, one drop of
which on her tongue would cause death; so she hesitated, trembling and
shrinking from the ordeal.
Prince Marvel looked into her sweet face with pitying eyes, and
stepping quickly to her side, took her hand in his.
"Now drink!" he said, smiling upon her; "the poison will not hurt you."
She drank obediently, while the dwarf chuckled with awful glee and the
king looked on eagerly, expecting her to fall dead at his feet. But
instead the girl stood upright and pressed Marvel's hand, looking
gratefully into his face.
"You are a fairy!" she whispered, so low that no one else heard her
voice. "I knew that you would save me."
"Keep my secret," whispered the prince in return, and still holding
her hand he led her back to her former place.
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