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Thenightappointedforthefetehadarrived.Agorgeoushallhad
beenfittedup,underTrippetta’seye,witheverykindofdevicewhich
couldpossiblygiveeclattoamasquerade.Thewholecourtwas
inafeverofexpectation.Asforcostumesandcharacters,itmightwell
besupposedthateverybodyhadcometoadecisiononsuchpoints.
Manyhadmadeuptheirminds(astowhatrolestheyshouldassume)
aweek,orevenamonth,inadvance;and,infact,therewasnot
aparticleofindecisionanywhere—exceptinthecaseofthekingand
hissevenminsters.WhytheyhesitatedInevercouldtell,unlessthey
diditbywayofajoke.Moreprobably,theyfounditdifficult,
onaccountofbeingsofat,tomakeuptheirminds.Atallevents,time
flew;and,asalastresorttheysentforTrippettaandHop-Frog.
Whenthetwolittlefriendsobeyedthesummonsofthekingthey
foundhimsittingathiswinewiththesevenmembersofhiscabinet
council;butthemonarchappearedtobeinaveryillhumor.Heknew
thatHop-Frogwasnotfondofwine,foritexcitedthepoorcripple
almosttomadness;andmadnessisnocomfortablefeeling.Butthe
kinglovedhispracticaljokes,andtookpleasureinforcingHop-Frog
todrinkand(asthekingcalledit)“tobemerry.”
“Comehere,Hop-Frog,”saidhe,asthejesterandhisfriendentered
theroom;“swallowthisbumpertothehealthofyourabsentfriends,
[hereHop-Frogsighed,]andthenletushavethebenefitofyour
invention.Wewantcharacters—characters,man—somethingnovel—
outoftheway.Weareweariedwiththiseverlastingsameness.Come,
drink!thewinewillbrightenyourwits.”
Hop-Frogendeavored,asusual,togetupajestinreplytothese
advancesfromtheking;buttheeffortwastoomuch.Ithappened
tobethepoordwarf’sbirthday,andthecommandtodrinktohis
“absentfriends”forcedthetearstohiseyes.Manylarge,bitterdrops
fellintothegobletashetookit,humbly,fromthehandofthetyrant.
“Ah!ha!ha!ha!”roaredthelatter,asthedwarfreluctantlydrained
thebeaker.“Seewhataglassofgoodwinecando!Why,youreyesare
shiningalready!”
Poorfellow!hislargeeyesgleamed,ratherthanshone;fortheeffect
ofwineonhisexcitablebrainwasnotmorepowerfulthan
instantaneous.Heplacedthegobletnervouslyonthetable,andlooked
rounduponthecompanywithahalf-insanestare.Theyallseemed
highlyamusedatthesuccessoftheking’s‘joke.’
