So the king , who had scarcely eaten any breakfast , much to the annoyance of the queen , who was not agitated by eclipses , went out and joined the tailors and the rest of them . CHAPTER III . The Adventure of the Shopkeepers . -LCB- Man with sword : p48.jpg -RCB- Dick went on with his breakfast . He ate cold pastry , and poached eggs , and ham , and rolls , and raspberry jam , and hot cakes ; and he drank two cups of coffee . Meanwhile the king had joined the tradesmen who attended by his orders . They were all met in the royal study , where the king made them a most splendid bow , and requested them to be seated . But they declined to sit in his sacred presence , and the king observed that , in that case he must stand up . `` I have invited you here , gentlemen , '' he said , `` on a matter of merely private importance , but I must request that you will be entirely silent as to the nature of your duties . It is difficult , I know , not to talk about one 's work , but in this instance I am sure you will oblige me . '' `` Your Majesty has only to command , '' said Herr Schnipp . `` There have been monarchs , in neighbouring kingdoms , who would have cut off all our heads after we had done a bit of secret business ; but the merest word of your Majesty is law to your loving subjects . '' The other merchants murmured assent , for King Prigio was really liked by his people . He was always good-tempered and polite . He never went to war with anybody . He spent most of the royal income on public objects , and of course there were scarcely any taxes to speak of . Moreover , he had abolished what is called compulsory education , or making everybody go to school whether he likes it or not ; a most mischievous and tyrannical measure ! `` A fellow who ca n't teach himself to read , '' said the king , `` is not worth teaching . '' For all these reasons , and because they were so fond of the queen , his subjects were ready to do anything in reason for King Prigio . Only one tradesman , bowing very deep and blushing very much , said : `` Your Majesty , will you hear me for one moment ? ''
`` XXXXX an hour , with pleasure , Herr Schmidt , '' said the monarch .
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