Why , at his age I -- '' `` At his age , my dear , you were so hard-hearted that you were quite a proverb . Why , I have been told that you used to ask girls dreadful puzzling questions , like ` Who was Caesar Borgia ? ' ` What do you know of Edwin and Morcar ? ' and so on . '' `` I had not seen you then , '' said the king . `` And Ricardo has not seen her , whoever she may be . Besides , he ca n't possibly marry all of them . And I think a girl should consider herself lucky if she is saved from a dragon or a giant , without expecting to be married next day . '' `` Perhaps ; but it is usual , '' said the king , `` and their families expect it , and keep sending ambassadors to know what Dick 's intentions are . I would not mind it all so very much if he killed the monsters off his own sword , as he did that first brace , in fair fight . But ever since he found his way into that closet where the fairy presents lie , everything has been made too easy for him . It is a royal road to glory , or giant-slaying made easy . In his Cap of Darkness a poor brute of a dragon ca n't see him . In his Shoes of Swiftness the giants ca n't catch him . His Sword of Sharpness would cut any oak asunder at a blow ! '' `` But you were very glad of them when you made the Ice-beast and the Fire - beast fight and kill each other , '' said the queen . `` Yes , my dear ; but it wanted some wit , if I may say so , to do that , and Dick just goes at it hammer and tongs : anybody could do it . It 's intellect I miss in Ricardo . How am I to know whether he could make a good fight for it without all these fairy things ? I wonder what the young rogue is about to-day ?
He 'll be late for dinner , XXXXX usual , I daresay .
In about as at for from if like off since