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Updated: June 23, 2025
And when the dancing-master came, Betsinda learned along with Angelica; and when the music-master came, she watched him, and practiced the Princess's pieces when Angelica was away at balls and parties; and when the drawing-master came, she took note of all he said and did; and the same with French, Italian, and all other languages she learned them from the teacher who came to Angelica.
'Why, said she, 'my good woodman, you must be a nobleman of my royal father's Court! For in her lowly retreat, and under the name of Betsinda, HER MAJESTY, ROSALBA, Queen of Crim Tartary, had read of the customs of all foreign courts and nations. 'Marry, indeed, am I, my gracious liege the poor Lord Spinachi once the humble woodman these fifteen years syne.
It fitted Betsinda exactly. "It's like the ring the Princess used to wear," says the maid. "No such thing," says Gruffanuff, "I have had it this ever so long. Mind I shall want my cup of tea at five o'clock in the morning." "I suppose I had best warm both the young gentlemen's beds, Ma'am," says Betsinda. Gruffanuff, for reply, said, "Hau-au-ho! Grau-haw-hoo! Hong-hrho!"
Turn thy eyes on a middle-aged autocrat, who has been considered not ill-looking in his time. 'Oh, sir! what will Her Majesty say? cries Betsinda. 'Her Majesty! laughs the monarch. 'Her Majesty be hanged. Am I not Autocrat of Paflagonia? Have I not blocks, ropes, axes, hangmen ha? Runs not a river by my palace wall? Have I not sacks to sew up wives withal?
"And now," says she, "when her Majesty rings her bell twice, I'll trouble you, miss, to attend." So when the Queen's bell rang twice, Betsinda came to her Majesty and made a pretty little curtsey. The Queen, the Princess, and Gruffanuff were all three in the room. As soon as they saw her they began, "You wretch!" says the Queen. "You little vulgar thing!" says the Princess.
So the two girls grew up, and, when the Princess came out, Betsinda was never tired of waiting on her; and made her dresses better than the best milliner, and was useful in a hundred ways.
It fitted Betsinda exactly. 'It's like the ring the Princess used to wear, says the maid. 'No such thing, says Gruffanuff, 'I have had it this ever so long. Mind I shall want my cup of tea at five o'clock in the morning. 'I suppose I had best warm both the young gentlemen's beds, Ma'am, says Betsinda. Gruffanuff, for reply, said, 'Hau-au-ho! Grauhawhoo!
Poor Betsinda did not know whether to laugh or to cry; the kicking certainly must hurt the Prince, but then he looked so droll! When Giglio had done knocking him up and down to the ground, and whilst he went into a corner rubbing himself, what do you think Giglio does? He goes down on his own knees to Betsinda, takes her hand, begs her to accept his heart, and offers to marry her that moment.
He said he lived on the confines of the forest, where his old father was a woodman, and, if she liked, he would take her so far on her road. All roads were the same to little Betsinda, so she very thankfully took this one. And the carter put a cloth round her bare feet, and gave her some bread and cold bacon, and was very kind to her. For all that she was very cold and melancholy.
The King had offered to marry her; of course her Majesty the Queen was jealous: Bulbo had fallen in love with her; of course Angelica was furious: Giglio was in love with her, and oh, what a fury Gruffy was in! and began tearing the clothes off poor Betsinda. "Give her the rags she wore when she came into the house, and turn her out of it!" cries the Queen.
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