this," asked the King, "and how quickly can you give me a decision upon this question of law?"

"Your Majesty," said the Court Lawyer, "I have known less knotty questions than this one to remain in the Courts of Chancery for over a hundred years; but such is my own great personal skill in this branch of the law, that I make no doubt I can deliver your Majesty an opinion of several hundred pages and of great importance in less than half that time."

139"That," said the King, "is absurd, for it would be of no use to the Court Detective, if he were beheaded now, to learn fifty years hence that his execution had been illegal."

139

"The law can not take any cognizance of unimportant details," said the Court Lawyer; "so I do not presume to enter into any discussion of that point, as I have had no brief prepared, nor could I have had on such short notice."

"But can you not guess," asked the King, "and give us an informal opinion as to whether I can behead this gentleman, and so go take a nap?"

"Your Majesty," said the Court Lawyer firmly, "the law is not to be handled in so hurried a manner. I can make no such hasty decision. I should not undertake to render an opinion upon this question in less than fifty years, and then only in case I have received my proper fee."

"But in case the act should later be found illegal?" asked the King.

"Then, in that case," said the Court Lawyer, "your Majesty would be in danger of impeachment proceedings, which might cause your Majesty to lose your throne."

"It is enough for the King to lose his shadow without losing his throne," said the King angrily. "Away 140with you, every one, or, I declare, I shall send for the Court Executioner and consult with him alone!"

140

So they all hastily withdrew from the King's presence, and for the time the matter was allowed to rest. It may be if the bad Fairy had not stolen the White Cricket, they might have used the Fairy Telephone and asked the good Queen Zulena whether any word had been received there of a missing pair of Twins, a royal shadow, the wooden leg of a Dragon, and an Enchanted Banjo.

141

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