VIII. HOW GRUFFANUFF PICKED THE FAIRY RING UP, AND PRINCE BULBO CAME TO
COURT

Prince Bulbo's arrival had set all the court in a flutter: everybody was
ordered to put his or her best clothes on: the footmen had their gala
liveries; the Lord Chancellor his new wig; the Guards their last
new tunics; and Countess Gruffanuff, you may be sure, was glad of an
opportunity of decorating HER old person with her finest things. She was
walking through the court of the Palace on her way to wait upon Their
Majesties, when she espied something glittering on the pavement, and
bade the boy in buttons who was holding up her train, to go and pick up
the article shining yonder. He was an ugly little wretch, in some of the
late groom-porter's old clothes cut down, and much too tight for him;
and yet, when he had taken up the ring (as it turned out to be), and was
carrying it to his mistress, she thought he looked like a little cupid.
He gave the ring to her; it was a trumpery little thing enough, but too
small for any of her old knuckles, so she put it into her pocket.

'Oh, mum!' says the boy, looking at her 'how--how beyoutiful you do
look, mum, today, mum!'

'And you, too, Jacky,' she was going to say; but, looking down
at him--no, he was no longer good-looking at all--but only the
carroty-haired little Jacky of the morning. However, praise is welcome
from the ugliest of men or boys, and Gruffanuff, bidding the boy hold
up her train, walked on in high good-humour. The guards saluted her
with peculiar respect. Captain Hedzoff, in the anteroom, said, 'My
dear madam, you look like an angel today.' And so, bowing and smirking,
Gruffanuff went in and took her place behind her Royal Master and