Chapter 57 - Page 2

respectfully expressed a desire for His
Royal Majesty to step down and honour him with a call; but, with
his handkerchief to his Imperial nose, his Majesty declined. The
party then commenced the ascent to the spar-deck; which, from so
great a depth in a frigate, is something like getting up to the
top of Bunker Hill Monument from the basement.

While a crowd of people was gathered about the forward part of
the booms, a sudden cry was heard from below; a lieutenant came
running forward to learn the cause, when an old sheet-anchor-man,
standing by, after touching his hat hitched up his waistbands,
and replied, "I don't know, sir, but I'm thinking as how one o'
them 'ere kings has been tumblin' down the hatchway."

And something like this it turned out. In ascending one of the
narrow ladders leading from the berth-deck to the gun-deck, the
Most Noble Marquis of Silva, in the act of elevating the Imperial
coat-tails, so as to protect them from rubbing against the newly-
painted combings of the hatchway, this noble marquis's sword,
being an uncommonly long one, had caught between his legs, and
tripped him head over heels down into the fore-passage.

"Onde ides?" (where are you going?) said his royal master, tranquilly
peeping down toward the falling Marquis; "and what did you let go of my
coat-tails for?" he suddenly added, in a passion, glancing round at the
same time, to see if they had suffered from the unfaithfulness of his
train bearer.

"Oh, Lord!" sighed the Captain of the Fore-top, "who would be a Marquis
of Silva?"

Upon being assisted to the spar-deck, the unfortunate Marquis was
found to have escaped without serious harm; but, from the marked
coolness of his royal master, when the Marquis drew near to
apologise for his awkwardness, it was plain that he was condemned
to languish for a time under the royal displeasure.

Shortly after, the Imperial party withdrew, under another grand
national salute.