human
No, I don't know what to do with Dick,
gpt
I believe it's the fault of his education, his Majesty went on.
human
We have not brought him up rightly. These fairy books are at the bottom of his provoking behaviour, and he glanced round the shelves.
gpt
Now, when _I_ was a boy, my dear mother tried to prevent me from reading fairy books, because she did not believe in fairies.
human
But she was wrong, you know, said the queen.
gpt
Why, if it had not been for all these fairy presents, the Cap of Darkness and all the rest of them, you never could have killed the Fire-beast and the Ice-beast, and--you never could have married me,
human
It is quite true, said the king,
gpt
and he looked very kindly at her Majesty.
human
And now, here's Dick, the monarch continued,
gpt
I can't hold him back. He is always after a giant, or a dragon, or a magician, as the case may be; he will certainly be ploughed for his examination at College. Never opens a book. What does he care, off after every adventure he can hear about? An idle, restless youth! Ah, my poor country, when I am gone, what may not be your misfortunes under Ricardo!
human
But you are not going yet, my dear, said the queen.
gpt
Why you are not forty! And young people will be young people. You were quite proud when poor Dick came home with his first brace of gigantic fierce birds, killed off his own sword, and with such a pretty princess he had rescued--dear Jaqueline? I'm sure she is like a daughter to me. I cannot do without her.
human
I wish she were a daughter-in-law; I wish Dick would take a fancy to marry her, said the king.
gpt
A nicer girl I never saw.
human
And so accomplished, added Queen Rosalind.
gpt
That girl can turn herself into anything--a mouse, a fly, a lion, a wheelbarrow, a church! I never knew such talent for magic. Of course she had the _best_ of teachers, the Fairy Paribanou herself; but very few girls, in our time, devote so many hours to _practice_ as dear Jaqueline. Even now, when she is out of the schoolroom, she still practises her scales. I saw her turning little Dollie into a fish and back again in the bath-room last night. The child was delighted.