ROYAL EQUIVOQUE.

(_From the Life and Reign of George IV._)

A well-known individual, some time deceased, who was admitted to the
prince's familiarity upon his first entrance into life, and for several
years after, described or rather dramatized with much humour a scene
which he professed to have had from the prince himself. So much depends
upon tone and manner, that the spirit of these pleasantries evaporates
on paper. The story was in substance as follows:--A new suit, destined
for a ball that night at Cumberland-house, was brought home to the
prince, but ordered back by him for the purpose of undergoing immediate
alterations. He gave directions that the tailor's return with it should
be instantly made known to him. The prince happened to pass the early
part of the evening with the king and queen at Buckingham-house. Whilst
he was seated in the royal group, a German page entered, and pronounced
in a tone meant for his particular ear, but loud enough to be heard by
every one present, "Please your royal highness, _she_ is come."
There was a moment's awful pause. "Who is come?" said his royal
highness, in a tone between surprise, embarrassment, and anger. "Sir,
_she_ is come," repeated the page, with his bad English and German
phlegm. "Eh! what, what! who is come?" exclaimed the king. "_She_,
your majesty," reiterated the unmoved German. "She is come!" cried the
queen, bursting with wrath, and supposing that the visiter was one of
the house of Luttrell, who already sought an undue influence over the
prince. All was for a moment inexplicable confusion. The queen summoned
another page, and asked him with fury in her looks, "_Who_ is
_she_ that dares inquire for the Prince of Wales?" "Please your