Burlesques William Makepeace Thackeray

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"The gold chain?" said Otto. "Prefer a gold chain to a cap worked by that august hand?
Never!" And advancing to the balcony where the Princess, who now came to herself, was
sitting, he kneeled down before her, and received the velvet cap; which, blushing as scarlet
as the cap itself, the Princess Helen placed on his golden ringlets. Once more their eyes
met—their hearts thrilled. They had never spoken, but they knew they loved each other for
ever.
"Wilt thou take service with the Rowski of Donnerblitz?" said that individual to the youth.
"Thou shalt be captain of my archers in place of yon blundering nincompoop, whom thou
hast overcome."
"Yon blundering nincompoop is a skilful and gallant archer," replied Otto, haughtily; "and I
will NOT take service with the Rowski of Donnerblitz."
"Wilt thou enter the household of the Prince of Cleves?" said the father of Helen, laughing,
and not a little amused at the haughtiness of the humble archer.
"I would die for the Duke of Cleves and HIS FAMILY," said Otto, bowing low. He laid a
particular and a tender emphasis on the word family. Helen knew what he meant. SHE was
the family. In fact her mother was no more, and her papa had no other offspring.
"What is thy name, good fellow," said the Prince, "that my steward may enroll thee?"
"Sir," said Otto, again blushing, "I am OTTO THE ARCHER."
CHAPTER XI.
THE MARTYR OF LOVE.
The archers who had travelled in company with young Otto gave a handsome dinner in
compliment to the success of our hero; at which his friend distinguished himself as usual in
the eating and drinking department. Squintoff, the Rowski bowman, declined to attend; so
great was the envy of the brute at the youthful hero's superiority. As for Otto himself, he sat
on the right hand of the chairman; but it was remarked that he could not eat. Gentle reader
of my page! thou knowest why full well. He was too much in love to have any appetite; for
though I myself when laboring under that passion, never found my consumption of victuals
diminish, yet remember our Otto was a hero of romance, and they NEVER are hungry
when they're in love.