THE NEW SOVEREIGNS. 243 



were just at the present juncture of vast importance in the 

 state. Their recommendation was, therefore, promptly at- 

 tended to, and the aged professor of the mesmeric art soon 

 found herself chief superintendent of the royal nurseries. 

 Here she continued, working her secret charms, until the 

 young plebeian plants, forced into royalty, were sufficiently 

 grown up for transplantation. 



When amongst several princesses, whether royal born or 

 only royal bred, one happened to be considerably older than 

 the others, she was always in the habit (as a matter of Apian 

 custom) of murdering her little sisters, even in their cradles ; 

 but when (as on the present occasion) all were nearly of 

 equal age, it was usual that the succession should be settled 

 between them by single combat, a procedure to which they 

 never wanted any prompting, save the blood-thirsty jealousy 

 of their dispositions. It had not, however, been for nothing 

 that the head-nurse mesmeriser had been promoted to her 

 influential place. The crone had worked like a witch, indeed, 

 and strange the magic of her doings with her tender charges, 

 of whom three only arrived at maturity, and that together. 

 Now was the time of struggle for empire or for death; but 

 instead of what usually took place, neither of the trio 

 showed the smallest disposition to lord (or lady) it above 

 her fellows. In vain did the populace, anxious that 

 one alone (which they cared not) should reign over them, 

 form a capacious ring around what ought to have been 



