Page:Writings of Oscar Wilde - Volume 03.djvu/87

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THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA 65

"Yes," cried all the children, "you must get up and dance, for you are as clever as the Barbary apes, and much more ridiculous. " But the little Dwarf made no answer. , And the Infanta stamped her foot, and called out to her uncle, who was walking on the terrace with the Chamberlain, reading some despatches that had just arrived from Mexico where the Holy Office had recently been established. "My funny little dwarf is sulking," she cried, "you must wake him up, and tell him to dance for me." They smiled at each other, and sauntered in, and Don Pedro stooped down, and slapped the Dwarf on the cheek with his embroidered glove. "You must dance," he said, "petit monstre. You must dance. The Infanta of Spain and the Indies wishes to be amused. But the little Dwarf never moved. "A whipping master should be sent for," said Don Pedro wearily, and he went back to the terrace. But the Chamberlain looked grave, and he knelt beside the little dwarf, and put his hand upon his heart. And after a few moments he shrugged his shoulders, and rose up, and having made a low bow to the Infanta, he said :

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