more fundamental and comprehensive measure, of which I need say
no more.
Should his Majesty be successful--as who dares to doubt?--then a
peace,
all to the advantage of the goblin kingdom, will be established for a
generation at least, rendered absolutely secure by the pledge which his
royal Highness the prince will have and hold for the good behavior of
his relatives. Should his Majesty fail--which who shall dare even to
imagine in his most secret thoughts?--then will be the time for
carrying
out with rigor the design to which Glump referred, and for which our
preparations are even now all but completed. The failure of the former
will render the latter imperative."
Curdie perceiving that the assembly was drawing to a close, and that
there was little chance of either plan being more fully discovered, now
thought it prudent to make his escape before the goblins began to
disperse, and slipped quietly away.
There was not much danger of meeting any goblins, for all the men at
least were left behind him in the palace; but there was considerable
danger of his taking a wrong turning, for he had now no light, and had
therefore to depend upon his memory and his hands. After he had left
Madhuri Noah
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