Whenbreakfastwasover，thehousewifetoldthekingtowashupthedishes。Thiscommandwasastaggererforamoment，andthekingcamenearrebelling；butthenhesaidtohimself，’AlfredtheGreatwatchedthecakes；doubtlesshewouldhavewashedthedishes，too—
thereforewillIessayit。’
Hemadeasufficientlypoorjobofit；andtohissurprise，too，forthecleaningofwoodenspoonsandtrenchershadseemedaneasythingtodo。Itwasatediousandtroublesomepieceofwork，buthefinisheditatlast。Hewasbecomingimpatienttogetawayonhisjourneynow；howeverhewasnottolosethisthriftydame’ssocietysoeasily。Shefurnishedhimsomelittleoddsandendsofemployment，whichhegotthroughwithafterafairfashionandwithsomecredit。
Thenshesethimandthelittlegirlstoparingsomewinterapples；
buthewassoawkwardatthisservicethatsheretiredhimfromitandgavehimabutcher—knifetogrind。AfterwardshekepthimcardingwooluntilhebegantothinkhehadlaidthegoodKingAlfredaboutfarenoughintheshadeforthepresent，inthematterofshowymenialheroismsthatwouldreadpicturesquelyinstory—booksandhistories，andsohewashalfmindedtoresign。Andwhen，justafterthenoondaydinner，thegoodwifegavehimabasketofkittenstodrown，hedidresign。Atleasthewasjustgoingtoresign—forhefeltthathemustdrawthelinesomewhere，anditseemedtohimthattodrawitatkitten—drowningwasabouttherightthing—whentherewasaninterruption。TheinterruptionwasJohnCanty—withapeddler’spackonhisback—andHugo！