The Toyman’s Return
The Toyman returned, and presented the ladies with two muzzles of the best sort.—“Ah! mercy!” cried Zelida. “What enormous muzzles are these! And who are the unhappy women, whom these will fit? This is an ell long. Indeed, friend, you must certainly have taken measure by the Sultan’s mare.”
“Yes,” said Sophia indolently, after having measured them with her fingers, “you are in the right; and there is but the Sultan’s mare and old Rimosa, for whom these can do.”
“I protest, ladies, that they are of the common size; and that Zelmaida, Zyrphila, Amiana, and a hundred other ladies, have of the same sort.”
“That is impossible,” said Zelida.
“ ’Tis actually so however,” replied Frenicol: “but they all said the same thing as ye have: and as they have, so may you undeceive yourselves by trying them on.”