All health and happiness wait on Your Majesty!

We thank you, Prince! We are extremely glad that your melancholy has somewhat left you; wherefore today we have arranged a friendly match between you and young Leonhardus. You are to fight him with foils and the one of you who makes first three hits will have won the prize, a white Neapolitan horse with saddle and all the trappings.

Your Majesty will pardon me, for I am little practiced with the foils, while Leonhardus comes direct from France, where he had undoubtedly had plenty of practice; wherefore will please excuse me.

Prince Hamlet will do it to please us, for we are curious to learn what feints the Germans and French use.