Servant and Master

But it wasn't quite that bad. "That's no way for you to speak," Ralph said. "Ralph says that you should preface any remark or question with: 'Master, may your humble servant speak to you?'"

Astra sighed inwardly, but had enough sense to keep her face impassive. "Master, may your humble servant speak to you?"

"Very well. What is it? You aren't going to refuse to carry out my last command, I hope?"

Astra decided that it would be pointless to mention that he had forgotten to precede the command with "Ralph says" and thus it was technically invalid. He would merely repeat it using the correct form of words. Instead she said: "I am not sure that I am a good enough tumbler to perform a double somersault here on the stage. If I failed to complete the second somersault in time, I could easily break my neck. With your permission, I should like to make use of the height of the stage, and arrange matters so that I land in the aisle between the benches."

1. Ralph agrees to this.
2. "No. Instead we will get someone to lift you high and give you some momentum."
3. "I have an idea. Ralph says to come outside the castle with us, and then perform the double somersault off the drawbridge into the moat." Astra hoped that the water would be clean, but suspected that it was more likely to be filthy.
4. Meanwhile, back in a cupboard backstage

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