“So they’re all ahead of us,” Nunzio sez, disgusted-like. “And here we thought we were being clever getting an early start.”
“Well, there is one detail I notice your teammates neglected to mention yesterday,” Big Julie sez. “You see, today is the day the queen holds her public court and hears cases and complaints from anybody … first come first served. That makes it perfect for the kind of questionable deed you were discussing … but the lines form early, both for those seeking an audience and those who simply want to be in the audience.”
“Oh that’s just swell!” I sez. “Tell me, Big Julie, if you don’t mind my askin’, why didn’t you try to stop them?”
“Me?” he blinks, innocent-like. “I had my say yesterday … and as I recall was unanimously told to butt out. That makes it none of my business … though I’ll admit I’d be no more eager to try stopping any of the others than I’d be to try to stop you two. Know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I guess I see your point,” Nunzio sez quick-like, lookin’ grimmer than I’ve seen him in a long time. “Well, come on, Guido! We’ve gotta hurry if we’re gonna be in this game at all!”
Just as Big Julie predicted, the palace throne room was packed to the walls with even more folks waiting outside to get in if anyone left early. As I have mentioned before, however, Nunzio and me is of sufficient size that most folks give ground when we crowd them, so we are able to eventually elbow our way in to where we can at least see.
The crowd what has shown up just to watch is linin’ the walls about twenty deep or jammed into the balconies, leavin’ the center of the room open for those havin’ business with the queen. Seein’ as how that pack is standin’ in a line which stretches back out the door, we have little choice but to join the audience … which hides our presence to a certain extent, but greatly reduces our chances of a quick withdrawal after we finishes workin’.