The narrator tells the story of Henry shire, the son of the oldest shire family, who is preparing to celebrate his upcoming marriage. Henry's father raised Henry and treated him badly, but now the shires have decided that Henry is too old to be the heir to the throne. The narrator wonders what kind of person Henry was when he was a child, and wonders how quickly life has changed. He tells the narrator that the celebration will last for four days, and that the servants will enter and exit the banquet hall through a hidden path behind the hall. Everyone will enjoy the party, and therefore, there will be no need for security. He asks the narrator to bring more plates, and the narrator tells him to do so. He leaves the room and returns to the narrator's room.