reets. I'm sure the--a--populace
would appreciate it."

"If you think it's expected of us, my love," he said. "Otherwise--well,
I should have rather liked to see a little more of the Palace; we don't
even know where our own bedrooms are to be yet."

"The Guv'nor's right there, Mater!" said Prince Clarence. "We'd better
get settled down before we do anything else."

"Perhaps we had," Queen Selina allowed. "I'll get that good old Mrs.
Fogleplug to take us round the house." And after sending for the Court
Godmother, she started, accompanied by the family and several of her
ladies-in-waiting, on a tour of inspection.

Possibly the suites of halls, each more magnificent than the last, the
endless galleries and corridors, the walls decorated with sumptuous but
bizarre hangings, the floors inlaid with marble and precious stones
which were probably priceless and certainly slippery--possibly all these
contributed towards the upsetting of Queen Selina's equanimity, but her
manner was deplorably lacking in dignity and repose. She treated her
ladies, for instance, with a politeness that came nearer subservience
than ever. It was: "_Pray_ go first, dear Princess Rapunzelhauser! After
_you_, Baroness!... Please, Countess, I really couldn't _think_ of
preceding you!" at every doorway, till Daphne, as she noted the elevated
eyebrows and covert smiles of the others, felt too much shame for her
Sovereign for any thought of amusement.

However, the Queen showed more self-assertion in her treatment of the
Court Godmother, which was characterised by some _hauteur_.

"And now, I suppose, Mrs. Fogleplug, we have seen _all_ the Reception
Rooms. We shall probably have to entertain on rather a large scale, but
they appear to be fairly suitable. What I have _not_ yet seen is a room
where I could receive ordinary callers. I have always made a practice
since I was first married of being 'at Home' on the first and third
Fridays, and though circumstances have altered, I intend to continue
it."

The Fairy, though she was rather at a loss to understand either the
reason or the necessity for this, said that there was a chamber called
"The Queen's Bower" which would probably meet Her Majesty's
requirements, and led the way to it accordingly.

It was about sixty feet square, with a high vaulted roof of lapis-lazuli
set with large diamond stars; the walls were decorated with huge
frescoes representing legends, many of which Princess Ruby recognise