m sure you would not wish _that_."
"Of course I shouldn't wish it," said Daphne, a little haughtily.
"Though how I could prejudice her Majesty by telling anybody of an
instance of her kindness to me, I really don't know. She's scarcely worn
the pendant herself, and now she's given it to Prince Clarence. But
nobody knows that it was once mine, and you can be quite sure that
nobody ever will, from me."
"In a Court like this, my child," said the Fairy, almost apologetically,
"one cannot be too careful. But I can see you are to be trusted." And,
after some conversation on less dangerous subjects, she retired.
Her worst fears had been confirmed; she could no longer doubt that
Daphne was Prince Chrysopras's daughter. She wondered now how she could
ever have doubted it. But this constituted her Daphne's official
Godmother. As such, was it not her duty to see that she had her rights?
If she did her duty to her godchild it might entail very unpleasant
consequences to herself--consequences from which she felt herself
shrinking as much as ever. Might they not be avoided? Daphne evidently
had no suspicion of her claims. And, as the Fairy reminded herself,
"What the eye does not miss the heart will not grieve for." The child
was quite happy and contented as she was. If the Marshal still had any
ambition to resume his power, he would have no scruples about removing
any rival.
"I should only be exposing her to danger," thought the Court Godmother.
And there were the poor King and Queen to be considered, and the Baron
and the Astrologer Royal, who would all go down in the general _debacle_
if the truth were allowed to come out. She was bound to think of
_them_. So far as she could see, the only result of disclosure would be
to establish the Marshal as Monarch--and they had had quite enough of
him as Regent.
So, as it is seldom difficult to discover insuperable objections to any
course that one has strong personal reasons for avoiding, the Fairy
easily persuaded herself that she owed it to others to remain silent.
The secret was safe enough. Both Queen Selina and Daphne could be
depended on not to betray it now. It was better for everybody
concerned--particularly the Court Godmother--that it should remain
unknown for ever.
Still, her conscience smote her a little with regard to Daphne. She was
so well fitted to be a Queen--it seemed hard that she should forfeit the
crown that was rightfully hers. "But that's entirely her
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