almost lyrical in his jubilation.

"This is indeed a glorious day, Madam!" he cried. "It has long been my
dream to see the reigning houses of Maerchenland and Clairdelune united,
but of late I had begun to despair that it would ever be accomplished!
And from all I have heard of Prince Mirliflor, her Royal Highness is
almost as much to be felicitated as he!"

"Thank you, Baron," replied the Queen. "We are all most pleased about
it. Though I shall be very lonely without her. You see," she added,
raising her voice for the benefit of such of her ladies-in-waiting as
happened to be within hearing, "there is no one else here who is any
companion for me. I can't make intimate friends of any of my ladies, as
I could of the dear old Duchess of Gleneagles, for instance, or even
the Marchioness of Muscombe. Ah, my dear Baron, our English aristocracy!
You've nothing to approach them in a country like this--nothing!"

"I can well understand," he said, "that your Majesty must feel the loss
of such society."

"I miss it, Baron," Queen Selina confessed, without untruthfulness,
seeing that she always _had_ missed it. "It is only natural that I
should. The Duchess is such a sweet woman--a true _grande dame_! And the
Marchioness, though only a peeress by _marriage_, _such_ a clever,
talented creature! They would both have so rejoiced to hear of our dear
Edna's engagement--she was such a favourite of theirs, you know! I
remember the Duchess always prophesied that she would make a brilliant
marriage."

These particulars were thrown in mainly for the edification of the
Court, but Queen Selina had almost brought herself to believe them, and,
in any case, none of her own family was at hand just then, so she was
safe from contradiction.

The announcement of Prince Mirlinor's proposal had no sooner reached
Count Rubenfresser's ears than he drove over to the Palace, to ascertain
from Edna herself whether the report had any truth in it. He succeeded
in obtaining a private interview, and at once put his question.

"It is only true so far as that the Prince has proposed to me by
letter," Edna informed him. "Whether I shall accept him when he appears
will depend entirely upon circumstances."

"You _won't_ accept him, Princess," said the Count, drawing himself up
to his full height, which was now well over seven feet. "Or, if you do,
he will never wed you. _I_ shall see to that!"

"Really, Count!" protested Princess Edna, feeling secretly r