"_Will_ you get out?" cried the Prince, stopping both his ears. "I won't
hear you. I can't, as you can see. And if you don't clear out at once,
I'll strike this gong for the guard!"

The Baron, seeing that he could do no more, hastily put on his cap again
and disappeared. "What a pity," he thought, "that such a fine young
Prince should be so priggish when his own interests are concerned!"

But although Mirliflor's code of honour was undoubtedly high, it is
quite possible that he might not have stopped his ears quite so
hermetically if Princess Edna had only borne a closer resemblance to his
vision of her.

As it was, even if the Baron had forced him to hear the answer, it would
have made no difference, since he had not the least intention of
profiting by it, and so he slept soundly, with no apprehensions
concerning what the morrow might bring him.

Shortly after breakfast the next day the Court filled the body of the
Hall of Audience, on the dais of which the King and Queen presently
appeared and took their thrones, Prince Mirliflor and the members of
the Royal Family being accommodated with lower seats on the same
platform.

"Now, Prince Mirliflor," remarked Edna sweetly, "you have been given a
night to consider the answer to my question. I hope you have found it?"

The Prince was about to confess his utter inability to do so, when, to
his extreme annoyance, he found that the Baron, who had stationed
himself behind his chair, was whispering discreetly into his ear. "Will
you be kind enough to leave me alone, Baron?" he said in a savage
undertone. "I've told you already that I don't desire any interference
in my affairs. Oblige me by holding your tongue!"

"Certainly, your Royal Highness," said the Baron obsequiously, "your
wishes shall be obeyed.... His Royal Highness, Madam," he said aloud,
"begs me to make his excuses. He feels too much agitated to speak for
himself, but instructs me to say that he believes the reason why the
sausage rolled was because it had seen the jam pasty. And," he added
confidently, "your Royal Highness will, I am sure, be gracious enough to
admit that Prince Mirliflor has answered her question with absolute
correctness."

Mirliflor's attempts to deny that he had offered any solution whatever
were unheard in the tumult of acclamation which followed the Court
Chamberlain's announcement.

"He _hasn't_ given the correct answer!" declared Edna, as soon as
silence could be obtained. "