--inconvenient, but no worse. And I think my--the Court Godmother will
see me through it now. I will tell her our news to-morrow morning."

"I'm afraid," said Daphne, "she won't at all approve of my marrying
you--she may even try to prevent it, but she won't succeed!"

"She is more likely to be on our side," he said. He refrained, even
then, from telling her why; he might be already released from his
promise of silence, but he no longer rebelled against it, nor had he any
impatience now to regain his own form. And so they talked on far into
the night, discussing their future life together, which Daphne
cheerfully assumed would be humble enough for a time--and he said
nothing to disabuse her. Why should he not enjoy as long as he could the
sensation--denied to most princes and millionaires--of being beloved
"for himself alone?"

At an early hour the next morning, after carefully ascertaining that the
Baron had not yet risen, he waited on the Fairy, who heard what he had
to tell with high good-humour and complacency. "Most satisfactory, my
dear Mirliflor!" she said. "And everything has turned out exactly as I
always told you it would. I shall visit her this morning and prepare her
for the future in store for her. As for you, you must get to your work
as usual, and at noon you will find us at the end of the yew walk behind
the Pavilion. I shall have to change you back to yourself again, and I'm
thankful to say it will be the last time I shall ever be called upon to
do anything of that sort. Then I shall take you both in the stork-car to
Clairdelune, and we shall hear what your Royal father thinks of the
bride you have chosen. He _may_ consider that an ex-lady-in-waiting is
not----"

"He has only to see her," declared Mirliflor. "But object as he may, no
thing and no one shall separate us now."

"Well, well, if it comes to that, I dare say I shall manage to overcome
his objections," she said. She might have been more explicit if she had
not decided to reserve the surprise of Daphne's royal descent until the
final scene at Clairdelune--which would be far more effective, as well
as safer.

"And don't worry yourself about that foolish old Baron," she concluded.
"We shall be gone before _he_ can give any trouble. Now be off with
you--I shan't want you till noon, and a few more hours' gardening won't
hurt you!"

There was no need to hurry, so she did not leave her tower till it was
nearly half an hour to mid-day, when sh