had been redressed,
and the amiable easygoing Maerchenlanders were willing to forgive and
forget them. Now they were called upon to put up with a humiliation
beyond all endurance. The prospect of seeing the throne occupied in days
to come by a creature who was not only of dubious extraction, but
probably did not possess so much as the rudiments of a soul, infuriated
them to madness.

So much so that the Royal Family had scarcely finished lunch when they
were startled by news that the people were once more advancing _en
masse_ up the road to the Palace, and would soon be battering at the
gates for admittance.

"I can't see 'em," said King Sidney peevishly, plucking at his auburn
moustache. "What am I to say to them about this engagement? There's
nothing _to_ say except that it's most----"

"If you say that again, Sidney," said the Queen, "I shall throw
something at you! Tell them the truth."

"I--I'd rather the Council explained it to them, my dear," he said.

"The Council have been sitting tight with closed doors all the morning,"
said Clarence, "like a bally lot of broody hens. I don't know, of
course, but I've a notion they're discussing a Republic or something."

"If _you_ won't speak to the people, Sidney," declared the Queen, with
the courage of despair, "I must order the guards to close the Courtyard
gates, and tell the mob that, if they promise to be quiet and behave
themselves, I'll come out and talk to them myself."

"Good egg, Mater!" cried Clarence, "I'll come with you. It's really _my_
show!"

"You'll only make them worse! Much better keep indoors and take no
notice. More dignified," said the King. But as his wife and son paid no
attention to him, he followed them out for very shame.

As they came down the front steps and advanced to within hearing
distance of the crowd, which had not attempted as yet to break through
the closed gates, they were received with yells and howls of execration,
frantic shaking of fists and brandishing of improvised weapons. The
strength of the gates and the presence of the guards gave the Queen more
confidence than she might otherwise have felt.

"Now, good people!" she said in rather a tremulous voice, "it's quite
impossible to speak while you're making all this noise!"

She had sent up for her crown, and perhaps this impressed them
unconsciously, though she had been too nervous to put it on straight.
Gradually silence was obtained.

"I know why you've come," she