Then why not give him the opportunity? "My dear Prince Udo, I'm
afraid I mistook the nature of my feelings"--said, of course, with
downcast head and a maidenly blush. Exit Udo with haste, enter King
Merriwig. It would be so easy.

Ah, but then Hyacinth would have won. Hyacinth had forced the
engagement upon her; even if it only lasted for twenty-four hours, so
long as it was a forced engagement, Hyacinth would have had the better
of her for that time. But if she welcomed the engagement, if she
managed in some way to turn it to account, to make it appear as if she
had wanted it all the time, then Hyacinth's victory would be no
victory at all, but a defeat.

Marry Udo, then, as if willingly? Yes, but that was too high a price
to pay. She was by this time thoroughly weary of him and besides, she
had every intention of marrying the King of Euralia. To pretend to
marry him until she brought the King in open conflict with him, and
then having led the King to her feet to dismiss the rival who had
served her turn--that was her only wise course.

She did not come to this conclusion without much thought. She composed
an Ode to Despair, an Elegy to an Unhappy Woman, and a Triolet to
Interfering Dukes, before her mind was made up. She also considered
very seriously what she would look like in a little cottage in the
middle of the forest, dressed in a melancholy grey and holding
communion only with the birds and trees; a life of retirement away
from the vain world; a life into which no man came. It had its
attractions, but she decided that grey did not suit her.

She went down to her garden and sent for Prince Udo. At about the
moment when the King was having the terrible news broken to him, Udo
was protesting over the sundial that he loved Belvane and Belvane
only, and that he was looking forward eagerly to the day when she
would make him the happiest of men. So afraid was he of what might
happen to him on the way back to Araby.

"The Countess Belvane!" cried Merriwig. "Prince Udo marry the
Countess Belvane! I never heard such a thing in my life." He glared
at them one after the other as if it were their fault--as indeed it
was. "Why didn't you tell me this before, Hyacinth?"

"It was only just announced, Father."

"Who announced it?"

"Well--er--Udo did," said Coronel.

"I never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life! I won't have
it!"

"But, Father, don't you think she'd make a very good Queen?"