smiles and their supple graces of movement. As for the character of this
popular young lady, I must not influence you either way; study it for
yourself."

"Without a hint to guide me?"

"With a suggestion," he replied, "which may be worth considering. If you
wish to please the Princess, begin by endeavoring to win the good graces
of the Baroness."

"Who is the Baroness?"

"One of the ladies in waiting--bosom friend of her Highness, and chosen
repository of all her secrets. Personally, not likely to attract you;
short and fat, and ill-tempered and ugly. Just at this time, I happen
myself to get on with her better than usual. We have discovered that
we possess one sympathy in common--we are the only people at Court who
don't believe in the Prince's new doctor."

"Is the new doctor a quack?"

The secretary looked round, before he answered, to see that nobody was
near us.

"It strikes me," he said, "that the Doctor is a spy. Mind! I have no
right to speak of him in that way; it is only my impression--and I ought
to add that appearances are all in his favor. He is in the service of
our nearest royal neighbor, the Grand Duke; and he has been sent here
expressly to relieve the sufferings of the Duke's good friend and
brother, our invalid Prince. This is an honorable mission no doubt. And
the man himself is handsome, well-bred, and (I don't quite know whether
this is an additional recommendation) a countryman of ours. Nevertheless
I doubt him, and the Baroness doubts him. You are an independent
witness; I shall be anxious to hear if your opinion agrees with ours."

I was presented at Court, toward the end of the week; and, in the course
of the next two or three days, I more than once saw the Doctor. The
impression that he produced on me surprised my colleague. It was my
opinion that he and the Baroness had mistaken the character of a worthy
and capable man.

The secretary obstinately adhered to his own view.

"Wait a little," he answered, "and we shall see."

He was quite right. We did see.

III.

BUT the Princess--the gentle, gracious, beautiful Princess--what can I
say of her Highness?

I can only say that she enchanted me.

I had been a little discouraged by the reception that I met with from
her father. Strictly confining himself within the limits of politeness,
he bade me welcome to his Court in the fewest possible words, and then
passed me by without further notice. He afterward informed the English
M