ial returned,
and looking at me curiously, said, 'It's very thoughtless of me, but I
do not remember that I invited any guests for this evening.'

"'I had heard nothing of it either, your Majesty,' said the Lord Chief
Butler, pursing up his lips and looking at me severely. 'Shall I request
the Lord High Footman and the Lord Under Footman to remove the person?'

"'By no means,' said the King kindly; 'I will ask him myself what brings
him here.'

"'It was a matter of compulsion, rather than of inclination, your
Majesty,' said I. And I explained as well as I was able the curious
affliction from which I suffer, of having to appear and disappear at the
fairies' pleasure.

"'Most interesting--most!' said the Queen, smiling sweetly, 'and we
should be most inhospitable if we did not make you welcome here for so
long as the fairies will spare you to us.'

"This gracious speech, and the Queen's beauty, quite won my heart, and
putting my hand on my heart, I bowed in the most graceful manner that I
could command.

"The Lord Chief Butler, seeing that I was in favour with their
Majesties, now brought me a plate, and some glasses, and waited upon me
most obsequiously.

"'Tarts, my lord!' he announced, handing me a silver dish on which were
piled some rather stodgy-looking jam affairs.

"'No thank you,' I replied.

"The man looked horrified, and the King and Queen greatly embarrassed by
my refusal. 'Er--tarts--er--your Highness,--er--her Majesty's own make,'
whispered the Lord Chief Butler.

"'Oh, then by all means I will change my mind,' said I gallantly, and I
took two of the tarts on my plate, while the King and Queen looked on
approvingly.

"I can safely say that in all my wanderings, through all these years, I
have never before or since tasted such exceedingly unpleasant tarts.

"I hesitate to say more, out of respect to the most beautiful and
gracious Queen who ever lived, but I could say a great deal.

"However, I managed to get through them, even to the bitter end, and
had the satisfaction of seeing her Majesty look greatly delighted.

"'I really must have another one, my love,' declared the King; 'they are
most delicious, made as they were by your own royal and beautiful
hands.'

"'No--no--dearest,' smiled the Queen, her pride in her pastry battling
with her consideration for her husband's health, 'you have already had
two.'

"'Perhaps, my darling, you are right,' replied the King, with a sigh of
relief,