lory over
them, quite knowing," said Harry, imitating the gesture, "and I dare say
he saw V.V., and Tiberius Caesar, as well as the best of them."

"Thank you, Mr. Harry," said Meta. "I think we are at no loss for
monkeys here. But I have not the word yet. Who comes next? Ethel--"

"I shall blunder, I forewarn you," said Ethel, "but this is mine: There
was a young king who had an old tutor, whom he despised because he was
so strict, so he got rid of him, and took to idle sport. One day, when
he was out hunting in a forest, a white hind came and ran before him,
till she guided him to a castle, and there he found a lady all dressed
in white, with a beamy crown on head, and so nobly beautiful that he
fell in love with her at once, and was only sorry to see another prince
who was come to her palace too. She told them her name was Gloria,
and that she had had many suitors, but the choice did not depend on
herself--she could only be won by him who deserved her, and for three
years they were to be on their probation, trying for her. So she
dismissed them, only burning to gain her, and telling them to come back
in three years' time. But they had not gone far before they saw another
palace, much finer, all glittering with gold and silver, and their Lady
Gloria came out to meet them, not in her white dress, but in one all
gay and bright with fine colours, and her crown they now saw was of
diamonds. She told them they had only seen her everyday dress and house,
this was her best; and she showed them about the castle, and all the
pictures of her former lovers. There was Alexander, who had been nearer
retaining her than any one, only the fever prevented it; there
was Pyrrhus, always seeking her, but slain by a tile; Julius
Caesar--Tamerlane--all the rest, and she hoped that one of these two
would really prove worthy and gain her, by going in the same path as
these great people.

"So our prince went home; his head full of being like Alexander and all
the rest of them, and he sent for his good old tutor to reckon up his
armies, and see whom he could conquer in order to win her. But the old
tutor told him he was under a mistake; the second lady he had seen was a
treacherous cousin of Gloria, who drew away her suitors by her deceits,
and whose real name was Vana Gloria. If he wished to earn the true
Gloria, he must set to work to do his subjects good, and to be virtuous.
And he did; he taught them, and he did justice to them, and he b