ave no friends of their own sex."

"Is that really so dreadful?"

"Most assuredly. You must have a female friend, or there is some fault
in your disposition. Isolation, such as yours, warps one's character,
and, consciously or otherwise, results in vanity. If, from among all
the ladies here, you can't make even one your friend, the fault must
lie in yourself."

"But there's no harm in my having a male friend, a friend like
yourself."

"I couldn't wish you a truer one."

Irma walked beside the doctor in silence.

When they again reached the lawn in front of the palace, Irma said:

"Do you know that this lawn is dressed up every Saturday with false
hay?"

"Less wit and more clearness, if you please."

"Pshaw, how officinal!" said Irma, laughing. "Then allow me to tell you
that the queen once said that she was very fond of the odor of new-mown
hay; and, ever since then, the intendant of the gardens has had the
lawn mowed at least once a week. But as stubborn nature won't furnish
hay quickly enough, they bring some from one of the outlying meadows
and spread it about during the night. And yet they persist in saying
that, in our age, princes are not deceived."

"I can find nothing wrong or laughable in the matter. The intendant is
one of those who regard themselves as the pleasure-purveying providence
of their masters and--"

"'Pleasure-purveying providence!'--that's excellent. What a happy
thought! I shall hold fast to that. How can you say you've no wit? Why,
you're brimful of delicious sarcasm. Oh dear, 'pleasure-purveying
providence'!" said Irma, laughing heartily; and while laughing, more
lovely than ever.

The doctor found it no easy matter to lead the conversation back to the
point at which it had been interrupted. Whenever he attempted a serious
remark, she would look at him with a roguish expression and give way to
laughter so hearty that he could not help joining in it. But when he at
last said that he had heretofore given her credit for something more
than mere occasional flashes of wit, and that he had, until now,
supposed her capable of carrying on an argument, she quickly became the
docile scholar, willing to be led by her master. And so skillfully did
the doctor use his arguments that she soon reflected his thoughts as if
they were her own.

A tall and handsome page, with an aquiline nose and raven hair,
approached the countess.

"My lady," said he, "her majesty the queen awaits you in the