N BRI 
 UTHORIT 
 
 ^ rr^ 
 
 F. ANSI
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORF^JiA 
 
 RIVERSIDE
 
 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY
 
 BY THE SAME AUTHOR 
 
 VICE VERSA ; or, A LESSON TO FATHERS. 
 
 A FALLEN IDOL. 
 
 THE PARIAH. 
 
 THE GIANT'S ROBE. 
 
 LYRE AND LANCET. 
 
 THE BRASS BOTTLE. 
 
 THETALKING HORSE and OTHER TALES. 
 
 SALTED ALMONDS. 
 
 VICE VERSA: A Farcical Fantastic Play. 
 In Three Acts. 
 
 LONDON : SMITH, ELDER & CO. 
 
 15 WATERLOO PLACE, S.W.
 
 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 BY 
 
 F. ANSTEY 
 
 AUTHOR OF "VICE VERSA," ETC. 
 
 LONDON 
 SMITH, ELDER 6^ CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 
 
 1915 
 
 [All rights reserved]
 
 K'fYXf 
 
 Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson &r> Co. 
 at the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh
 
 Co
 
 AUTHOR'S NOTE 
 
 It may be as well to mention here that the whole of 
 this book was planned, and at least three-fom^ths of 
 it actually written, in those happy daj^s, which now 
 seem so pathetically distant, when we were still at "'^^TT^ 
 peace — days when, to all but a very few, so hideous 
 a calamity as a World-War seemed a danger that 
 had passed for the present, and might never recur ; 
 when even those few could hardly have foreseen that 
 England would be so soon compelled to fight for her 
 very existence against the most efficient and deadly 
 foe it has ever been her lot to encounter. 
 
 But, as the central idea of this story happens to 
 be inseparably connected with certain characters and 
 incidents of German origin, I have left them unal- 
 tered — partly because it would have been difficult, if 
 not impossible, to substitute any others, but mainly 
 because I cannot bring myself to believe that the 
 nursery friends of our youth could ever be regarded 
 as enemies. 
 
 F. ANSTEY. 
 
 September 1915.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. 
 I. 
 
 " The Skirts of Happy Chance " 
 
 PAOE 
 1 
 
 II. 
 
 Rushing to Conclusions 
 
 . 19 
 
 III. 
 
 Fine Feathers 
 
 . 35 
 
 IV. 
 
 Crowned Heads 
 
 . 55 
 
 V. 
 
 Dignity under Difficulties. 
 
 . 72 
 
 VI. 
 
 Cares of State 
 
 . 90 
 
 VII. 
 
 A Game they did not understand 
 
 . 108 
 
 VIII. 
 
 " A Steed that knows his Rider " 
 
 . 126 
 
 IX. 
 
 The Pleasures of the Table 
 
 142 
 
 X. 
 
 The Blonde Beast .... 
 
 . 161 
 
 XI. 
 
 A Way Out 
 
 180 
 
 XII. 
 
 Unwelcome Announcements . 
 
 . 199 
 
 XIII. 
 
 What the Pigeon said 
 
 . 217 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Bag and Baggage 
 
 232 
 
 XV. 
 
 " Riven with Vain Endeavour " . 
 
 254 
 
 XVI. 
 
 " A Cloud that's Dragonish " . . . 
 
 273 
 
 XVII. 
 
 The Reward of Valour 
 
 293 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 A Previous Engagement 
 
 315 
 
 XIX. 
 
 Servants of the Queen . . . . 
 
 ix 
 
 332
 
 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 XX. At the End of her Tether . . . 344 
 
 XXI. "Whose Lights are fled, whose Garlands 
 
 dead" • 366 
 
 XXII. Squaring Accounts 392 
 
 Epilogue . 403
 
 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 " THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE " 
 
 On a certain afternoon in March Mrs. Sidney Stimpson 
 (or rather Mrs. Sidney Wibberley- Stimpson, as a 
 recent legacy from a distant relative had provided her 
 with an excuse for styling herself) was sitting alone in 
 her drawing-room at " Inglegarth," Gablehurst. 
 
 ' ' Inglegarth ' ' was the name she had chosen for 
 the house on coming to live there some years before. 
 What it exactly meant she could not have explained, but 
 it sounded distinguished and out of the common, with- 
 out being reprehensibly eccentric. Hence the choice. 
 
 Some one, she was aware, had just entered the 
 carriage-drive, and after havmg rung, was now stand- 
 ing under the white "Queen Anne " porch ; Mitchell, 
 the rosy-cheeked and still half -trained parloiu'-maid, 
 was audible in the act of " answering the door." 
 
 It being neither a First nor a Third Friday, Mrs. 
 Stimpson was not, strictly speaking, "at home" 
 except to very intimate friends, though she made a 
 point of being always presentable enough to see any 
 afternoon caller. On this occasion she was engaged 
 in no more absorbing occupation than the study of 
 one of the less expensive Society journals, and, having 
 
 A
 
 2 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 already read all that was of real interest in its columns, 
 she was inclined to welcome a distraction. 
 
 "If you please, m'm," said Mitchell, entering, 
 "there's a lady wishes to know if she could see you 
 for a minute or two." 
 
 " Did you ask her to state her business, Mitchell ? 
 ... No ? Then you should have. Called for a 
 subscription to something, I expect. Tell her I am 
 particularly engaged. I suppose she didn't give any 
 name ? " 
 
 "Oh yes, m'm. She give her name — Lady 'Arriet 
 Elmslie, it was." 
 
 "Then why on earth didn't you say so before," 
 cried the justly exasperated Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 "instead of leaving her ladyship on the door-mat all 
 this time ? Really, Mitchell, you are too trying ! Go 
 and show her in at once — and be careful to say ' my 
 lady.' And bring up tea for two as soon as you can 
 — the silver tea-pot, mind ! " 
 
 It might have been inferred from her manner that 
 she and Lady Harriet were on terms of closest friend- 
 ship, but this was not exactly the case. Mrs. Stimpson 
 had indeed known her for a considerable time, but 
 only by sight, and she had long ceased to consider a 
 visit from Lady Harriet as even a possible event. 
 Now it had actually happened, and, providentially, 
 on an afternoon when Mitchell's cap and apron could 
 defy inspection. But if it was the first time that an 
 Earl's daughter had crossed Mrs. Stimpson 's threshold, 
 she was not at all the woman to allow the fact to 
 deprive her of her self-possession. 
 
 A title had no terror for her. Before her marriage, 
 when she was Miss Selina Prinsley, she had acted as 
 hostess for her father, the great financier and company
 
 C( 
 
 THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 
 
 promoter, who had entertained lavishly up to the 
 date of his third and final failure. Her circle then 
 had included many who could boast of knighthoods, 
 and even baronetcies ! 
 
 And, though Lady Harriet was something of a 
 personage at Gablehurst, and confined her acquaintance 
 to her own particular set, there was nothing formidable 
 or even imposing in her appearance. She was the 
 widow of a Colonel Elmslie, and apparently left with 
 only moderate means, judging from the almost poky 
 house on the farther side of the Common, which she 
 shared with an unmarried female cousin of about her 
 own age. 
 
 So, when she was shown in, looking quite ordinary, 
 and even a little shy, Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson rose 
 to receive her with perfect ease, being supported by 
 the consciousness that she was by far the more hand- 
 somely dressed of the two. In fact her greeting was 
 so gracious as to be rather overpowering. 
 
 "Interrupting me? Not in the very least, dear 
 Lady Harriet ! Only too delighted, I'm sure ! . . . 
 Now do take off your boa, and come nearer the fire. 
 You'll find this quite a comfy chair, I think. Tea 
 will be brought in presently. ... Oh, you really 
 must, after trapesing all that way across the Common. 
 I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you. I've so 
 often wished to make your acquaintance, but I couldn't 
 take the first step, could I ? So nice of you to break 
 the ice ! " 
 
 Lady Harriet submitted to these rather effusive 
 attentions resignedly enough. She could hardly inter- 
 rupt her hostess's flow of conversation without rude- 
 ness, while she had already begun to suspect that 
 IVIrs, Stimpson might form an entertaining study.
 
 4 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 But her chief reason, after all, was that the prospect 
 of tea had its attractions. Accordingly she attempted 
 no further explanations of her visit just then, and 
 was content to observe Mrs. Stimpson, while she 
 rippled on complacently. 
 
 She saw a matron who might be about fifty, with 
 abundant pale auburn hair, piled up, and framing her 
 face in a sort of half aureole. The eyes were small 
 and hazel green ; the nose narrow and pointed, the 
 wide, full-lipped mouth, which wore just then a 
 lusciously ingratiating smile, showed white but pro- 
 minent teeth. The complexion was of a uniform 
 oat mealy tint, and, though Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 was neither tall nor slim, she seemed to have taken 
 some pains to preserve a waist. 
 
 " Most fortunate I happened to be at home," she 
 was saying. "And if you had called on one of my 
 regular days, I shouldn't have had the chance of a 
 real talk with you. As it is, we shall be quite tete-a- 
 tete. . . . Ah, here is tea — you must tell me if you 
 like it weak, dear Lady Harriet, and I shall remember 
 the next time you come. Yes, you find me all alone 
 this afternoon. My eldest daughter, Edna, has gone 
 to a lecture at her Mutual Improvement Society, on a 
 German Philosopher called Nitchy, or some such name. 
 She's so bookish and well-read, takes such an interest 
 in all the latest movements — runs up to town for 
 matinees of intellectual dramas — quite the modern 
 type of girl. But not a blue-stocking — she's joined 
 a Tango Class lately, and dances most beautifully, 
 I'm told — just the figure for it. We got up a little 
 Costume Ball here this winter — perhaps you may 
 have heard of it ? — Ah, well, my Edna was generally 
 admitted to be the belle of the evening. A perfect
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 5 
 
 Juliet, everybody said. I went as her mother — Lady 
 Capulet, you Imow. I did think of going as Queen 
 Elizabeth at one time. I've so often been told that 
 if I ever went to a Fancy Dress Ball, I ought to go 
 as her — or at all events as one of our English Queens, 
 But, however, I didn't. Mr. Stimpson went as a 
 Venetian Doge, but I do not consider myself that it 
 was at all suitable to him." 
 
 She did not say all this without a motive. She 
 knew that a local Historical Pageant was being ar- 
 ranged for the coming Summer, and that Lady Harriet 
 was on the Committee. Also she had heard that, 
 after rehearsals had begun, some of the principal 
 performers had resigned their parts, and the Committee 
 had some difficulty in finding substitutes. 
 
 It had struck her as not at all unhkely that her 
 visitor had called with a view to ascertaining whether 
 the services of any of the Stimpson household would 
 be available. If she had, it was, of course very 
 gratifying. If she had merely come in a neighbourly 
 way, there was no harm in directing her attention to 
 the family qualifications for a Pageant performance. 
 
 Her hearer, without betraying any sign of the mirth 
 she inwardly felt, meekly agreed that JMrs. Stimpson 
 was undoubtedly well fitted to impersonate a Queen, 
 and that the costume of a Venetian Doge was rather 
 a trying one, after which her hostess proceeded : 
 "Perhaps you are right, dear Lady Harriet, but the 
 worst of it was that my boy Clarence, who would 
 have made such a handsome Romeo, insisted on going 
 as a Pierrot ! Very likely you have seen Clarence ? 
 ... Oh, you would certainly have noticed him if 
 you had — ^always so well turned out. He's got quite 
 a good post as Secretary to an Insurance Co., in the
 
 6 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 City : they think so highly of him there — take his 
 advice on everything — ^in fact, he practically is the 
 Company ! And only twenty -two ! It's such a relief, 
 because there was a time when it really seemed as if 
 he'd never settle down to any regular work. Nothing 
 would induce him to enter my husband's business — 
 for I must tell you, Lady Harriet, we are in business. 
 Sauces, pickles, condiments of every sort and descrip- 
 tion — wholesale, you Ivuow, not retail, so I hope you 
 aren't too dreadfully shocked ! " 
 
 Lady Harriet remarked that she saw nothing to be 
 shocked at — several of her relations and friends were 
 in business of various kinds, which gave Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson the opening she required. " Society has 
 changed its views so much lately, has it not ? " she 
 said. " Why, the youngest partner in Mr. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson's firm is a younger son of the Earl of Fallow- 
 fields — Ml'. Chervil Thistleton, and an Honourable, 
 of course ! I daresay you are acquainted with him ? 
 . . . Not ? Quite a charming young man — married 
 a Miss Succory, a connection of the Restharrows, and 
 such a sweet girl ! You may have met her ? . . . Oh, 
 I thought — but I really hardly know her myself yet " 
 (which was Mrs. Stimpson's method of disguising the 
 fact that she had never met either of them in her life) . 
 " When he came into the warehouse he was perfectly 
 amazed at the immense variety in pickles and sauces 
 — it was quite a revelation to him. Only he can't 
 touch pickles of any kind, which is a pity, because it 
 prevents him from taking the interest he might in 
 the business. . . . Just one of these hot cakes, dear 
 Lady Harriet — ^you're making such a wretched tea ! 
 ... I should like you to see my youngest child, Ruby. 
 She's gone out to tea with some little friends of hers,
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 7 
 
 but she may be back before you go. So much admired 
 — such lovely colouring ! But just a little difficult to 
 manage. Governess after governess have I had, and 
 none of them could do anything wath her. My present 
 one, however, she seems to have taken to. Miss 
 Heritage, her name is — at least she was adopted as a 
 baby by a rich widow of that name, and brought up 
 in every luxury. But Mrs. Heritage died without 
 making a will, and it seems she'd muddled away most 
 of her money, and there were claims on what she left, 
 so the poor girl had to turn out, and earn her own 
 living. Such a sad little story, is it not ? I felt it 
 was really a charity to engage her. I'm not sure 
 that I can keep her much longer, though. She's far 
 too good-looking for a governess, and there's always a 
 danger with a marriageable young man in the house, 
 but fortimately Clarence has too much sense and 
 principle to marry out of his own rank. I do think 
 that's siLcJi a mistake, don't you, dear Lady Harriet ? 
 Look at the Duke of Mountravail's heir, the young 
 Marquis of Muscombe — married only last month at 
 a registry office to a girl who was in the chorus at the 
 Vivacity ! I hear she comes of quite a respectable 
 family, and all that," admitted JVIrs. Stimpson, who 
 derived her information from her Society journals, 
 " But still, can you woiider at the poor Duke and 
 Duchess being upset by it ? I've no doubt you are 
 constantly coming across similar instances in Smart 
 Society." 
 
 Lady Harriet disclaimed all acquaintanceship with 
 Smart Society, which Mrs. Stimpson protested she 
 could not believe. "I am sure you have the entree 
 into any set. Lady Harriet, even the smartest ! Which 
 reminds me. Have you heard anything more about
 
 8 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 that mysterious disappearance of the Dowager Duchess 
 of Gleneagle's diamonds during her journey from the 
 North last week ? A tiara, and a dog-collar, I was 
 told. Professional thieves, I suppose, but don't you 
 think the Duchess's maid ? — Oh, really? I made sure 
 you would be a friend of the Duchess's — but, of course, 
 Society is so much larger than it used to be ! " 
 
 " You are a far better authority than I can pretend 
 to be about it," Lady Harriet owned smilingly ; " and 
 really you've given me so much interesting infor- 
 mation that I had nearly forgotten what I came to 
 see you about. It's — well, I wanted to ask " 
 
 "I think I can guess, Lady Harriet," put in Mrs. 
 Stimpson, as her visitor paused for a second. "I've 
 heard of your difficulties about getting players for the 
 Pageant, and I'm sure I, and indeed all the family, 
 would feel only too honoured." 
 
 *' It's most kind of you," Lady Harriet interrupted, 
 rising, " but — but that isn't why I've troubled you. 
 It's only that I'm thinking of engaging Jane Saunders 
 as house-parlourmaid, and she tells me she was in 
 your service, so I called to ask about her character, 
 don't you know." 
 
 For a moment Mi's. Wibberley-Stimpson wished she 
 had been less precipitate, but she soon recognised that 
 no real harm had been done. " Saunders ? " she said, 
 "yes, she left me last month. Do sit down again, 
 dear Lady Harriet, and I'll give you all the information 
 I possibly can. Well, when that girl first came, she 
 had everything to learn. It was quite evident she'd 
 never been in service before with gentlefolks. Actually 
 brought in letters in her fingers, Lady Harriet, and 
 knocked at sitting-room doors ! And no notion of 
 cleaning silver, and I like to see mine come up to
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 9 
 
 table without a speck ! However, after being with 
 me for a while, she improved, and I can conscientiously 
 say that she became quite competent in time. That 
 is, for a household like ours, you know, where things 
 are done in quite an unpretentious style." 
 
 *' I don't think we are at all pretentious people 
 either," said Lady Harriet, rising once more. "And 
 now, Mrs. Stimpson, you have told me all I wanted to 
 know, so I must tear myself away." 
 
 "Must you rmlly be going ? Well, Lady Harriet, 
 I've so much enjoyed our little chat. There are so 
 few persons in a semi-suburban neighbourhood like 
 this, with whom one can have anything in common. 
 So I shall hope to see more of you in future. And if," 
 she added, after ringing for Mitchell, " I sJiould find 
 I've forgotten anything I ought to have told you 
 about Saunders, I can easily pop in some morning." 
 Lady Harriet hastened to assure her that she must 
 not think of giving herself this trouble — after which 
 she took her leave. 
 
 " Rather an amusing experience in its way," she 
 was thinking. " Something to tell Joan when I get 
 back. But oh ! what an appallmg woman ! She's 
 settled one thing, though. It will be quite impossible 
 to take Jane Saunders notv. A pity — because I rather 
 liked the girl's looks ! " 
 
 Meanwhile the happily unconscious Mrs. Stimpson 
 had settled down in her chair again with the convic- 
 tion that she had made a distinctly favourable impres- 
 sion. She allowed her eyes to wander complacently 
 round the room, which, with its big bay window 
 looking on the semi-circular gravel sweep, and its 
 glazed door by the fireplace leading through a small 
 conservatory, gay with begonias, asters, and petunias
 
 10 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 to the garden beyond, was not merely large, by 
 Gablehurst standards, but undeniably pleasant. She 
 regarded its various features — ^the white chimney- 
 piece and over-mantel with Adam decorations in 
 Cartonpierre, the silk fire-screen printed with Japanese 
 photographs, the cottage-grand, on which stood a taU 
 trumpet vase filled with branches of imitation peach 
 blossom, the Stageres ("Louis Quinze style ") contain- 
 ing china which could not be told from genuine Dresden 
 at a distance, the gaily patterned chintz on the couches 
 and chaii's, the water-colour sketches of Venice, and 
 coloured terra-cotta plaques embossed on high relief 
 with views of the Forum and St. Peter's at Rome on 
 the walls, and numerous "nick-nacks' — an alabaster 
 model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a wood carving 
 of the Lion of Lucerne, and groups of bears from 
 Berne — all of which were not only souvenirs of her 
 wedding-journey, but witnesses to Continental travel 
 and general culture. 
 
 She could see nothing that was not in the most 
 correct taste, as Lady Harriet must have observed 
 for herself, together with the hammered copper gong, 
 the oak chest, and the china bowl for cards in the 
 hall. Strange that Saimders should have been the 
 humble means of bringing about so unexpected a 
 meeting, but Providence chose its own instruments, 
 and now the seed was sown, Mrs. Stimpson felt she 
 could rely on herself for the harvest. 
 
 And so she took up the latest number of The 
 Upper Circle, and read, to the accompaniment of 
 alternate duologues and soliloquies by thrushes and 
 blackbirds in the garden, until gradually she drifted 
 into a blissful dream of being at a garden-party at 
 Lady Harriet's and entreated, not merely by her
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 11 
 
 hostess, but Royalty itself, to accept the role of Queen 
 at the County Pageant ! 
 
 She was in the act of doing this gracefully, when the 
 vision was abruptly ended by the entrance of her 
 elder daughter. Edna was by no means bad-looking, 
 in spite of her light eyelashes and eyebrows, and the 
 fact that the pince-nez she wore compressed her small 
 nose in an unbecoming ridge. Her eyes were larger 
 than her mother's, though of the same colour, and 
 her hair was of a deeper shade of auburn. Her 
 costume was of a kind that may be described as the 
 floppily artistic. 
 
 "I never heard you come in, my dear," said her 
 mother. " Did you enjoy your lecture ? " 
 
 " Quite ; I took pages and pages of notes. Nietzsche's 
 Gospel of the Superman is certainly most striking." 
 
 " And what is his Gospel exactly ? " 
 
 "Oh, well, he teaches that the ideal man ought to 
 rise superior to conventional prejudices, and have the 
 courage to do as he thinks right without deferring to 
 ordinary ideas. To be strong in willing what he 
 wants — all that sort of thing, you know." 
 
 "Bear me!" said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 dubiously. " But, if everybody acted like that, 
 would it be quite — er — nice ? " 
 
 " There's no fear of any of the men in Gablehurst 
 being Supermen, at all events ! " said Edna. " They're 
 all perfect slaves to convention ! But the lecturer 
 explained the Nietzschean theories in such a way that 
 he made us feel there was a great deal to be said for 
 them. . . . No tea, thanks. I had mine at the 
 Fletchers. It looks," she added, with a glance at 
 the tea-cups, "as if you had been entertaining some 
 one, Mother — who was it ? "
 
 12 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Only Lady Harriet," replied Mrs. Stimpson, with 
 elaborate carelessness. 
 
 " What Lady Harriet ? " was the intentionally pro- 
 voking query. 
 
 " Really, Edna, one would think there were dozens 
 of them ! The Lady Harriet : Lady Harriet Elmslie, 
 of course." 
 
 " Oh," said Edna. " And what did she want ? " 
 
 "Well, she came to ask after Saunders' character, 
 but she stayed to tea, and we really struck up quite 
 an intimate friendship, discussing one thing and 
 another. She's so quiet and unassuming, Edna — 
 absolutely no hauteur. I'm sure you will like her. 
 I told her about you all, and she seemed so interested. 
 Quite between ourselves, I shouldn't be at all sur- 
 prised if she got us invited to take part in the Pageant 
 — she's on the Committee, you loiow." 
 
 "If I ivas invited. Mother, I'm not at all sure I 
 shouldn't refuse." 
 
 "You must please yourself about that, my dear," 
 said Mi's. Stimpson, who, perhaps, felt but little anxiety 
 as to the result. " / shall certainly accept if the part 
 is at all suitable." 
 
 She might have said more, if Ruby had not suddenly 
 burst into the room. Ruby was certainly the flower 
 of the family — an extremely engaging young person 
 of about ten, whose mischievous golden-brown eyes 
 had long and curling lashes, and whose vivacious face 
 was set off by a thick mane of deepest Titian red. 
 
 "Oh, Mummy," she announced breathlesslyj "I've 
 got invitations for nearly all my animals while we're 
 away at Eastbourne ! Mucins Scsevola's the most 
 popular — everybody asked him, but I think he'll feel 
 most at home with Daisy Williams. Vivian and Ada
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 13 
 
 Porter will simply love to have Numa Pompilius, but 
 nobody seems to want Tarquinius Superbus, so I shall 
 turn him out in the garden, and he must catch worms 
 for himself." 
 
 "Dearest child," said her mother, "what are 
 these new animals of yours with the extraordinary 
 names ? " 
 
 " They're the same old animals, Mums. I've re- 
 christened them since I began Roman History with 
 Mss Heritage. Mucius Scsevola's the Salamander, 
 because they're indifferent to fire, like he was — though 
 Miss Heritage says it wouldn't be kind to try with 
 Mucius. Numa Pompihus is the Blind-worm — he 
 used to be Kaa — and the Toad has changed from 
 Nobbles to Tarquinius Superbus." 
 
 *'I can't understand how you can keep such un- 
 pleasant pets as reptiles," said Edna. 
 
 "Because I like them," said Ruby simply. "And 
 Bobby Wilhams has promised, as soon as it gets 
 warmer, to come out on the Common with me and 
 catch lizards. Won't it be lovely ? " 
 
 " I hope you won't put one of them down anybody's 
 neck, then, as you did to Tommy Fletcher." 
 
 "That was Mucius," Ruby admitted cheerfully. 
 " But I didn't mean him to go so far down. And he 
 was very good — he didn't bite Tommy anywhere." 
 
 "Little ladies don't play such tricks," said her 
 Mother. "I hope Miss Heritage doesn't encourage 
 your liking for these horrid creatures ? " 
 
 " Oh, she doesn't mind, so long as I don't take them 
 out of the aquarium, but she hates touching them 
 herself." 
 
 " Did she come in with you ? " her mother inquired, 
 and was told that Miss Heritage had done so, and had
 
 14 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 gone upstairs, whereupon Ruby was ordered to go 
 and take off her things, and stay quietly in the school- 
 room till it was time to come do^vn. 
 
 "I don't Imow if you noticed it. Mother," Edna 
 began, as soon as Ruby had consented to leave them, 
 " but Miss Heritage had a letter by the afternoon post 
 which seemed to upset her. I went rather out of my 
 way to ask her if she had had bad news of any kind, 
 but she did not think proper to take me into her 
 confidence. Perhaps she might be more open with 
 you." 
 
 "My dear," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, with 
 much dignity, " I take no interest whatever in Miss 
 Heritage's private correspondence." 
 
 " Nor I," declared Edna. " I only thought that if 
 she is in any trouble — She's so secretive, you know, 
 Mums. I've tried more than once to get her to teU 
 me what cosmetic she uses for her hands — and she 
 never will own to using any at all ! " 
 
 " I'm sure, Edna, you've no reason to be ashamed 
 of your hands." 
 
 "Oh, they look all right just now," said Edna, 
 examining them dispassionately. "But they will 
 turn lobster colour at the most inconvenient times. 
 Hers never do — and it does seem so unfair, consider- 
 ing — " She broke off here, as Daphne Heritage 
 entered. 
 
 " Well, Miss Heritage ? " said IVIrs. Stimpson, as the 
 girl hesitated on seeing Edna. " Did you wish to 
 speak to me ? " 
 
 " I did rather want your advice about something," 
 said Daphne, who had a paper, and a small leather 
 case in her hands ; "I thought I might find you alone. 
 It doesn't matter — it will do quite well another time."
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 15 
 
 " Don't let me prevent you, Miss Heritage," said 
 Edna. "If you don't wish to speak to Mother 
 before me, I've no desire to remain. I was just gomg 
 up to change in any case." 
 
 She went out \nth a slightly hufify air, which was not 
 entirely due to baffled curiosity, for she admired 
 Daphne enough to resent being quietly kept at a dis- 
 tance. 
 
 "It's about this," explained Daphne, after Edna 
 had made her exit — "a biU that has just been sent 
 on to me." She gave the paper to Mrs. Stimpson as 
 she spoke. " I don't know quite what to do about it." 
 
 She looked very young and inexperienced as she 
 stood there, a slim girlish figm'e with masses of burnished 
 hair the colour of ripe corn, braided and coiled as 
 closely as possible round her smaU head, but there 
 was no trace of timidity or subservience in her manner. 
 In the shght form, with the milk-white skin, dehcate 
 profile and exquisite hands, there was a distinction 
 that struck her employer as quite absurdly out of 
 keeping with her position. 
 
 " The only thing to do about a bill, my dear," said 
 Mrs. Stimpson, " is to pay it. But nearly thirty pounds 
 is a large sum for you to owe your milliner." 
 
 "It's for things Mother — my adopted mother, you 
 know — ordered for me. Stephanie was always told 
 to send in the account to her. But this seems to 
 have been overlooked, and the executors have sent it 
 on to me. Only I can't pay it myself — unless you 
 wouldn't mind advancing me the money out of my 
 salary." 
 
 " I couldn't possibly. You forget that it would 
 represent over a year's salary, and it's by no means 
 certain that you will be with me so long."
 
 16 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 "I was afraid you wouldn't," said Daphne, with a 
 little droop at the corners of her extremely pretty 
 mouth. " So I brought this to show you." She held 
 out the leather case. " It's the only jewellery I've got. 
 It belonged to my father, I believe ; he and my real 
 mother both died when I was a baby, you know — and 
 I never meant to part with it. But now I'm afraid 
 I must — ^that is, if you think any jeweller would give 
 as much as thirty pounds for it." 
 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson opened the case, which was 
 much more modern than the kind of badge or pendant 
 it contained. This was a fanly large oval stone of 
 a milky green, deeply engraved mth strangely formed 
 letters interlaced in a cypher, and surrounded by a 
 border of dark blue gems which IVIrs. Stimpson decided 
 instantly must be Cabochon star sapphires of quite 
 exceptional quality. The gold chain attached to it 
 was antique and of fine and curious workmanship. 
 
 She was convinced that the pendant must be worth 
 considerably more than thirty pounds, though she 
 was no doubt right in telling Daphne that no jeweUer 
 would of?er so much for an ornament that was quite 
 out of fashion. "Besides," she said, "I don't like 
 the idea of any governess of mine going about offering 
 jewellery for sale. Have Edna or Ruby seen you 
 wearing this thing ? " she asked with apparent irre- 
 levance. 
 
 It appeared they had not ; Daphne had never worn 
 it herself, and she had only remembered its existence 
 that afternoon, and found it hidden away at the back 
 of her wardrobe. 
 
 " Well," said Mrs. Stimpson, "it is most unpleasant 
 to me to see a young girl like you owing aU this money 
 to her milliner."
 
 "THE SKIRTS OF HAPPY CHANCE" 17 
 
 " It isn't very pleasant for me," said Daphne rue- 
 fully ; "but if you won't advance the money, and I 
 can't or mustn't sell the pendant, I don't very well 
 see how I can help it." 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'll do," said Mrs. Stimpson. 
 "I really oughtn't to — and under ordinary circumstances 
 I couldn't afford it, but, as it happens, a great-uncle 
 of mine left me a small legacy not long ago, and I 
 haven't spent quite all of it yet. So I don't mind 
 buying this for thirty pounds myself." 
 
 " Will you reaUy ? " cried Daphne. " How angelic 
 of you ! " 
 
 " I think it is," said Mrs. Stimpson; "but I feel 
 myself responsible for you, to some extent. So I'U 
 write you a cheque for the thirty pounds, and you can 
 send it off to this milliner person at once." She went 
 to the writing-table and filled up the cheque. " There," 
 she said, handing it to Daphne, "put it in an enve- 
 lope and direct it at once — you'll find a stamp in that 
 box, and it can go by the next post." 
 
 " By the way, my dear," she added, as she was 
 leaving the room, " I needn't tell you that I shall 
 not breathe a word to a soul of our little transaction, 
 and I should advise you, in your own interests, to 
 keep it entirely to yourself." 
 
 " I was quite wrong about Mrs. Stimpson," Daphne 
 told herself reproachfully, after she had slipped the 
 letter containing bill and cheque into the letter-box 
 in the haU. " She can be kind sometimes, and I've 
 been a little beast to see only the comic side of her 1 
 I daresay she won't even wear that pendant." 
 
 But Mrs. Stimpson had every intention of wearing 
 it that same evening. It is not often that one has 
 the opportunity of doing a kindness and securing a 
 
 B
 
 18 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 real bargain at a single stroke ; and she knew enough 
 about jewels to be fully aware that, if the ornament 
 was a trifle old-fashioned, she had not done at all 
 badly over her purchase. 
 
 "It really suits me very weU," she thought, as, 
 after putting the last touches to her evening demi- 
 toilette, she fastened the pendant round her neck. 
 " Even better than I expected. It was lucky Miss 
 Heritage came to me. A jeweller would have been 
 sure to cheat her, poor child ! " 
 
 And she went down to the drawing-room feeling 
 serenely satisfied with herself.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 
 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, as she sat in the drawing- 
 room, where the curtains had been drawn and the 
 lamps lighted, was occupied with a project which she 
 was anxious to impart to her husband as soon as he 
 returned. Some time before a dull rumble from the 
 vaUey had informed her that his usual train was 
 approaching Gablehurst station, and now she heard 
 the chck of the front gate, the crunch of his well- 
 known step on the gravel, and the opening of the hall 
 door. 
 
 "I want to speak to you for a moment, Sidney," 
 she said, opening the drawing-room door. " Come in 
 here before you go up to dress." (Mrs. Stimpson in- 
 sisted on his dressing for dinner. It was customary 
 in all really good society, and also it would prevent 
 him from feeling awkward in evening clothes — which 
 it never did.) 
 
 "Very weU, my dear," he said, entering. "Any 
 news with you ? " which was his invariable question. 
 
 Mr. Stimpson was short and inclined to be stout. 
 Wliat remained of his hair was auburn and separated 
 in the middle by a wide parting ; he had close- cut 
 whiskers of a lighter red, which met in his moustache, 
 and if his eyes had been narrow, instead of round 
 and filmy like a seal's, and his mouth had been firm, 
 and not loose and shghtly open, he would not have 
 
 19
 
 20 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 been at all a bad caricature of his Majesty King Henry 
 the Eighth. 
 
 " Nothing — except, but I'll tell you about that 
 afterwards. Sit down, do, and don't fidget. . . . 
 Well, I've been thinking, Sidney, that we really 
 ought to ask the Chovril Thistletons to a quiet little 
 dinner. Not to meet any of our usual set, of course ! 
 We could have the dear Rector, who, if he is Low 
 Church, is very well connected — and Lady Harriet 
 Elmshe." 
 
 Mr. Stimpson showed no enthusiasm at the sug- 
 gestion. "Lady Elmslie, Selina ! " he cried. "But 
 we don't know her ladyship ! " 
 
 " I do wish you would learn to use titles correctly, 
 Sidney ! Lady Harriet Elmslie — not Lady Elmslie ! 
 And you shouldn't speak of her, except to servants, 
 as ' her ladyship ' ; that's only done by inferiors." 
 
 " Well, my love, whatever may be the correct way 
 of speakmg of her, the fact remains that we haven't 
 the honour of her acquaintance." 
 
 " That's just where you're mistaken ! We have, 
 or at least / have ; ' ' and she described how she had 
 come to enjoy that privilege. 
 
 "Well," he admitted at the conclusion, "she 
 certainly seems to have made herself exceedingly 
 affable, but it doesn't follow that she'd come and 
 dine, even if we asked her." 
 
 " She would if it was to meet the Thistletons." 
 
 " Perhaps so, my love, but — er — we don't know 
 that they would come." 
 
 " Of course they would, if they knew we were 
 expecting Lady Harriet. For goodness' sake, Sidney, 
 don't swing your foot like that — you laiow I can't 
 bear it. All you have to do is to find out from
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 21 
 
 Mr. Thistleton what evenings the week after next 
 would be most convenient, and /'// undertake the 
 rest ! " 
 
 " I — I really couldn't do that, Selina. I'm a proud 
 man, in my way, and I don't care about exposing 
 myself unnecessarily to a rebuff." 
 
 "Why should you be rebuffed? After all, he's 
 only a junior partner ! " 
 
 " True, my love, but that doesn't make him less 
 stand-offish. He may be in the business, but 
 he's not of it. I doubt myself whether even old 
 Cramphorn would venture to invite him to dinner, 
 and if ho did, I'd bet a tidy sum that the Honom-able 
 ]\Ir. Chevril Tliistleton " 
 
 " Mr. — not the Honourable Mr. Thistleton, Sidney," 
 corrected his wife, who had studied all such minutice 
 in a handbook written by a lady of miimpeachable 
 authority. " The term is 7iever employed in ordinary 
 conversation, or on visiting cards. But, if you won't 
 show a proper spirit, I shall write myself to Mi"s. 
 Thistleton and propose one or two dates." 
 
 " It would be no good, my love," said Mr. Stimpson, 
 brought to bay, "because, if you must Imow, I — er — 
 did approach the subject with Thistleton — and — well, 
 his manner was not sufficiently encouraging to induce 
 me to try it again. Not so fond of being made to feel 
 as if I was no better than one of our own clerks, I get 
 quite enough of that from old Cramphorn ! " 
 
 "You should assert yourself more, Sidney, if you 
 want people to respect you." 
 
 "I'm always asserting myself — but old Cramphorn 
 never listens ! Just goes on his own waj\ Won't 
 hear of any changes — what was good enough when 
 the firm started a hundred years ago is good enough
 
 22 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 for him — now I'm aU for new ideas myself — Progress 
 and so forth ! " 
 
 "That's what has kept us back," said Mrs. Wib- 
 berley-Stimpson ; "we shoukl have been in a far 
 better set here than we're ever likely to be now if 
 you hadn't given yourself out as a violent Radical, 
 when it's well known that all best Gablehurst people 
 are Conservatives, and several who are not reaUy 
 entitled to be anything of the kind. As it is, I sup- 
 pose I must be content to pass my life in this suburban 
 hole and mix with none but second-rate people. But 
 I certainly cannot expect Lady Harriet to come here 
 and meet them, so there's an end of it. If she imagines 
 I've no desire to pursue her acquaintance, it can't be 
 helped, that's all ! And now you had better go up 
 and dress." 
 
 The whole family were assembled by the time Mr. 
 Stimpson reappeared — his wife was in her armchair 
 by the standard lamp. Edna was at the writing- 
 table revising her notes of the afternoon's lecture, 
 and Clarence was seated close by, while Ruby was 
 whispering earnestly to Daphne on one of the chintz 
 couches, 
 
 " All of you down before me, eh ? " said the head of 
 the family after the usual salutations had been ex- 
 changed, "But I went up long after everybody else. 
 And not late after aU — I've taught myself to dress in 
 well under ten minutes, you see ! " 
 
 "Wish he'd taught himself not to wear a white 
 tie with a dinner jacket ! " grumbled Clarence to 
 Edna in an undertone. 
 
 " Couldn't you tell him about it ? " she replied, 
 
 " I could — but what'd be the good ? He'd only 
 turn up next time in a taU-coat and a black bow ! "
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 23 
 
 said Clarence gloomily. "The poor old governor's 
 one of the people who never learn ! " 
 
 Clarence's own type was that for which the latest 
 term is "knut." He was accepted both by his family, 
 his intimates, and himself as an infallible guide on 
 things in general. When consulted as to matters on 
 which he happened to be entirely ignorant, and these 
 were not a few — he had formed the habit of preserving 
 a pregnant silence, as of one who could say a good 
 deal on the subject if he were at liberty to speak. 
 And this in itself denoted a certain degree of intelli- 
 gence. 
 
 In appearance he was well built, though only of 
 average height. He had small green eyes like his 
 mother's ; his light sandy hair had a natural ripple, 
 and his pale face expressed nothing beyond an assured 
 consciousness of his own superiority. And yet he 
 was not without a certain sense of humour in matters 
 which did not immediately concern himself, though, 
 owing to particular circumstances, it was just then 
 distinctly in abeyance. 
 
 "What time do you get back from the City to- 
 morrow afternoon, my boy ? " his father asked. 
 
 " Not going up at all. Pater," said Clarence. " Told 
 them I shouldn't." He was thinking that after 
 dinner would be quite time enough to break the news 
 that, on receiving a severe wiggmg for general slack- 
 ness, he had lost his temper, and offered to resign his 
 post — ^an offer that had been accepted with discon- 
 certing alacrity. 
 
 "Ah, Sidney," said Mrs. Wibberley - Stimpson, 
 " Clarence knows how to assert himself, you see ! " 
 
 "I merely asked," Mr. Stimpson explained, "be- 
 cause I'm taking a Saturday off myself, and I thought
 
 24 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 we could have a round or two of golf together, eh, 
 my boy ? " 
 
 "I don't mind going round with you before lunch," 
 said Clarence. "Engaged for the afternoon; but, if 
 you'll take my advice, Governor, you'd better practise 
 a bit longer with the Pro before you attempt to 'play. 
 No good trying to run till you can walk, don't you 
 know, what ? " (He had learnt to terminate his sen- 
 tences with "what " as a kind of smart shibboleth.) 
 " Hullo, Mater ! " he broke off suddenly, as he noticed 
 the pendant on her ample bosom, "where did you 
 get that thing ? Out of a cracker ? " 
 
 " Certainly not, Clarence ; I am not in the habit of 
 wearing cheap jewellery. And this cost a considerable 
 sum, though I daresay it is worth what I paid for it." 
 
 ' ' Did you go much of a mucker for it. Mater ? ' ' 
 
 " If I did, Clarence, I was well able to do so, thanks 
 to dear old Uncle Wibberley's legacy." 
 
 "I must say. Mother," said Edna, "it's far the 
 most artistic thing I've ever Imown you buy." 
 
 " It isn't everybody's taste," remarked Mr. Stimpson, 
 " but I should say myself that it wasn't a bad invest- 
 ment. Where did you come across it, my love ? " 
 
 " My dear Sidney," replied Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 with much majesty, "as I purchased it with my own 
 money, where I came across it, and what I paid for 
 it are surely matters that only concern myself." 
 
 Daphne, who could hardly avoid hearing this con- 
 versation, was impressed by the tact and delicacy 
 it displayed. It never occurred to her that Mrs. 
 Wibberley- Stimpson 's reticence might be inspired by 
 other motives than a generous desire to spare her 
 feelings. "She really is quite a decent sort!" she 
 told herself.
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 25 
 
 Clarence had not been unobservant of her — mdeed 
 it would not be too much to say that he had been 
 acutely conscious all the time of Miss Heritage's pres- 
 ence. 
 
 Ever since she had become a member of the house- 
 hold he had alternated between the desire to impress 
 her and the dread of becoming entangled in the toils 
 of an artful little enchantress. It was true that since 
 her arrival in the family she had made no effort what- 
 ever to enchant him ; indeed, she had treated him with 
 easy indifference — but this, his experience of her sex 
 and the world told him, was probably assumed. She 
 could hardly help knowing that he was something of 
 a "catch " from her point of view, and scheming to 
 ensnare him. 
 
 Perhaps Clarence, with his now dubious prospects, 
 felt himself rather less of a catch than usual ; perhaps 
 it occurred to him that being moderately ensnared 
 would be pleasantly exciting, since he would always 
 know when to stop. At all events, he lounged grace- 
 fully toward the sofa, on which she and Ruby were 
 sitting: "I say, IVIiss Heritage," he began, "you 
 mustn't let my Kiddie sister bore you like this. 
 She's been whispering away in your ear for the last 
 ten minutes." 
 
 Daphne denied that she was being bored. 
 
 " Of course she isn't ! " said Ruby ; " I M'as finishing 
 the story I began telling her when we were walking 
 home. We'd got to where Daphne first meets the 
 Fairy Prince." 
 
 " Then it's all about Miss Heritage, is it ? " 
 
 " I call the heroine ' Daphne ' in my story, after 
 her — but, of course, she isn't Miss Heritage really." 
 
 " You don't seem to think it very likely that Miss
 
 26 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Heritage will ever come across a Fairy Prince, eh i " 
 commented Clarence, and wondered the next moment 
 whether he mightn't have said something to commit 
 himself. 
 
 "I hope not," said Ruby, slipping her hand affec- 
 tionately through Daphne's arm, "because then she'd 
 leave me, and I should never see her again ! " 
 
 "I shouldn't worry about it just yet, darling," said 
 Daphne, smiling. " Fairy Princes are only to be found 
 in their own country — and it's a long way from here 
 to Fairyland." 
 
 Clarence was noticing, not for the first time, that her 
 full face was shaped Uke a shield, also that two fas- 
 cinating little creases came in it when she smiled, and 
 her pretty grey eyes had a soft sparkle in them. " I 
 must be jolly careful," he told himself. 
 
 " I should prefer. Miss Heritage," said Mrs. Wib- 
 berley-Stimpson, who had overheard the last sentence, 
 "that Ruby was not encouraged to fill her head with 
 Fairy tales. I don't think them good for her." 
 
 "Oh, come, Mater ! " protested Clarence, unable to 
 resist the role of Champion. " Where on earth is the 
 harm of them." 
 
 "Surely, Clarence," Edna put in instructively, 
 " there is this harm — they give such an utterly false 
 impression of what life really is! That's why I've 
 never been able to take any interest in them." 
 
 "More likely," said Clarence, "because you've got 
 no imagination." 
 
 "If I hadn't," retorted Edna, "I should hardly 
 have got through the Poetry I have. Most of Browning 
 and Alfred Austin, and all Ella Wlieeler Wilcox ! It's 
 only the lowest degree of imagination that invents 
 things that couldn't possibly have happened ! "
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 27 
 
 " They may have left off, Echia, but they happened 
 once,,'" declared Ruby. " I know there used to be Fau-y- 
 land somewhere, with Kings and Queens and Fairy 
 Godmothers and enchanted castles and magicians 
 and Ogres and Dragons and things in it. And IVIiss 
 Heritage beheves it, too — don't you, Miss Heritage, 
 dear ? " 
 
 "I'm much mistaken in Miss Heritage, my dear," 
 said Mr. Stimpson gallantly," if her head isn't too well 
 screwed on (if she'll allow me to say so) to believe in 
 any such stuff. All very well for the Nursery, you 
 know, but not to be taken seriously, or . . . why, 
 what's that ? Most extraordinary noise ! Seems to 
 come from outside, overhead." 
 
 They could all hear a strange kind of flapping whirr 
 in the air, it grew nearer and louder and then suddenly 
 ceased. 
 
 "Aeroplane," pronounced Clarence, drawing the 
 window curtains and looking out. "Miles away by 
 now, though. Terrific pace they travel at. Too 
 dark to see anything." 
 
 He returned to the hearthrug, and the moment 
 afterwards, the silence outside was broken by a shrill, 
 clear call which seemed to come from silver trumpets. 
 
 "Very odd," said IVIr. Stimpson, "some one seems 
 to be playing trumpets on the gravel-sweep ! " 
 
 " If it's one of those travelling German bands," said 
 his wife, "you'd better send them away at once, 
 Sidney." 
 
 But, whoever they were, they had already entered 
 the hall, for almost immediately the drawing-room 
 door was thro^\Ti open and two persons wearing 
 tabards and gaily plumed hats entered and sounded 
 another blast.
 
 28 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Ton my word, you know," gasped Mr. Stimpson, 
 " this is really " 
 
 The heralds stepped back as a third person entered. 
 He was wearing a rich suit of some long-departed 
 period, and, with his fiu-rowed face and deep-set eyes, 
 he rather resembled an elderly mastiff, though he did 
 not convey the same impression of profound wisdom. 
 He gazed round the room as though he himself were as 
 bewildered as its other occupants, who were speech- 
 less with amazement. Then his eye fell on Mrs. 
 Wibberley-Stimpson, and he hesitated no longer, but, 
 advancing towards her chair, sank with some diffi- 
 culty on one knee, seized her hand, and kissed it with 
 every sign of deep respect. 
 
 " Heaven be praised ! " he cried in a voice that fal- 
 tered with emotion, ' ' I have at last found the Queen 
 we have so long sought in vain ! " He spoke with 
 some sort of foreign accent, but they all understood 
 him perfectly. As he knelt they heard a loud crack 
 which seemed to come from between his shoulders. 
 
 "Braces given way," whispered Clarence to Edna ; 
 " silly old ass to go kneeling in 'em ! " 
 
 "Really, sir," said Mr. Stimpson, "this is most 
 extraordinary behaviour." 
 
 " You don't understand, Sidney," said Mrs. Wib- 
 berley-Stimpson, who had recovered from her first 
 alarm and was now in a gratified flutter ; " remember 
 what I told you about Lady Harriet and the Pageant ! 
 Pray, get up, sir," she added to the stranger, " I 
 haven't the advantage of knowing your name." 
 
 " I am the Court Chamberlain," he said, " and my 
 name is Treuherz von Eisenbanden." 
 
 It was unlmown to Mrs. Stimpson, but she con- 
 cluded that he was some Anglo-German commercial
 
 RUSfflNG TO CONCLUSIONS 29 
 
 magnate, who would naturally be invited to join the 
 Committee for any such patriotic purpose as a Pageant. 
 
 As to the excessive ceremony of his manner, that 
 was either the proper form for the occasion, or, what 
 was more likely, IMr, Troitz, or whatever his name was, 
 having come fresh from a dress rehearsal, could not 
 divest himself as yet of his assumed character. The 
 important pomt was that her interview with Lady 
 Harriet had borne fruit already, and in the shape of a 
 pressing invitation to play the distmguished part of 
 " Queen ! " The advantages thus offered for obtain- 
 ing a social footing amongst county people made it 
 easy to overlook any trifling eccentricities where the 
 intention was so obviously serious. " Well, IVIr. 
 Troitz," she said graciously, "since the Committee 
 have been kind enough to ask me, I shall be very 
 pleased to be your Queen." 
 
 " And if I may say so. Sir," said her husband, " there 
 are few ladies in the vicinity who would prove more 
 competent. In fact " 
 
 " Tliat will do, Sidney," said his wife; "if Lady 
 Harriet and the Committee did not consider me com- 
 petent to be the Queen they would not have asked 
 me." And IVIr. Stimpson said no more. 
 
 " Pardon," ]\'Ir. Treuhertz said, looking at him with 
 solemn surprise, " but — who is this ? " 
 
 " This is my husband, ]\Ir. Troitz — let me introduce 
 him." 
 
 " Your husband. Then, he will be the King ! " 
 
 "The King?" cried Mi\ Stimpson, "why, really, 
 I'm not sure that would be altogether in my line." 
 
 " Nonsense, Sidney. Of course you will be the King 
 if they want you ! And this is my son, Clarence, 
 Mr. Troitz. My daughters, Edna and Ruby."
 
 30 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 (( 
 
 A Crown Prince ! " cried Treuherz, and bent low 
 to each in turn. "And two — no, I mistake — three 
 Princesses ! Ah, it is too much for me altogether ! " 
 
 It was almost too much for Ruby, who giggled help- 
 lessly, while even Daphne had to bite her lip rather 
 hard for a moment. 
 
 " The other young lady," corrected Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson, " is merely my daughter Ruby's governess — 
 Miss Heritage. But if you like to find a place for her 
 as one of my ladies of honour or something, I have no 
 objection to her accepting a part," she added, reflecting 
 that Miss Heritage's manners and appearance would 
 add to the family importance, while it would be a com- 
 fort to have an attendant who could not give herself 
 such airs as might a girl belonging to a county family. 
 
 " Naturally," said Treuherz, inclining himself again. 
 " Any member of your Majesty's household you de.sire 
 to bring." 
 
 " Very well ; I suppose. Miss Heritage, you have no 
 objection ? Then you wiU accompany us, please. 
 And now, Mr. Troitz, about when shall we be M^anted ? " 
 
 " When ? " he replied. " But now ! At once. Al- 
 ready I have the car waiting ! " 
 
 "Now?" exclaimed Clarence; "rum time to re- 
 hearse — what ? " 
 
 "Who said anything about rehearsing, Clarence ? " 
 said his mother impatiently. " It's necessary for them 
 to see us and talk over the arrangements. It's not 
 likely to take long." 
 
 " But it'll do later, my love," put in Mr. Stimpson, 
 who did not like the idea of turning out without his 
 dinner. " Fact is, Mr. Troitz, we were just about to sit 
 down to dinner. Why not keep the car waiting a bit and 
 join us ? No ceremony, you know — just as you are ! "
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 31 
 
 ti 
 
 Sire, I regret that it is impossible," he said. " I 
 have undertaken to convey you with all possible speed. 
 If we delay I cannot answer for what may happen." 
 
 "You hear what Mr. Troitz says, Sichiey," said 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, alarmed at the idea of an- 
 other being chosen in her absence. " What does 
 it matter if we do dme a little late ? Children, we must 
 go and put on our things at once — ^your warmest 
 cloaks, muid — we're sure to find it cold motoring. 
 Sidney and Clarence, you had better get your coats 
 on — we shall be down directly." 
 
 Mr. Treuherz and the heralds stood at attention in 
 the hall. While Clarence and his father struggled into 
 their great-coats, neither of them in a very good 
 temper, Mr. Stimpson being annoyed at postponmg 
 his dinner for what he called "tomfoolery," and 
 Clarence secretly sulky because his parent could not 
 be induced to see the propriety of going up to change 
 his tie. 
 
 "I haven't yet made out. Mother," said Edna, as 
 they came downstairs, "exactly where we're going to 
 — or what we're expected to do when we get there." 
 
 " It will either be The Hermitage — Lady Harriet's, 
 you Imow — or Mr. Troitz's country house, wherever 
 that is. And, of course, the Committee require to know 
 what times will suit us for rehearsing." 
 
 " I wish you'd settle it all without me," complained 
 Edna. "I'd much rather stay at home, and run over 
 my lecture notes. . . . Well, if I must come, I shall 
 bring my note-book with me in case I'm bored." And 
 she ran into the drawing-room, and came back with 
 the notebook, rather as an emblem of her own 
 intellectual superiority than with any intention of 
 referring to it. However, as will be found later, the
 
 32 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 manuscript proved to be of some service in the 
 future. 
 
 Daphne and Ruby were the last to join the party 
 in the hall, Ruby wildly excited at the unexpected 
 jaunt and the prospects of not going to bed till ever 
 so late, and Daphne, though a little doubtful whether 
 ]Mrs, Stimpson was quite justified in bringing her, 
 inclined to welcome almost any change from the 
 evening routine of " Inglegarth." And then, after 
 Mrs. Stimpson had given some hurried instructions to 
 the hopelessly mystified Mitchell, the whole family 
 issued out of the Queen Anne porch, and were con- 
 ducted by Treuherz, who, to their intense confusion, 
 insisted on walldng backwards to the car, while the 
 heralds performed another flourish on their silver 
 trumpets. It was pitch-dark when they had got to 
 the asphalt pavement outside their gates, but they 
 could just make out the contours of the car in the light 
 that streamed across the hedge to the stamed glass 
 front-door. 
 
 "Jolly queer-looking car," said Clarence. It was 
 certainly unusually large, and seemed to have some- 
 what fantastic lines and decorations. 
 
 " Oh, never mind about the car ! " cried Mrs. 
 Wibberley-Stimpson, who was inside it already, a 
 vague, bundled-up shape in the gloom. " It's part of 
 the Pageant, of com-se ! Get in, Clarence, get in ! 
 We're late as it is ! and if there's a thing I detest, it's 
 keeping people waiting !" 
 
 "All right, Mater!" said Clarence, clambering in. 
 "I can't make out what the dickens they've done 
 with the bonnet — but we seem to be moving, what ? " 
 
 Slowly the car had begun to glide along the road. 
 Mr. Treuherz was seated in front, probably at the
 
 RUSHING TO CONCLUSIONS 33 
 
 steering-wheel, though none was visible. The heralds 
 sat in the rear, and the car was of such a size that 
 there was abundant room for the family in the centre. 
 Some yards ahead they heard a curious dry rustle 
 and clatter, and could distinguish a confused grey 
 mass of forms that seemed to be clearing the way 
 for them, though whether they were human beings it 
 was not possible to tell till they passed a lighted 
 street-lamp. 
 
 *' Why, goodness gracious ! " exclaimed Mrs. Wib- 
 berley-Stimpson, " they look like — like ostriches ! " 
 
 She was mistaken here, because they were merely 
 storks, but, before she could identify them more 
 correctly, they all suddenly rose in the air with a 
 whirr like that of a hundred spinning looms — and the 
 car rose with them. 
 
 " Stop ! " screamed Mrs. Wibborley - Stimpson, 
 " Sidney, tell Mr. Troitz to stop ! I insist on knowing 
 where we are being taken to ! " 
 
 Treuherz glanced over his shoulder. " Where should 
 I conduct your Majesties," he said, " but to your own 
 Kingdom of Marchenland ? " 
 
 Mi"s. Stimpson and her husband would no doubt 
 have protested, demanded explanations, insisted upon 
 being put down at once, had they been able ; but, 
 whether it was that the car had some peculiarly 
 soporific tendency, or whether it was merely the 
 sudden swift rush through the upper air, a torpor had 
 already fallen on the whole Stimpson family. It was 
 even questionable if they remained long enough awake 
 to hear their destination. 
 
 Daphne, for some reason, did not fall asleep till 
 later. She lay back in her luxuriously cushioned seat, 
 watching the birds as they flew, spread out in a wide 
 
 c
 
 34 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 fan against the dusky blue evening sky. Gablehurst 
 with its scattered Ughts, artistic viUa-residences, and 
 prosaic railway station-its vaUey and common and 
 wooded hills, were far below and soon left behmd 
 at an ever increasing distance. But she did not feel 
 in the least afraid. It was odd, but, after the first 
 surprise, she had lost aU sense of strangeness m a 
 situation so foreign to all her previous experience. 
 
 " So we're being taken to Marchenland," she was 
 thinking ' ' That's the same as Fairyland, practically. 
 At least it's where aU the things they call Fairy stories 
 reaUy happened, s^nd—why I can't imagine-but Mr 
 and Mrs. Stimpson have been chosen King and Queen ! 
 And the poor dear things have no idea of it yet ! Oh, 
 I wonder " (and here, no doubt, the little creases came 
 into her cheeks again, for she laughed softly to 
 herself), "I wonder what they'll say or do when 
 they find out ! " And while Daphne was stiU wonder- 
 ing, her eyeUds closed gently, and she, too, was sleeping 
 soundly.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 FINE FEATHERS 
 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson was the first of her party 
 to recover consciousness. When she did, she was 
 greatly surprised to find that it was broad daylight, 
 and that she was lying on a grassy slope, behind which 
 was a forest of huge pines. Close beside her were the 
 recumbent forms of her husband and family, which 
 led her to the natural conclusion that the car must 
 have met with an accident. 
 
 ^ " Sidney ! " she cried, shaking him by the shoulder. 
 "Speak to me! You're— you're not seriously hurt, 
 are you ? " 
 
 "Eh, what?" he replied sleepily, and evidently 
 imagining that he was comfortably in bed at home ; 
 "all right, my dear, all right ! I'll get up and bring 
 
 in the tea-tray presently. Lots of time Why, 
 
 hullo ! " he exclaimed, after being shaken once more' 
 as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. " How do we all 
 come to be here ? " 
 
 The others were awake by this time. "And now 
 we're here," put in Clarence, "where are we eh 
 Mater ? " ' 
 
 " It is no use asking me, Clarence. I know no more 
 than you do. The last thing I remember was our all 
 getting into the car to go and see the Pageant Com- 
 mittee. I've a vague recollection of ostriches— but 
 no, I must have been dreaming them. However the 
 
 85
 
 36 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 car seems to have upset somehow, only I don't see it 
 about anywhere." 
 
 " No," said Mr. Stimpson, " or old Thingumagig, or 
 those fellows with the trumpets either." 
 
 " Dumped us down here, and gone off with the car," 
 said Clarence. " Looks as if we'd been the victims of 
 a practical joke, what ? " 
 
 "They would never dare to do that!" said his 
 Mother. " I expect they have missed their way in the 
 dark. Very careless of them. I don't Imow what 
 Lady Harriet and the Committee will think of me. 
 They'll probably ask somebody else to take the part of 
 Queen before we can get there — for I'm sure we must 
 be a good hundred miles away from Gablehurst ! " 
 
 " The Baron said that he was taking us to Marchen- 
 land, Mrs. Stimpson," said Daphne ; "and I'm almost 
 sure that that is where we really are." 
 
 "And where may Marchenland be ? " inquired Mrs. 
 Stimpson sharply. "I never heard of it myself." 
 
 "Well," said Daphne, "it's another name for — for 
 Fairyland, you know." 
 
 " Fairyland indeed ! " replied Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson with some irritation. "You will find it 
 difficult to persuade me to believe that I am in 
 Fairyland, Miss Heritage ! To begin with, there is 
 no such place, and if there was, perhaps you will 
 kindly tell me how we could possibly have got to it ? " 
 
 " Through the air," explained Daphne patiently. 
 "That car was drawn by storks,y ou see — not ostriches." 
 
 " When you have quite woke up, Miss Heritage," 
 said Mrs. Stimpson, "you will realise what nonsense 
 you are talking." 
 
 " Whatever this place is," said Clarence, " it don't 
 look English, somehow, to me. I mean to say — that
 
 FINE FEATHERS 37 
 
 town over there — what ? " He pointed across the 
 wide plain to a cluster of towers, spires, gables, and 
 pinnacles which glittered and gleamed faintly through 
 the shimmering morning haze. 
 
 " It certainly has rather a Continental appearance," 
 observed his father. 
 
 "If it has," said Mrs, Wibberley-Stimpson, "it is 
 only some buildings or scenery or something they have 
 run up for the Pageant. So we haven't been taken 
 in the wrong direction after all." 
 
 " /believe, Mummy," chirped Ruby, " Miss Heritage 
 is right, and this is Fairyland." 
 
 " Don't be so ridiculous, child ! You'll believe next 
 that we came here in a car drawn by flying storks, I 
 suppose ! " 
 
 " D'you know, Mater," said Clarence, "I'm not so 
 sure we mayn't have. What I mean is — there's some 
 sort of flying machine coming along now. I grant 
 you it isn't drawn by storks, but they're birds any- 
 how, and there seems to bo some one in the car too." 
 
 "Nothing of the kind ! " declared Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson obstinately. "At least one may fancy one 
 sees anything with the sun in our eyes as it is. Well, 
 upon my word ! " she added, still incredulously, as an 
 iridescent shell-shaped chariot attached to a team 
 of snow-white doves volplaned down from a dizzy 
 height to a spot only a few yards away, "I really 
 could not have — who, and what can this old person 
 be?" 
 
 The occupant of the chariot had already got out of 
 it, and was slowly coming towards them, supporting 
 herself on a black crutch-handled staff. As she drew 
 nearer they could see that she was a woman of great 
 age. She wore a large ruff, a laced stomacher, wide
 
 38 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 quilted petticoats, and a pointed hat with a broad 
 brim. Her expression was severe, but not unkindly, 
 while she evidently considered herself a personage of 
 some importance. 
 
 " She looks exactly like the Fairy Godmother in the 
 pictures," whispered Ruby. 
 
 " Whoever she may be," said her Mother, scrambling 
 to her feet with more haste than dignity, "I suppose 
 I shall have to go and speak to her, as I presume I 
 am the person she has come to meet." 
 
 However, it was Daphne who was addressed by the 
 new-comer. 
 
 '* The Court Chamberlain, Baron Treuherz von 
 Eisenbanden, has brought me the glad tidings of your 
 arrival, my child," she said in a high cracked voice, 
 " and, as the high official Court Godmother to the 
 Royal Family, I felt that I should be the first to bid 
 you welcome." 
 
 This was more than Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson could 
 be expected to stand without a protest. 
 
 " Pardon me," she said, throwing back her cloak as 
 though she were in need of air, "pardon me. Madam, 
 but I think you are mistaking my daughter's governess 
 for me. I am Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson ! " 
 
 The old lady turned sharply, and as her eyes fell 
 on the matron's indignant face and heaving bosom, 
 she instantly became deferential and almost apolo- 
 getic. "You must forgive me, my dear," she said, 
 "for not recognising you before. But at my age — I 
 may tell you I am nearing the end of my second 
 century — one is apt to forget the flight of Time. 
 Or it may be that Time in your world flies more 
 quickly than in ours. I did not stay to hear more 
 from the Baron than that he had succeeded in finding
 
 FINE FEATHERS 39 
 
 our Queen, and, to be quite plain with you, I was 
 unprepared to find you so matuie." 
 
 Then, thought Mrs, Wibberley-Stimpson confusedly, 
 she had been brought here for the Pageant after all. 
 But what very odd people seemed to be getting it up ! 
 
 "Baron — whatever his name is, appeared to be 
 quite satisfied that I was suited to the part," she said 
 coldly. "Of course, if yourequire some one younger " 
 
 " There can be no manner of doubt, my dear, that 
 you are the Queen we have been seeking, so the mere 
 fact that you are rather older than some of us ex- 
 pected is of no importance whatever." 
 
 "Thank you," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. "I 
 do not consider myself more than middle-aged, and 
 have generally been taken for younger than I am, 
 
 Mrs. , I haven't the pleasure of knowing your 
 
 name." 
 
 " Here they call me the Fairy Vogelflug ; in the 
 neighbouring Kingdom of Clairdelune my name is 
 Voldoiseau. I have officiated as Court Godmother to 
 the reigning Royal families in both countries for many 
 generations." 
 
 "I thought you were a Fairy Godmother!" cried 
 Ruby ; "and I'm sure you're a good Fairy, and can 
 do all sorts of wonderful things." 
 
 " I used to, my child, in my younger days, but my 
 powers are not what they were, and I seldom exercise 
 then now, because it exhausts me too severely to do so. 
 Once there were several of us Court Godmothers, but 
 I am the only one left, and my health is so poor that 
 I can do little for my God-children but give them 
 moral teaching and mse counsel. However, such 
 good offices as I can still render shall be entirely at 
 your service."
 
 40 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 *' You are very kind," said Mrs, Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 resenting the other's air of patronage, "but all my 
 children are already provided with God-parents. As 
 you tell me you are a Fairy," she continued, " I sup- 
 pose I must accept your word for it — but it will take 
 a great deal more than that to make me believe that 
 we are in Fairyland." 
 
 " I thought," said the Fairy, " you already knew 
 that the name of this country is Marchenland." 
 
 It should be said here once for all that the Wibberley- 
 Stimpsons found no difficulty in understanding, or 
 making themselves perfectly inteUigible to any Mar- 
 chenlanders, although they always had a curious 
 feeUng that they were conversing in a foreign lan- 
 guage. 
 
 "Whatever the country is called," said Mrs. Wib- 
 berley-Stimpson aggressively, " I should like some 
 explanation of that Baron Troitz's conduct in en- 
 trapping us into coming here. I was distinctly given 
 to understand that I had been chosen to be the Queen 
 at our local Pageant, and that we were being taken to 
 talk over the arrangements with the Committee. 
 Now he has gone off in the most ungentlemanly way, 
 and left us stranded and helpless here ! " 
 
 " You must have misunderstood the good Baron," 
 said the Fairy Vogelflug ; " and he is far too loyal to 
 desert you. He has merely hastened on to Eswar- 
 emmal, the city whose walls and towers you see yonder, 
 to prepare for your reception. As you probably laiow, 
 he has devoted himself with the most untirmg zeal 
 to his mission of seeking you out and restormg you to 
 your inheritance." 
 
 " He never said a word about that to me — not a 
 word. If I am really entitled to any property in this
 
 FINE FEATHERS 41 
 
 country, I should be glad to know where it is situated, 
 and what is its exact value." 
 
 "Then," said the Fairy, "I may inform you that 
 you are entitled, as the daughter of your late Father — 
 our long-lost and much-lamented Prince Chrysopras — 
 to no less a possession than the Crown of Miirchenland." 
 
 " You — you don't say so ! " gasped Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson. " The Crown of — Sidney, did you hear 
 thatr 
 
 " It's some mistake, my dear," he said. " Must be ! 
 . . . My wife's father. Ma'am, though in some re- 
 spects — a — a remarkable character, was never a Prince 
 — at least that Fve heard of." 
 
 "It doesn't at all follow, Sidney," said his wife in 
 a nettled tone, " that anything you don't happen to 
 have heard of is not a fact. There always was a 
 mystery about poor dear Papa's origin. He was 
 most reticent about it — even with me. And I know 
 it was rumoured that Prinsley was not his real name. 
 So it would not surprise me in the least if Mrs. Fogle- 
 plug turned out to be right, though I cannot say till 
 she gives us further particulars." 
 
 " I will do so most willingly," said the Fairy. " But 
 as it will take me some time to relate them, I should 
 strongly advise you all to sit down." 
 
 They seated themselves round her in a semicircle, 
 and presently she began : 
 
 " You must know," she said, " that our mighty and 
 gracious Sovereign, the late King Smaragd, was twice 
 wedded. By his first wife he had an only son. Prince 
 Chrysopras, a gallant and goodly prince, beloved not 
 only by his father, but by the whole nation. Well, 
 after mourning his first wife for a longer period than 
 is customary, King Smaragd took to himself another,
 
 42 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 who was much younger than himself, besides being 
 marvellously beautiful." 
 
 " And of course she hated the poor Prince," said 
 Ruby, " Stepmothers always do in the stories." 
 
 " I have not said she hated him," said the Court 
 Godmother, who did not like her points to be anti- 
 cipated. " On the contrary, she treated him with 
 every mark of affection, and was constantly bestowing 
 on him gifts of the costliest description. One day she 
 presented him with a wondrous mechanical horse, 
 fiercer and more mettlesome than even the steeds that 
 are bom in Marchenland." 
 
 "Motor-bike, what," suggested Clarence sapiently. 
 
 " A mechanical horse is what I said," repeated the 
 Fairy, " resembling others in shape and beauty, but 
 made of metal. Prince Chrysopras, being a skilful and 
 fearless horseman " 
 
 " Indeed he was ! " put in Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. 
 " He used to ride regularly in the Row, almost to the 
 last. On ' Joggles,' such a dear brown fat cob. He 
 was one of what I believe was known as ' The Liver 
 Brigade "... a fact which for some reason I can't 
 pretend to fathom seems to be causing you amusement, 
 Miss Heritage," 
 
 Daphne, whose sense of humour was occasionally an 
 inconvenience to her, had certainly found the notion 
 of a Fairy Prince in the Liver Brigade a little too much 
 for her gravity. However, she attributed her lapse 
 to the name of the horse, 
 
 " It was the name they gave it at the Livery Stables," 
 said Mrs, Wibberley-Stimpson. " And I really cannot 
 see myself — but we are interrupting this good lady 
 here." 
 
 "You are, ' ' said the Fairy. ' ' I was about to say that
 
 FINE FEATHERS 43 
 
 Prince Chrysopras was greatly delighted by his Royal 
 Stepmother's gift, and at once leapt on the back of 
 the strange steed," 
 
 "What I call asking for trouble," commented 
 Clarence. 
 
 " I Imow what happened ! " Ruby struck in eagerly. 
 " It flew right up into the air with him, and poor 
 Grandpapa fell off." 
 
 "If he had, none of you would be here at the 
 moment," said the Fairy. " Don't be in such a hurry, 
 my child. He was much too good a rider to fall off. 
 But the horse flew up and up with him till both 
 could no longer be seen. The remains of the steed 
 were found long afterwards on a mountain top. But 
 nothing more was ever seen of the Prince, who was 
 supposed to have perished in one of our lakes." 
 
 "Then he must have fallen off after all," insisted 
 Ruby. 
 
 " No, no, Ruby," said her mother, with a sense that, 
 where the credit of her family was concerned, nothing 
 was too improbable for behef ; "the horse flew with 
 him to England, or somewhere in Europe — or else he 
 couldn't have met your dear grandmother, whom none 
 of you ever saw, for she died long before you were 
 born. And I expect that, after he got off, the horse 
 flew back again, and was just able to get to Marchen- 
 land before the machinery broke down. And dear 
 Papa very naturally would not care for people to 
 know that he had got there by such peculiar means, 
 which accounts for my never having heard of it 
 before." 
 
 " Exactly," said the Fany Vogelflug ; "but King 
 Smaragd only knew that his son was lost to him, and 
 when he discovered that the horse was enchanted,
 
 44 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 and that his Queen had bribed the Hereditary Grand 
 Magician to construct it, his anger knew no bounds." 
 
 "Enough to annoy anybody," said Mr. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson. " I should certainly " 
 
 " He ordered," the Fairy went on, without appear- 
 ing to feel any interest in what Mr. Stimpson would 
 have done in similar circumstances, ' ' both the Queen 
 and the Grand Magician to be enclosed in a barrel, 
 the inside of which had been set with sharp nails, and 
 rolled down into the lake from the top of the mountain." 
 
 "I should say myself," remarked Mr. Stimpson, 
 "that that was going a little too far. But he cer- 
 tamly had great provocation." 
 
 " He also commanded that all wizards and en- 
 chanters should renounce their practices for ever, and 
 adopt some other calling, or be banished from the 
 Country." 
 
 " There," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson approvingly, 
 " I think he was so right. I would never encourage 
 any of those clairvoyant people myself. And did he 
 marry a third wife at all ? " 
 
 " Not if he was wise ! " said Clarence. 
 
 "No, although it grieved him sorely that he had no 
 heir to succeed him. But towards the end of his days, 
 he dreamed repeatedly that his son was yet living. 
 He beheld him in these visions a wanderer in some 
 far-off land, earning his bread as a musician, for in 
 Music he had rare skill." 
 
 " I fancy he must have given it up when he took 
 to Finance," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, " though 
 he kept his taste for it. I well remember his buying 
 a beautiful orchestrion which used to be in the Picture 
 Gallery." 
 
 " Well," pursued the Fairy, " in further dreams it
 
 FINE FEATHERS 45 
 
 was revealed to the King that his son was married 
 to one, who, though not of his own race or rank, was 
 both gently born and very fair to see." 
 
 " Pollentine was the maiden name of your Grand- 
 mother on my side, my dears," explained Mrs. Stimpson 
 to her family. *' She must have been good-looking as a 
 girl, judging by a daguerrotype I had of her. Her 
 father was a highly distinguished Auctioneer and 
 Estate Agent in East Croydon, as I daresay was also 
 revealed in the King's dream." 
 
 " Of that I can say nothing," replied the Court 
 Godmother ; " but I know that further visions showed 
 him his son as a widower with an only daughter, and 
 later still that he was no longer living. And so 
 much was the King impressed that he caused a search 
 to be made for this grand-daughter of his in every 
 country that is known to us. Even when he lay on 
 his death-bed he did not give up hope that she would 
 be found, and so he left his Kingdom in charge of his 
 trusted favourite Marshal Federhelm as Regent, with 
 strict injunctions to continue seeking for the missing 
 Queen." 
 
 "And how," inquired Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 " did the Marshal manage to find me out ? " 
 
 " It was not he. He soon convinced himself that all 
 further endeavours were useless. No, it is to the devo- 
 tion of our worthy Court Chamberlain, the Baron Treu- 
 herz von Eisenbanden, that your discovery is owing. He 
 had grieved so deeply to see Marchenland without a 
 Sovereign that, after the example of ' Faithful John,' 
 the founder of his family, he had placed iron hoops 
 round his chest to keep his heart from breaking." 
 
 " We heard 'em go," said Clarence ; " thought it 
 was only his braces."
 
 46 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " At length," continued the Fairy, " the Baron went 
 in secret to Xiiriel, the Astrologer Royal, and induced 
 him to consult the stars. Which Xuriel did, and by 
 much study and intricate calculation he succeeded in 
 ascertaining the exact spot in the other world where 
 the Queen would be discovered, and even the means 
 by which she might be recognised." 
 
 "Ah," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, "I shall 
 begin to believe in Astronomy after this. But even 
 now I don't quite understand how Baron Troitz got to 
 ' Inglegarth.' " 
 
 " That was by my assistance. I placed my travel- 
 ling car at his service, with the wise storks that fly 
 straight to any place to which they are directed, even 
 though they may never have heard of it before. 
 Happily for Marchenland, Xuriel's calculations have 
 proved correct, except that he did not foresee that the 
 Baron would bring back two Sovereigns instead of 
 one." 
 
 " What — is the Gov 'nor going to be King ?" in- 
 quired Clarence. " My hat ! " 
 
 "That would be ridiculous, Clarence," said his 
 mother, "when your Father hasn't a drop of Royal 
 blood in his veins ! He can't even rank as Prince 
 Consort ! " 
 
 " Not so, my dear, not so," corrected the Fairy, 
 "by the custom of Marchenland, anyone who weds 
 the Sovereign shares the throne, and your husband 
 will be as truly the King of this Country as you will 
 be its Queen." 
 
 " Oh, is that the rule ? " said Mi's. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson, not best pleased. "Well, Sidney, I trust 
 you will show yourself equal to your position, that is 
 aU."
 
 FINE FEATHERS 47 
 
 " I trust so, my love," he replied uneasily. " It — 
 it's come on me at rather short notice. However ! " 
 
 " If Daddy and Mums are King and Queen," asked 
 Ruby, " will Edna and me be Princesses ? " 
 
 " Undoubtedly you will," said the Court Grod- 
 mother. 
 
 " Then Clarence will be a Prince. So you see. Miss 
 Heritage, dear, you have met a Prince after all ! " 
 
 " Shut up. Kiddie ! " said the new Crown Prince 
 in some confusion. 
 
 " And what will Miss Heritage be, Mummy ? " 
 
 "Miss Heritage will be what she was before, my 
 dear — your governess." 
 
 " But I shan't want one any more — we're in Fairy- 
 land now — and Fairy Princesses haven't got to do 
 lessons. Oh, Mums, couldn't you make Miss Heritage 
 a Princess too ? Do ! " 
 
 " Why not ? " said the Fairy, glancing at Daphne, 
 whose colour had risen slightly. "Anybody might 
 very well take her to be one as it is." 
 
 " Miss Heritage," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 "has, I am siu:e, too much good sense to expect a 
 title of any kind. She will contuiue to be my 
 daughter's instructress, and I may possibly find a 
 place for her as Mistress of the Robes or something ; 
 but it's much too early to say anything definite at — 
 Really, Edna," she broke off suddenly, " how you can 
 sit there calmly reading as if nothing had happened ! " 
 
 " I was merely running through my lectiu-e-notes 
 again. Mother," said Edna. "If I am a Princess," 
 she added, for the benefit of the Court Godmother, 
 " that is no reason why I shouldn't go on cultivating 
 my mind." 
 
 " Now you're a Princess, my dear," replied her
 
 48 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 mother, "it doesn't signify to anybody whether your 
 mind is cultivated or not." 
 
 " It signifies a great deal to me, mother," said Edna, 
 and resumed the study of her notes with an air of 
 conscious merit, 
 
 " I must say one thing, Mrs. Fogleplug," Mi's. 
 Wibberley-Stimpson proceeded ; "it would have been 
 more considerate if I had been given proper notice, 
 and a reasonable time to prepare for such a complete 
 change as this. I do feel thaty 
 
 She did ; it was a great deprivation to her to have 
 lost the opportunity of mentionmg casually to her 
 Gablehurst friends — and Lady Harriet especially — 
 that she would shortly be leaving them to occupy a 
 throne. 
 
 " Precisely my own feeling," said IVIr. Stimpson, 
 thinkmg regretfully how the news would have made 
 that confounded fellow Thistleton sit up, and of the 
 sensation it might have produced in the train to the 
 City. " It is, to say the least of it, unfortunate that 
 I had no time to communicate with the other members 
 of my firm." 
 
 " And there's Clarence, too ! " said his fond mother. 
 " His Company will be quite helpless without him ! " 
 
 " They may be in a bit of a hole at first," he ad- 
 mitted, thanldul now that he had said nothing about 
 his resignation, or the readiness with which it had been 
 accepted, " Still, no fellow is indispensable. What?" 
 
 The Fairy explained that haste had been unavoid- 
 able, as it might have been injurious to the storks if 
 they had remained longer in a climate to which they 
 were unaccustomed. 
 
 " But why send storks to fetch us at all ? " demanded 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, " Why not some more
 
 FINE FEATHERS 49 
 
 modern conveyance ? . . . There they are again with 
 the car — coming back for us, I expect. . . . Yes, I 
 can make out Baron Troitz and the trumpeters — and 
 there seems to be a gentleman in armour with them." 
 
 " The Regent, Marshal Federhelm," said the Fairy. 
 " He is coming to offer his congratulations." 
 
 " Is he ? " cried Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, scramblmg 
 to her feet again in some dismay. "A Regent ! I — I 
 wish I laiew the proper way of addressing him ! " 
 
 The storks by this time had brought the car to 
 ground, and were now standing about on one leg with 
 folded wings and an air of detachment. The Marshal 
 alighted and advanced slowly towards the Stimpsons 
 while the heralds sounded their trumpets. 
 
 He made a formidable and warrior-like figure in his 
 golden half -armour of a kind unknown to antiquarians, 
 and great jack-boots of gilded leather. He was tall, 
 and the towering mass of waving feathers that crowned 
 his helmet made him look taller still. His vizor was 
 raised, showing a swarthy, hook-nosed face, with 
 quick, restless eyes like a lizard's, a fierce moustache, 
 and a bristling beard that spread out in a stiff black 
 fan. 
 
 " You had better speak to him, Sidney," whispered 
 ' his wife, overcome by sudden panic ; " I really can't." 
 
 " Er — " began Mr. Stimpson nervously, " I believe 
 I have the pleasure of addressing the Regent. We — 
 we're the new King and Queen, you know, and these 
 are the other members of the family." 
 
 The Marshal seemed a little taken aback at first, 
 but he promptly recovered himself, and bending so 
 low that his feathers brushed Mi"s. Wibberley-Stimpson 'a 
 nose, he placed in her hand a small velvet-covered 
 baton studded with gold stars. 
 
 D
 
 50 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Oh thank you very much, I'm sure," she said. 
 " It's quite charming. Has it got an address or any- 
 
 thmg inside it ? " ,r • i. » i, 
 
 "The symbol of my authority, your Majesty, he 
 said, with soldierly curtness. " I have long desired to 
 surrender it to hands more worthy to govern than 
 
 mine." 
 
 Very handsome of you to say so," replied Mr. 
 Stimpson ; " but I daresay you aren't altogether sorry 
 
 to get out of it, eh ? " •, . i 
 
 " It is too lofty a position, Su:e, for a rough, simple 
 warrior like myself," he said. " Nothing but a sense 
 of duty to my country would have made me accept 
 the Regency at all." ^ ^^ 
 
 " I am sure," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, we 
 shall find you have carried on the Kingdom for us 
 as satisfactorily as possible." , 
 
 " The people appeared to think so, your Majesty. 
 But I am forgetting the chief purpose I am here for. 
 I have the honour to announce that the procession 
 will shortly be on its way to escort your Majesties to 
 your Coronation, which is to take place this mormng 
 in the great church of Eswareinmal." 
 
 ^' Coromtion ! " Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson almost 
 screamed. "Before we have so much as had our 
 breakfast ! And in these thmgs we are wearmg now ! 
 I never heard of anythmg so preposterous ! " 
 
 " I don't care much myself," said Mr. Stimpson, 
 " about being crowned on an empty— without havmg 
 had something to eat— if it's only an egg." 
 
 " If they're gomg to crown the Guv'nor m a dmner- 
 jacket and white tie," Garence muttered to^ Edna, 
 " we shall never hear the last of it, that's all ! ' 
 •• There is nothing to make a fuss about, my dear,
 
 FINE FEATHERS 51 
 
 said the Court Godmother to Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 as though she were addressing a fro ward child ; " look 
 behind you, and you will see that everything you may 
 require is ahready provided." 
 
 They looked and saw two velvet Marquees, one 
 striped in broad bands of apple-green and mazarine 
 blue, the other in pale rose and cream, which a party 
 of attendants had just finished putting up. "In those 
 pavilions," continued the Fairy, "you will find not 
 only food prepared for you, but robes such as are 
 fitting for a Coronation. You will have plenty of 
 time both to eat and change your dress before the 
 procession can possibly arrive." 
 
 " She's not hkely to have got our measurements 
 right," grumbled Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson to her 
 eldest daughter, as they moved towards the rose-and- 
 cream Pavilion. " I should have much preferred to be 
 fitted by a Court dressmaker. Such a mistake to rush 
 things like this ! I rather like that Marshal, Edna ; 
 there's something very gentlemanly and straight- 
 forward about him, though I can't see why he shouldn't 
 wear a proper uniform instead of that absurd armour." 
 " Shan't be sorry to get some breakfast, my boy," 
 Mr. Stimpson remarked, as he and Clarence were 
 making for the other marquee ; " I feel a bit peckish 
 after being so long in the night air." 
 " I should like a tub first, Guv'nor." 
 " I'm afraid," said Mr. Stimpson, " that's expecting 
 too much in these parts." 
 
 However, on entering, they discovered, in addition 
 to the dehcacies and gorgeous costumes laid out for 
 them, two great crystal baths filled with steaming water 
 which exhaled a subtle but delicious perfume. 
 
 " Doing us proud, eh, Guv'nor ? " was Clarence's
 
 52 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 comment on the general luxiiriousness ; and his father 
 admitted that " everything seemed to have been done 
 regardless of expense." 
 
 While the male and female members of the Royal 
 Party were enjoying the privacy of their respective 
 tents, the Marshal outside was expressing his senti- 
 ments to the Court Chamberlain with much vigour 
 and freedom. 
 
 " Well, Baron," he began, " this is a great service 
 you have done Marchenland, and I hope you are 
 feeling proud of yourself ! " 
 
 *' Oh, as for that. Marshal," modestly replied the in- 
 genuous Baron, " I have done no more than my duty." 
 
 '" The devil take you and your duty," growled the 
 Marshal. " Why, in the name of all the fiends, couldn't 
 you have left things as they were ? " 
 
 " But, Marshal," the Baron protested, " when our 
 learned Astrologer Royal discovered the whereabouts 
 of our lawful Queen, jou were loudest in approval of 
 my expedition ! " 
 
 " How could I oppose, after you had been gabbling 
 and cackling about it to the whole Court, and it had 
 even reached the ears of the people ? Besides, I was 
 given to understand that this daughter of Chrysopras's 
 was a mere girl. If she had been — But what have 
 you brought us ? — a middle-aged matron with a hus- 
 band and family ! " 
 
 " I own it was not what I had expected," said the 
 Baron ; " but since it was so, what could I do but 
 bring them all ? " 
 
 " Do ? Left them where they were, of course — 
 come back and said that that little fool of a Xuriel 
 had made a miscalculation, as he generally docs ! " 
 I should have been a traitor had I thus denied 
 
 ((
 
 FINE FEATHERS 53 
 
 my Queen. For, as you have seen, she bears on her 
 breast the very jewel of her father the Prince, even 
 as the stars foretold." 
 
 " Undoubtedly she is his daughter," the Marshal 
 admitted reluctantly. It never occurred to him for 
 a moment — ^nor would it occur to any of his country- 
 men — that the pendant was anything but absolutely 
 conclusive proof of Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson's right 
 to the throne. Marchenland notions of what con- 
 stitutes legal evidence have always been and remain 
 elementary. 
 
 " But it's pretty plain," he went on, " that the 
 young fool must have made a most unworthy 
 marriage to have begotten one so utterly lacking in all 
 queenliness and dignity." 
 
 " She will soon acquire both," the Court Chamber- 
 lain affirmed stoutly, " as she becomes more accus- 
 tomed to her position." 
 
 " She may," declared the Marshal, " when a frog 
 grows feathers. And this consort of hers ! Is he a, 
 fit Monarch for Marchenland ? Even you, Baron, 
 can hardly say that for him ! I may not have been 
 beloved as Regent, but at least I have made my 
 authority respected. But what do such a couple as 
 this know about ruHng a country ? They'll make a 
 hopeless hash of it ! " 
 
 " Without guidance, perhaps," the Baron admitted ; 
 " but they will have the inestimable advantage, 
 Marshal, of our experience and advice," 
 
 " Ha ! " said the Marshal. " So they will— so they 
 will ! I was forgetting that ! " 
 
 " No doubt they will submit to our guidance," 
 went on the Baron, '* and thus we shall be able to 
 save them from any dangerous indiscretions."
 
 54 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Just so," agreed the Marshal, with the flicker of a 
 smile. 
 
 The Court Chamberlain, at all events, spoke in all 
 sincerity. His hereditary instinct alone would have 
 been enough to ensure his loyalty to his new Sove- 
 reigns, whatever he might think of them in private. 
 And they were his own " finds," which gave them an 
 added value in his estimation, as will easily be under- 
 stood by any collector of curiosities.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 CROWNED HEADS 
 
 " Ton my word, my love," Mr. Stimpson exclaimed, 
 as his wife came out of her pavilion in her Corona- 
 tion Robes and chain, attended by the Com-t God- 
 mother, " I should hardly have known you ! You 
 look majestic ! — abso-lute-ly majestic ! " 
 
 " I wish I could say the same of you, Sidney," she 
 replied ; " but, as I have told you more than once, 
 legs like yours never ought to be seen except 
 in trousers. . . . Considering my own and my 
 daughter's robes are ready-made, Mrs. Fogleplug, 
 they might be worse. As for Miss Heritage's — well, 
 I should have thought myself that something simpler 
 would have been more appropriate." 
 
 Daphne was naturally much less sumptuously 
 dressed than the Members of the Royal family, but 
 still, in her quaint double-peaked head-dress, fantasti- 
 cally slashed bodice, and long hanging sleeves, with 
 her bright hau% too, waving loosely over her temples, 
 its rich masses confined at the back by a network of 
 pearls, she was dainty and bewitching enough to 
 attract more than her due share of attention — Clar- 
 ence's she attracted at once, while he was sustained 
 by an agreeable conviction that his be-jewelled doublet, 
 silken hose, white plumed velvet hat, and azure mantle 
 set off his figure to unusual advantage. 
 
 " Tophole, Miss Heritage ! " he said, strolling up 
 
 55
 
 56 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 with graceful languor. "I'm not joking — you really 
 are, you laiow ! Wish my kit suited me half as well ! 
 Can't help feeling a most awful ass in it, what ? " 
 
 " Really ? " she said carelessly. " How unpleasant 
 for you ! But perhaps if you left off thinking 
 about it ! " 
 
 " Oh, I don't say it's so bad as all that ! " 
 
 " I didn't suppose it ivas, quite." 
 
 Now this was not by any means the sort of de- 
 ferential tribute he had counted upon, and he was a 
 little ruffled by her failure to respond. 
 
 " Didn't you," he replied distantly, if somewhat 
 lamely. " You'll excuse me mentioning it. Miss 
 Heritage, as it's only in your own interests, but I 
 believe it's considered the proper thing when you're 
 addressed by — by Royalty, don't you know, to throw 
 in a ' Your Royal Highness ' occasionally. Of course. 
 Court Etiquette and that may be all tosh, but I 
 didn't make it, and all I mean to say is — it won't do 
 to let it slide." 
 
 " Your Royal Highness will not have to rebuke me 
 a second time," said Daphne, sinking to the ground in 
 a curtsey which it is to be feared was wilfully exag- 
 gerated. " I'm afraid, sir," she added, as the two 
 little creases in her cheeks made themselves visible, 
 " that wasn't as low as it ought to have been, but 
 your Royal Highness must make allowances for my 
 want of experience." 
 
 " Oh, you'll soon get into it," he said, " with 
 practice." 
 
 " And I shall have plenty of that, your Royal 
 Highness." 
 
 Was she trying to pull his leg ? he thought, as he 
 moved away, and decided that she was most unlikely
 
 CROWNED HEADS 57 
 
 to venture on such presumption. No, it had been 
 necessary to remind her of the deference due to him, 
 and she would not forget the lesson in future. Perhaps 
 ho might unbend occasionally in private, but, on 
 second thoughts, that would be more dangerous than 
 ever now. 
 
 Ruby had seized Daphne and was embracing her 
 in a burst of violent affection. " Oh, Miss Heritage, 
 darling," she cried, "you do look such a duck in that 
 dress — doesn't she. Mummy ? " 
 
 " I see no resemblance, my dear," said her mother 
 coldly, " between Miss Heritage and any description 
 of poultry. And, as the procession will be here in 
 another minute, you had better take your place 
 quietly by me. . . . Really, Ruby," she added in an 
 undertone, as the child obeyed, " you must remember 
 you':.'e a Princess now. It isn't at all proper for you 
 to be seen pawing your governess about in public," 
 
 " I wasn't pawing her about. Mums ! " protested 
 Ruby ; " only hugging her. And if I mayn't do that, 
 I don't want to be a Princess at all ! " 
 
 By this time the procession had arrived. It was 
 headed by a band of knights in resplendent but rather 
 extravagant armour, carrying lances with streaming 
 pennons. After them rode the Courtiers on gaily 
 caparisoned steeds, followed by a bevy of Maids of 
 Honour on cream-coloured palfreys. A company of 
 soldiers came next, some of whom bore heavy match- 
 locks of an ancient period, and the rest pikes and 
 halberds. However, they marched with as proud and 
 confident a step as though their weapons were of the 
 very latest pattern — ^which very likely they thought 
 they were. Folio wmg them was a State Coach, a 
 huge, cumbrous vehicle with unglazed windows ; it
 
 58 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 seemed to be of pure gold, and was drawn by six- 
 teen milk-white horses in blue trappings. 
 
 After the procession had halted, the Court Chamber- 
 lain formally presented the members of the Royal 
 Household, whose mere titles sounded impressively 
 on the ear of their new Mistress. There were Prince 
 Tapfer von Schneiderleinheimer and Prince Hans- 
 meinigel ; Baron Miillerbiirschen, Baron von Bohnen- 
 ranken, and Count von Daumerlingstamm ; Princess 
 Rapunzelhauser, Princess Goldernenfingerleinigen, and 
 Princess Flachspinnenlosburg ; Baroness Belohnte von 
 Haulemannerschen, Baroness Kluge Bauerngrosstoch- 
 terheimer, and Countess Gansehirten am Brunnen, 
 and many others scarcely less distinguished. Never 
 before had Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson been in such 
 aristocratic company, and for the moment she entirely 
 forgot how immeasurably she was now their social 
 superior. She had held her own triumphantly with 
 Lady Harriet, but that was different. There was 
 only one of her — ^and that one a quite ordinary and 
 insignificant personahty compared with these im- 
 posingly splendid lords and ladies-in-waiting. 
 
 Mrs. Stimpson intended to be graciously cordial, 
 but somehow her mamier was dangerously near being 
 obsequious. " Most honoured, I'm sure. Prince ! " 
 she found herself repeating, as she ducked instuictively. 
 " So very kind of you to come, Baron ! . . . It's 
 more than delightful to meet you, dear Princess — ^I 
 didn't quite catch your name ! . . . Such a privilege 
 to make your acquaintance, Countess ! " 
 
 She hoped they would take this as condescension 
 on her part, and they were undeniably surprised by 
 their Sovereign's excessive affability. 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Stimpson, as these amenities
 
 CROWNED HEADS 59 
 
 became exhausted and he perceived that no one was 
 taking any notice of him, " what about making a start, 
 hey, Mr. Marshal ? " 
 
 " If your Majesties and the Princess will deign to 
 enter the coach, we can set forth at once," was the reply. 
 
 " Get in, children, get in ! " cried Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson. " You and Ruby, Edna, must sit with 
 your backs to the horses, and there will be plenty of 
 room for Clarence between you." 
 
 " With all respect, Sir," said the Marshal, as 
 Clarence was preparing to got in. " It is the custom 
 on such an occasion as this for the Crown Prince to 
 ride on the right of the Coach. I have arranged that 
 a horse shall be at your Royal Highness's service," 
 
 " Thanks awfully," said Clarence, as he glanced at 
 a spirited chestnut mare which two squires were en- 
 deavouring with some difficulty to soothe, " but — er — 
 I think I'd rather drive." He was reflecting, as he 
 took his seat in the coach, that he would really have 
 to take a few riding lessons shortly, in private. 
 
 " Isn't Miss Heritage coming with us, Mummy ? " 
 called Ruby from the window. 
 
 " In the State Coach, my dear ! Of course not ! " 
 
 " But why not, Mater ? " protested Clarence. 
 " There's lots of room." 
 
 " Because I could not think of allowmg it, Clarence. 
 Perhaps Mrs. Fogleplug wiU be kind enough to give 
 her a lift in — ^in her own conveyance." 
 
 " Unfortunately," rephed the Court Godmother, 
 " my car will not hold more than one person." 
 
 " WeU, Miss Heritage must find her way to the 
 Palace, then ! There's no necessity for her to be 
 present at the Coronation." 
 
 " Surely, my dear," said the Fairy, " you would
 
 60 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 not deprive her of such a privilege ! I will have 
 another saddle placed on that mare so that this fair 
 maid of yours may ride with your other ladies in 
 waiting." 
 
 " Of coiu-se, IMrs. Fogleplug, if you're hent on Miss 
 Heritage making a public exhibition of herself," said 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, " I have nothing to say. 
 I don't suppose she has ever been on a horse in her 
 life ! " 
 
 " Oh, but I have. Ma'am ! " Daphne pleaded 
 eagerly. " I've ridden ever since I was a child. 
 And I'd love to ride that mare, if I may ! " 
 
 " Oh, very well, Miss Heritage, ve-ry well. But 
 remember, if you break your neck, / shall not accept 
 any responsibility," which Daphne took as a per- 
 mission. As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Wibberley-Stimp- 
 son had taken their seats, the sixteen mill?:-white 
 horses began to pull and strain till eventually the 
 great coach was on the way. 
 
 " Mummy," cried Ruby a little later, " I can see 
 Miss Heritage ! She's riding close behmd. And oh, 
 she does look so sweet on horseback ! " 
 
 "Put your head in, — do, child!" said her mother 
 sharply. " Whatever will the people think if they see 
 a Prmcess hanging half out of the window like that ! " 
 
 Ruby sat down rather sullenly. Clarence would 
 have liked to put his own head out if it had been 
 consistent with his dignity as a Prince. As it was, 
 he could only hope that Daphne would come to no 
 harm. " Really ! " continued Mrs. Wibberley-Stimp- 
 son, " what with one's governess riding behind one's 
 coach, and those two ridiculous bkd-cars probably 
 flappmg overhead, this is quite unlike any Coronation 
 Procession I ever heard of ! "
 
 CROWNED HEADS 61 
 
 " More like a bally Circus," remarked Clarence. 
 " Only wants a couple of clowns with bladders on 
 horseback and a performing elephant." 
 
 " / consider," said his mother, " that a State 
 procession should have more solemnity about it. . . . 
 How horribly this coach jolts ! It can't have any 
 springs ! . . . There you are again, Edna, buried hi 
 that note-book ! you might show a little interest in 
 what is gomg on ! " 
 
 " I'm sorry, mother, but it all seems to mean so 
 little to me." 
 
 " Then all I can say is — good gracious, what a 
 lurch ! I quite thought we were over ! — all / can say 
 is that it's unnatural to be so abstracted as you are. 
 We're getting close to Eswar — whatever they call it. 
 If you look round you wiU see the walls and 
 towers." 
 
 Edna adapted her pince-nez and turned perfunc- 
 torily for a moment. " Quite quaint ! " she said, and 
 resumed her reading. 
 
 " Picturesque, / should call it," corrected her 
 mother. " Sidney, doesn't it put you in mmd of dear 
 lovely Lucerne ? " 
 
 " Very much so, my love," he repUed, " or — er — 
 Venice " (neither of which cities, as a matter of fact, 
 did Eswareinmal resemble in the least). " Hullo ! what 
 are we stopping for now, eh ? " 
 
 It seemed they had arrived at the principal gates 
 of the Capital, where the Burgomaster and other civic 
 dignitaries were assembled to welcome and to do 
 them homage, which they did with every sign of 
 respect and loyalty. As Mi's. Wibberley-Stimpson felt 
 unequal to the efforts of respondmg, that duty de- 
 volved on her husband, who presented himself at the
 
 62 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 window of the coach, and made what the reporters, 
 had any been present, would no doubt have described 
 as " a few gracious and appropriate remarks." 
 
 " You needn't have said that about ' doing our best 
 to give satisfaction,' Sidney ! " complained his wife 
 after the coach had thundered over the drawbridge, 
 and was lumbering under the massive archway into 
 a narrow and crowded street, " for all the world as if 
 we had been a butler and housekeeper applying for a 
 situation ! " 
 
 " It was a little unfortunate, perhaps, my dear," he 
 admitted ; " but it is so difficult to know what to say 
 when one has to speak impromptu." 
 
 " It ought to be easy enough to know what not to 
 say," she retorted. " Dear me, what hosts of people ! " 
 she went on, as her irritation merged into complacency. 
 " And hoiv pleased they all seem to see us ! But no 
 doubt, after a bachelor Regent, a whole Royal family 
 — ^I love to see their happy smiling faces ! " 
 
 " Grinning mugs would be nearer the mark, Mater," 
 said Clarence ; " never saw such a chuckle-headed lot 
 of bumpkins in my life ! " 
 
 "I will thank you to remember, Clarence," she 
 replied, " that they are my loyal subjects, and will be 
 yours at some time to come." 
 
 " I can wait for 'em," he said ; " and if they're so 
 jolly loyal, why ain't they cheering more ? " 
 
 Slowly the golden coach progressed through wind- 
 ing streets of gabled or step-roofed houses with toppling 
 overhangmg stories, then along one side of a great 
 square, packed with people in costume, the women 
 recaUing to Mrs. Stimpson's mind, quite inappro- 
 priately, the waitresses at the Rigi Kulm hotel on a 
 Sunday. Then, through more narrow streets, to a
 
 CROWNED HEADS 63 
 
 smaller square, where it stopped at some steps leading 
 to the huge West portal of a magnificent buttressed 
 Church. 
 
 "All change here — for the Coronation!" said 
 Clarence, "I'd better nip out first, eh. Mater ? " 
 
 " Your father and I get out first, naturally, Clarence," 
 said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, and descended majesti- 
 cally, Mr. Stimpson following with somewhat less 
 effect owing to an attack of cramp in his left leg. 
 Four small pages stepped forward in pairs to carry 
 Mr. and Mi's. Stimpson's trains, which they found a 
 distinct convenience, and, hand in hand, they passed 
 through the great, elaborately niched and statued 
 doorway into the nave. The interior was thronged 
 by all the notables of Marchenland, including the 
 venerable President of the Council and his Councillors. 
 Above, the light struck in shafts through the painted 
 windows of the clerestory, tinging the haze of incense 
 fumes with faint colours. On the high altar twinkled 
 innumerable tapers. " Romayi ! as I suspected ! " 
 whispered Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson on seeing them, 
 and sniffing the scented atmosphere. (She had attended 
 St. John's at Gablehurst, because the vicar, although 
 Evangelical, was well-known to be of good family.) 
 Under a crimson canopy in the choir were two golden 
 chairs which they understood they were expected to 
 sit upon, and occupied accordmgly. A mitred and 
 coped ecclesiastic, who appeared to be some kind of 
 Bishop, then shepherded them benevolently through 
 a series of mystic rites that, besides being hopelessly 
 unintelligible, seemed unreasonably protracted. How- 
 ever, they reached the climax at last, and amidst the 
 tumultuous acclamations of the spectators the pre- 
 viously anointed heads of King Sidney and Queen
 
 64 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Selina, as they must henceforth be described, received 
 their respective crowns. 
 
 " Ha, weU," remarked Kmg Sidney, when he and 
 the rest of the Royal family were once more in the 
 coach, and on their way towards the palace that was 
 to be their future home, " we got through it most 
 successfully on the whole. Perhaps the Bishop was 
 a little too lavish with the anointing part of the cere- 
 mony. Still, taken altogether, it was — ^ah — ^a very 
 solemnising affair." 
 
 " It would have been more so, Sidney," said the 
 Queen, " if you hadn't kept on dropping your sceptre 
 and tripping over your train. I don't wonder the 
 Bishop got flustered. But I do wish we could have 
 had it properly done by the dear Archbishop of 
 Canterbury ! " 
 
 " Bit out of his diocese, Miirchenland, what ? " said 
 the Crown Prince. 
 
 " I'm aware of that, Clarence ; and, of course, we're 
 legally crowned, whoever did it. . . . Sidney, it's only 
 just struck me, but I'm sure we ought to be bowing. 
 Bow, children, all of you — ^take the time from me. 
 Sidney, why aren't you bowing ? " 
 
 " I can't, my love. It's difficult enough to keep 
 my crown on as it is ! " 
 
 " You can hold it on with one hand, can't you ? 
 You simply must bow if you don't want to be un- 
 popular ! So must you, children. Keep on with it ! " 
 
 " Give us a rest, Mater," said Prmce Clarence, after 
 they had been nodding like Chinese mandarins for 
 some minutes. " My neck's beginning to wilt already ! " 
 
 Queen Solina herself was not sorry to stop. " It's 
 certainly very fatiguing at first," she admitted ; " we 
 must practise it together in private. . . . Was that
 
 CROWNED HEADS 65 
 
 old Mrs. Fogleplug's dove-chariot that passed us just 
 now ? I'm afraid I shall have to put her in her place. 
 She's rather inclined to forget herself — ^not only 
 addressed me as ' my dear,' but actually attempted to 
 kiss me after the Ck)ronation ! " 
 
 " So she did me ! " said the Princess Royal, " but I 
 hope I showed that I thought she was taking a Uberty." 
 
 " She's a very worthy, well-meaning old creature, 
 no doubt," remarked the Queen ; " still, a Fairy God- 
 mother in these days is really rather — ^I shall have to 
 get her to retire — on a pension." 
 
 " She'll stick on," said Prince Clarence, " you see 
 if she don't. Means to boss the whole show." 
 
 " I shall soon let her see that I intend to be mistress 
 in my own Kingdom," said the Queen. " I could msh, 
 I must say, that it was just a httle more up to date ! 
 Everything so dreadfully behind the times ! I haven't 
 seen a shop yet with a plate-glass front, and not a 
 single pillar-box ! " 
 
 " Poor sort of place for Suffragettes, what ? " 
 observed Clarence. 
 
 " Frivolity apart, Clarence," remarked the Queen, 
 " I can see already that there is much to be done here 
 before the country can be called really civilised. We 
 must set ourselves to raise the standard by introducing 
 modern ideas — enhghten people's minds, and all the 
 rest of it. And you must do your share, Sidney, as I 
 shall do mine." 
 
 " Certainly," said the King ; " I'm agreeable. All 
 for progress myself. Always have been. ... I fancy 
 that must be our Palace up there. A truly palatial 
 residence — replete, I've no doubt, with every con- 
 venience we can require." 
 
 The State Coach, after making a leisurely circuit of
 
 66 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the two sides of the principal square, was now begin- 
 ning the ascent of the steep zigzag road to the Palace, 
 which stood on the terraced height of the plateau 
 that commanded the city. The party in the coach 
 caught glimpses of its massive but ornate towers with 
 fantastic spires and turrets, and its great arched and 
 columned wings of rose-tinted marble. As it was 
 rather larger than Windsor Castle, King Sidney's 
 commendation was fairly justified. 
 
 But Queen Selina's mind was occupied in computing 
 the probable number of rooms, and the maids that 
 would be required to "do " them, while she wondered 
 aloud whether they could possibly afford to keep such 
 a place up. 
 
 " Depend upon it, my dear," said the King, " the — 
 ah — State wiU provide an ample allowance for all our 
 expenses. I must go into that as soon as an oppor- 
 tunity occurs, and find out exactly what our income 
 wiU be." 
 
 Little more was said after this, as the great coach 
 creaked and groaned slowly up the winding road, and 
 then rolled through the golden gates into the court- 
 yard of the Palace. 
 
 On the steps of the chief entrance were Marshal 
 Federhelm, Baron von Eisenbanden, and the Court 
 Godmother, who, with the rest of the Royal household, 
 had hastened on ahead to receive them. The Marshal 
 ushered them into the Hall of Entrance, which was 
 immense and cool. There they found the ladies and 
 gentlemen-in-waiting draAvn up in curtseying and 
 bowing ranks. The colours of their gay costumes 
 would have been dazzling, had they not been some- 
 what toned down by the subdued light from the 
 windows, which were paned with transparent agate
 
 CROWNED HEADS 67 
 
 set in tracery of a flamboyant type. At the back rose 
 a colossal staircase of jasper. On either side were 
 lofty doors leading to vestibules, corridors, and re- 
 ception halls. 
 
 Judged by Gablehurst standards, the general effect 
 of the interior was hardly ' home-y ' or cosy enough to 
 be perfectly satisfactory, as Queen Selina seemed to 
 feel, for tho only comment she made was : " No china 
 punch-bowl for visiting-cards, I see ! " 
 
 " I say," the Crown Prince inquired of the Marshal, 
 " who's the small sportsman in the extinguisher hat ? " 
 he referred to an unassuming little man with long, lint- 
 coloured hair and pale, prominent eyes, whose shiftiness 
 was only partly concealed by large horn spectacles. 
 He wore black and crimson robes embroidered in gold 
 with Zodiacal signs. " Looks like the Editor of Old 
 Moore's Almanack." 
 
 " That, Sir," replied the Marshal, " is the learned 
 Xuriel, our Astrologer Royal. Will your Majesties 
 permit me to present him ? " And, the Royal assent 
 being given, he went across to fetch the sage. 
 
 " Xuriel, my friend," he said in his ear, with a 
 slightly ironical intonation, " the august Sovereigns 
 who owe their discovery to your learning and research 
 are naturally anxious to express their acknowledge- 
 ments. So come along and be presented, and perhaps 
 you will produce a better impression if you can manage 
 to look a little less like a hare with the ear-ache." 
 
 It was not, however, the prospect of being presented 
 to Royalty that was disturbing the Astrologer Royal, 
 but an mipleasant suspicion that the ex-Regent was, 
 for some reason or other, a little annoyed with him. 
 
 " Your Majesties will be interested to hear," ex- 
 plained the Marshal, after making the presentation,
 
 68 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " that Master Xuriel was at one time noted for his 
 skill as a magician." 
 
 " My studies in Magic were never carried very far, 
 your Majesties," protested the Astrologer, wriggling 
 uncomfortably. " I — ^I did very little at it. And, 
 even before it was decreed that all enchanters and 
 sorcerers should either leave the Kingdom or take up 
 some other profession, I had discovered that astrology 
 was my true vocation." 
 
 " And you were right," said the Marshal heartily, 
 " as results have shown. And doubtless there is no 
 truth in the rumour that you still retain some pro- 
 ficiency in the Black Art." 
 
 " Absolutely none, your Majesties ! " the Astrologer 
 Royal declared. " What small skill I ever possessed, 
 I have already forgotten ; all my magic spells have 
 long since been discarded." 
 
 " So I should hope," said Queen Selina severely. 
 " Mr. Wibber — I mean, his Majesty and I are, of course, 
 no believers in Magic, but we are determined not to 
 allow any superstitions practices here in future — ^are 
 we not, Sidney ? " 
 
 " Certainly, my dear, certainly. Most undesirable. 
 Of course, we don't object to ordinary conjuring — 
 anything harmless of that sort. But take my advice. 
 Sir, and stick to Astrology for the future — much more 
 gentlemanly pursuit ! " 
 
 The Astrologer Royal promised to observe this 
 recommendation, and just then the Court Chamberlain 
 announced that a meal had been prepared for the 
 Royal Family in the King's Parlour, to which he 
 offered to conduct them at once. And, as the lengthy 
 business of the Coronation had given them all excellent 
 appetites, they readily welcomed the proposal.
 
 CROWNED HEADS 69 
 
 Princess Ruby, catching sight of Daphne in one of 
 the groups, had begged that she might be included, 
 which the Queen reluctantly granted as an exceptional 
 indulgence. 
 
 Daphne would gladly have excused herself had that 
 been possible ; she was becoming painfully conscious 
 of finding Mi's. Wibberlcy-Stimpson as a Queen irresis- 
 tibly ludicrous. Once already that morning she had 
 only just escaped detection, and she was horribly 
 afraid now that something might happen which would 
 lead her to betray herself by miseemly laughter. She 
 could only pray inwardly that it would not, as she 
 followed with Ruby to the King's Parlour. 
 
 This was a lofty hall with windows opening on to the 
 terrace ; the walls were composed of great slabs of 
 malachite, and twisted columns of the same supported 
 a ceilmg of elaborately carved pink jade. At one end 
 was a dais, where a table was spread with what King 
 Sidney referred to somewhat disappointedly as "a 
 cold snack," though he did it ample justice never- 
 theless. 
 
 The Marshal sat on his right hand ; at his back 
 stood the Court Chamberlain, while chubby-faced little 
 pages served cakes of bread on bended Icnee, and 
 filled the golden goblets with Marchenland's choicest 
 wines, which the King considered " a trifle on the 
 sour side." The Royal Household looked on from a 
 distance — to the exquisite discomfort of the Queen. 
 
 " I really can't enjoy my food, Sidney," she com- 
 plamed in an undertone, " with every mouthful I take 
 watched by all those members of the nobility ! " 
 
 Suddenly she coloured with annoyance as she found 
 she was being addressed in a gruff, strangled voice 
 from a quarter it was difficult at first to locate. " Mr.
 
 70 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Troitz," she demanded, " who is that ill-mannered 
 person who seems to be trying to talk to Me with 
 his mouth fuU ? " 
 
 " The voice, yoiu: Majesty," he replied in the most 
 matter-of-fact tone, " appears to proceed from the 
 boar's head." 
 
 " How dare you try to impose on me by such a 
 story ? It's that wretched Uttle astrologer man. 
 Ventriloquism and Conjuring always go together, and 
 I'll be bound he's underneath the table now ! . . . 
 Well," she said, after she had satisfied herself by 
 looldng, " if he's not there, he's somewhere in the 
 room ! " 
 
 The Court Chamberlain assured her that the As- 
 trologer Royal was not only absent, but incapable of 
 such a Hberty ; it really was the boar's head that 
 had spoken, as animals in Marchenland would on 
 rare occasions — even after suffering decapitation. 
 
 " There was Falada, Mummy," cried Ruby eagerly. 
 " Don't you remember ? The horse that talked 
 poetry after its head had been cut off and naUed over 
 the arch ! Miss Heritage can tell you all about it." 
 
 But Miss Heritage could not — ^she was far too 
 deeply engaged in wTestling with an inward demon 
 of unholy mirth that threatened at any moment to 
 gain the mastery. 
 
 The head began again. But whatever felicitations, 
 predictions, or warning it was strivmg to utter were 
 rendered practically inarticulate by a large lemon that 
 had been unfeelingly inserted between its jaws. 
 
 " Have the boar's head removed at once, Mr. 
 Troitz," ordered Queen Selma. " I cannot and will not 
 have it interrupting the conversation like this. It 
 couldn't happen at all in any civilised country. Why,
 
 CROWNED HEADS 71 
 
 we shall have the cold tongue beginning next, I 
 suppose ! . . ." 
 
 It was here that poor Daphne's demon got the 
 upper hand. 
 
 "You seem slightly hysterical, Miss Heritage," 
 remarked the Queen. " Horse-exercise evidently has 
 a very bad effect on your nerves, and I must forbid 
 you to ride in future." 
 
 Thus was Daphne punished for her breach of eti- 
 quette. But Queen Selina had no suspicion, even 
 then, of its real extent. She was incapable of con- 
 ceiving that she could possibly seem ridiculous to 
 one so infinitely her inferior.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 
 
 The luncheon, after the removal of the too loquacious 
 boar's head, proceeded, to Daphne's intense relief, 
 without any further incident, and at its conclusion 
 Queen Selina suggested a move to the terrace. One 
 side of it faced the City far below ; another the slope of 
 the road leadmg immediately to the Courtyard, while 
 from the third side steps descended by lower terraces 
 to the Palace Gardens, which were apparently bound- 
 less. Beyond them, however, was a neglected region 
 of groves and thickets, a sort of Wilderness, which 
 stretched from the Garden boundaries to the edge of 
 a plateau below which lay a wild valley, with a chain 
 of wilder peaks and crags forming the horizon. But 
 none of the Court had ever cared to explore the 
 Wilderness, if they were even aware of its existence, 
 so no more need be said of it at present. 
 
 The Royal Family leaned upon the parapet of the 
 terrace, whence they had a bird's-eye view of the 
 big square immediately below, and the picturesquely 
 irregular buildings, above whose gabled red roofs grim 
 watch-towers and quaint spires or cupolas rose here 
 and there. Down in the square swarms of tiny figures 
 were clustering round the public fountains, which 
 spouted jets that, as they flashed in the afternoon 
 sun, were seen to be of a purple hue. 
 
 " Must be wine," remarked the Crown Prince. " If 
 
 72
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 73 
 
 it's the same tap we had at lunch, the poor devils 
 have my sympathy ! " 
 
 " I think, Sidney," said the Queen, " that we 
 ought all to go for a drive presently — just round the 
 principal streets. I'm sure the — a — 'populace would 
 appreciate it." 
 
 " If you think it's expected of us, my love," he 
 said. " Otherwise — well, I should have rather Hked to 
 see a little more of the Palace ; we don't even know 
 where our own bedrooms are to be yet." 
 
 " The Guv'nor's right there. Mater ! " said Prince 
 Clarence. " We'd better get settled down before we 
 do anything else." 
 
 " Perhaps we had," Queen Selina allowed. " I'll 
 get that good old Mrs. Fogleplug to take us round the 
 house." And after sending for the Court Godmother, 
 she started, accompanied by the family and several 
 of her ladies-in-waiting, on a tear of inspection. 
 
 Possibly the suites of halls, each more magnificent 
 than the last, the endless galleries and corridors, the 
 walls decorated with sumptuous but bizarre hangings, 
 the floors inlaid with marble and precious stones 
 which were probably priceless and certainly slippery — 
 possibly all these contributed towards the upsetting of 
 Queen Selina's equanimity, but her manner was deplor- 
 ably lacking in dignity and repose. She treated her 
 ladies, for instance, with a politeness that came 
 nearer subservience than ever. It was : '* Pray 
 go first, dear Princess Rapunzelhauser ! After you. 
 Baroness ! . . . Please, Countess, I really couldn't 
 think of preceding you ! " at every doorway, till 
 Daphne, as she noted the elevated eyebrows and 
 covert smiles of the others, felt too much shame for 
 her Sovereign for any thought of amusement.
 
 74 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 However, the Queen showed more self-assertion 
 in her treatment of the Com-t Godmother, which was 
 characterised by some hauteur. 
 
 " And now, I suppose, Mrs. Fogleplug, we have 
 seen all the Reception Rooms. We shall prob- 
 ably have to entertain on rather a large scale, 
 but they appear to be fairly suitable. What I have 
 not yet seen is a room where I could receive ordinary 
 callers. I have always made a practice since I was 
 first married of being ' at Home ' on the first and 
 third Fridays, and though circumstances have altered, 
 I intend to continue it." 
 
 The Fairy, though she was rather at a loss to under- 
 stand either the reason or the necessity for this, said 
 that there was a chamber called " The Queen's Bower " 
 which would probably meet Her Majesty's require- 
 ments, and led the way to it accordingly. 
 
 It was about sixty feet square, with a high vaulted 
 roof of lapis-lazuH set with large diamond stars ; the 
 walls were decorated with huge frescoes representing 
 legends, many of which Princess Ruby recognised as 
 familiar. 
 
 " This will do, Mrs. Fogleplug," pronounced the 
 Queen. " At least it can be made to do, with a Uttle 
 re-arrangement. As it is, there are none of the 
 ordinary refinements, such as art-cushions, cake-and- 
 bread-and-butter stand, occasional tables, and little 
 silver knick-knacks, which a lady's boudoir of any 
 pretensions to elegance should have. Just the trifles 
 that express the owner, and — er — constitute Home. I 
 must have all these provided before I can use this as a 
 sanctum. I should certainly have expected a Palace 
 like this to be furnished with more regard to comfort ! " 
 
 " I should have expected a billiard-room or two,"
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 75 
 
 said Prince Clarence ; " but these Courtier chaps tell 
 me they don't even know what biUiards are ! Pretty 
 sort of Palace this ! " 
 
 " I think it's a perfectly lovely Palace ! " Princess 
 Ruby declared. " It hasn't got a single piano in it 
 anywhere ! I Imow, because I've asked." 
 
 " I'm sorry to hear it, my dear," said her Mother, 
 " because I particularly wished IMiss Heritage to get 
 you on with your music ; and, if that is impossible, 
 I shaU have to consider whether I can keep her at all." 
 
 " Oh, Mummy, you won't send her away ? When 
 you know I've never been good with anybody before, 
 and never shall be, either ! " 
 
 Queen Selina was quite alive to the advantages of 
 retaining Daphne's services. 
 
 " WeU, Ruby," she said, " I shaU allow Miss Heri- 
 tage to stay on, as your companion " (she had 
 already seen her way to proposing a reduction of 
 salary), " and she can make herself generally useful 
 to me as well." 
 
 Ruby went dancing back to Daphne. " You're not 
 to be my governess any more. Miss Heritage, dear," 
 she announced, " because I shan't require one now. 
 But I've got Mummy to let you stay on as com- 
 panion. Aren't you glad ? " 
 
 Daphne answered that she was — and she would 
 certainly have been sorry to leave Marchenland quite 
 so soon. 
 
 " And now teU me, Mr. Chamberlain — Paron Troitz, 
 I mean," the Queen was saying. " What time do you 
 dine here ? " 
 
 " Wlienever your Majesties please," was the reply. 
 
 " All the same to us," said the King affably. " No 
 wish to put you out at aU."
 
 76 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Then with your permission, Sire, the Banquet will 
 be served an hour hence in the Banquetmg Hall." 
 
 "A banquet ! " cried the Queen. "I would rather 
 we dined quietly, without any fuss, on our first night 
 here." 
 
 " It is the night of your Majesties' Coronation," 
 the Court Chamberlain reminded her. " The Court 
 would be deeply disappointed if so auspicious an 
 event were not celebrated in a befitting manner." 
 
 "Oh," said the Queen. "Then it will be fuU 
 dress, I suppose — with crowns ? " 
 
 " I hope — not crowns" put in King Sidney, who 
 had taken the earliest opportunity of leaving his own 
 in a corner. " A crown is such an uncomfortable 
 thing to eat in. At least mine is." 
 
 The Court Chamberlam gave it as his decision that 
 crowns should certainly be worn — at least through 
 the earlier courses of the meal. 
 
 " All you've got to do, Guv'nor," said Clarence, 
 " is to keep yours from splashing into the soup. A 
 bit of elastic round your chin would do that all 
 right." 
 
 " And I presume," said the Queen, " we shall wear 
 these robes we have on ? ... Oh, we shall find a 
 change of costume upstairs ? Then, as there is not 
 too much time for dressing, I should like to see my 
 room at once, Mrs. Fogleplug." 
 
 " Sidney," she panted a little later as, escorted by 
 the Marsha] and Baron, and followed by the Court 
 Godmother and the ladies and lords-in- waiting, they 
 were making the ascent of the grand staircase, " one 
 of the first thmgs we must do here is to put in a lift. 
 I really can't be expected to climb all these stairs 
 several times a day ! "
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 77 
 
 " They do take it out of one, my dear," he admitted. 
 " And a lift would certainly be a great improvement," 
 
 At the head of the staircase was a long tapestry- 
 hung gallery in which were the doors opening into the 
 suites of rooms prepared for Royalty. 
 
 Queen Selina, on reaching hers, could not bring 
 herself to allow her ladies of the Bedchamber to assist 
 at her toilet. " So very kmd of you, Princess, and you, 
 too, my dear Baroness," she protested, " but I couldn't 
 think of troubling you — ^I couldn't indeed ! I should 
 feel quite ashamed to let you ! I can manage per- 
 fectly well by myself — that is. Miss Heritage will come 
 in after she has attended to Princess Ruby, and do all 
 I require, and then she can go on and help you, Edna." 
 
 " Thank you. Mother," said Edna, " but I should 
 prefer having some one who is more accustomed to 
 dressing hair." 
 
 After putting Ruby into a robe of golden tissue 
 and silken stockings and satin shoes, which, being 
 quite as splendid as those she had just laid aside, 
 afforded the child intense satisfaction, Daphne went 
 to Queen Selina's Tiring Chamber — a spacious apart- 
 ment with hangings of strange colours embroidered 
 with Royal emblems. It was separated by a curtamed 
 arch, through which a glimpse could be caught of the 
 Royal Bedchamber, with the colossal and gorgeously 
 canopied State bed. 
 
 She found the Queen still in an early stage of her 
 toilette and in a highlv fractious state of mind. 
 
 " I expected you to be here before this, Miss Heri- 
 tage," she said. " I've been waiting aU this time for 
 you to fasten me up the back, which I couldn't possibly 
 ask any of my Court ladies to do. . . . I'm sure / 
 don't kiiow what goes on next ! ... Oh, do you think
 
 78 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the — er — stomacher before the ru£E ? . . . Very well. 
 ... It's impossible to judge the effect in such a 
 wretched light " (the chamber, it should be said, 
 was illuminated by a number of perfumed flam- 
 beaux stuck in elaborately wrought silver sconces). 
 " Even at ' Inglegarth ' I had a pair of electric lights 
 over my dressing-table ! And how on earth any 
 Queen can be expected to dress at a shabby tarnished 
 old cheval-glass like this is more than I can con- 
 ceive ! " 
 
 Upon which a thin but silvery voice immediately 
 responded : 
 
 " As dimly can I understand 
 How you are Queen of Miirchenland ! " 
 
 " Upon my word. Miss Heritage ! " exclaimed Queen 
 Selina, with an angry flush on her Oc.tmeal-hued 
 cheeks, "lam surprised at such impertinence — ^from 
 you ! " 
 
 "It — ^it wasn't me, Ma'am," said Daphne, with an 
 heroic effort to keep her countenance. 
 
 "As it was certainly not myself, and you are the 
 only other person in the room. Miss Heritage, your 
 denial is impudent as well as useless ! " 
 
 Daphne could only point speechlessly to the mirror. 
 
 " Really, Miss Heritage ! This goes beyond all — 
 what next ! " 
 
 " Reflected here there should have been 
 A younger and far fairer Queen." 
 
 contmued the voice in a doggerel as devoid of polish 
 as the mirror itself. 
 
 " It does appear to come from — ^but whoever heard 
 of a looking-glass talking ? " said the mystified Queen. 
 
 " Little Snow-white 's Stepmother had a mirror that
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 79 
 
 answered her, Ma'am," said Daphne, " and she was a 
 queen in Marchenland, I believe. Perhaps this is 
 the very one ! " 
 
 It would, no doubt, have proceeded to make some 
 even more unflattering comments if Daphne had not, 
 with much presence of mind, turned its face to the wall. 
 How she knew that this would silence it she could not 
 have said herself. But it certainly did. 
 
 '* I have no reason for beheving that any such 
 person as Little Snow-white ever existed," said Queen 
 Selina ; "but whoever that glass belonged to, I will 
 not have it here. I would have it smashed, if it 
 wasn't unlucky. But it must be removed to the 
 attics before I come up here to undress. Really, I never 
 knew such a country as this is ! Boar's heads trying 
 to speak at luncheon, and mirrors making personal 
 remarks, and everything so strange and unnatural ! 
 But you take it all as a matter of course. Miss Heritage ; 
 nothing seems to surprise you.'" 
 
 " I think. Ma'am," said Daphne, " because I've 
 always known that, if I ever did get to Marchenland, 
 it would be very much like this." 
 
 " Considering that you had no better means of 
 knowmg what it would be like than I had myself," 
 replied the Queen, " I can only ascribe that to affec- 
 tation. . . . Surely there must be more of the Cro\\Ti 
 jewellery than I have been given as yet ? . . . Yes, 
 there may be something in that chest. . . . G<Dod 
 gracious me ! What diamonds ! I don't think the 
 dear Duchess of Gleneagles herself can have anything 
 to approach them ! . . . Yes, you can put me on a 
 riviere, and two of the biggest ropes of pearls. . . . 
 It won't do to go down looking dowdy. Dear me," 
 she added, as she took up the pendant she had bought
 
 80 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 from Daphne twenty-four hours before, "to think of 
 my giving so much money for this paltry thing ! If I 
 had known then what I do now, I should never have 
 — but, of course, I don't mean that I should think of 
 going back on it." 
 
 " I'm afraid. Ma'am," said Daphne, " I couldn't 
 pay it back now ; I sent the cheque last night." 
 
 " I am quite content to bear the loss. Miss Heritage. 
 And, by the way, you may not be aware of it, but it 
 is hardly correct or usual, in speaking to me, to call me 
 ' Ma'am.' " 
 
 " I've always understood. Ma'am," said Daphne, 
 " that our own Queen — in England, I mean " 
 
 " How the Queen of England may allow herself to 
 be addressed is entirely her own affan," said Queen 
 Selina handsomely ; "I have nothing whatever to do 
 with that. But I am Queen of Marchenland, Miss 
 Heritage, and I shall be obliged by your addressing 
 me as ' Your Majesty ' on all occasions." 
 
 " Certainly, your Majesty," said Daphne, executing 
 a profound curtsey with a little smile that she was 
 quite unable to repress. " I assure your Majesty that 
 your Majesty may rely on my addressing your Majesty 
 as ' Your Majesty ' for the future, your Majesty." 
 
 " That is better, Miss Heritage, much better — a little 
 overdone, but still — And now," she added, " you had 
 better go and see if Princess Edna wants any assist- 
 ance. You need not trouble to change your own 
 dress, as, of course, you will not sit down to dinner 
 with us." 
 
 " She's too priceless ! " thought Daphne, when she 
 was outside on the gallery, and could indulge her sense 
 of humour in safety. " Still, I don't think I could 
 stand her very long if it weren't for Ruby ! "
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 81 
 
 " I say, Mater," the Crown Prince called out a few 
 minutes afterwards outside his Mother's door, " how 
 much longer are you and the Guv'nor going to be ? 
 All night ? " 
 
 " You can come in, Clarence," she said. " How soon 
 your Father will be ready, I can't say. I finished my 
 dressing hours ago." 
 
 King Sidney, foUoAving her example, had declined 
 the good offices of his gentlemen, and there were 
 sounds from his dressing-room on the farther side 
 of the Bedchamber which indicated that he was in 
 some difficulties in consequence. 
 
 " My aunt ! " exclaimed Clarence as he saw his 
 Mother fully arrayed. " You've got 'em all on this 
 time, Mater, and no mistake ! So've you, Guv'nor," 
 he added, as King Sidney joined them with rather a 
 sheepish air, " Only — are you sure you've got yours 
 on rigid ? I mean to say — ^tliat ruff looks a bit cock- 
 eyed." 
 
 " It's given me more trouble than any white tie, 
 my boy — ^but it must do as it is." 
 
 "Ah, I got that bristly-haired chap — what's his 
 name — Hansmeinigel — ^to put on mine for me. Didn't 
 any of yours give you a hand ? " 
 
 " They offered to — most kindly," said King Sidney, 
 " but — well, I didn't altogether relish lettmg them 
 dress me." 
 
 " They'd have made a jolly sight neater job of it 
 than you have — ^keep still a jiff till I've tucked this 
 tape in. There — ^that's more like it. And I say, you 
 and the Mater had better hiu-ry — you're keeping the 
 whole Court waiting for you ! " 
 
 " Why didn't you tell us before ? " said the Queen 
 in a violent flurry. " Wliere — ^where are the Court ? " 
 
 F
 
 82 m BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " All drawn up in the Hall at the foot of the big 
 staircase. They can't make a move till you come 
 down, and lead the way in to dinner, you know ! " 
 
 " I — I'd rather not descend all those steps in public," 
 objected the King. " Confoundedly slippery. Er — 
 couldn't we go by the backstairs, my love ? " 
 
 " And find ourselves in our own Idtchen ! " said the 
 Queen. " Certainly not, Sidney ! The grand stair- 
 case is the only dignified way down, and you had 
 better give me your arm at once." 
 
 " Very well, my dear, very well. But I'm pretty 
 sure I shall sHp." 
 
 " You must not slip, Sidney ! Neither of us must 
 slip. If we did, it would produce a very bad impres- 
 sion. StiU, it wiU be safer if we go down one by one, 
 and hold on to the banisters." 
 
 " No, I say," cried the Crown Prince, " you can't do 
 that — might as weU crawl down on aU fours ! Buck up, 
 both of you. Try and throw a little swank into it! " 
 
 Their Majesties accompUshed the descent amidst 
 the congratulatory blare of the silver trumpets with- 
 out actual mishap. But there was nothing in the 
 bearmg of either Sovereign that could justly be de- 
 scribed by the term " swank," and indeed, if any fault 
 could be found, it would have been in quite the 
 opposite direction. 
 
 Of the banquet itself little need be said here. The 
 numerous courses were appetising and admirably 
 served, while, to the Queen's relief, none of the dishes 
 showed any desire to take part in the conversation. 
 
 The members of the Court did more than look on this 
 time, being entertained, with other guests, amongst 
 whom were the President and Council, at cross tables 
 below the prmcipal one on the dais.
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 83 
 
 Clarence, seated with his family, the Ex-Regent, and 
 the Court Godmother at the high table, wished more 
 than once that he could have sat by Daphne, whom ho 
 could see at no great distance. He noted her perfect 
 ease, and the pretty graciousness with which she 
 received the attentions which her neighbours seemed 
 only too anxious to press upon her. 
 
 " Anyone would think she'd lived with swells aU 
 her life," he thought. " She may have, for anything I 
 know ! " But, of course, even if she had, the fact did 
 not make her his equal now. 
 
 Towards the close of the feast King Sidney, who 
 had long since disposed of his crown underneath his 
 chair, considered that the occasion demanded a speech. 
 His effort might have been a greater success if he 
 had abstained from jocularity, which was not by any 
 means his forte. It is possible that a far happier 
 sample of British humour would have failed to set 
 Marchenland tables in a roar, but his hearers were 
 either unaware that he intended to be humorous, or 
 sensible that his purpose had not been achieved, for 
 they listened in puzzled but depressed silence, while 
 the effect of his facetiousness on Daphne was to 
 render her hot and cold by turns. 
 
 The banquet over, the Court Chamberlain deferen- 
 tially informed the Royal Party that they were ex- 
 pected to lead the procession to the Ball Room. 
 
 Clarence, who had unfortunately come away from 
 " Inglegarth " without his cigarette-case, was longing 
 to smoke, and hung behind for that purpose. But 
 on applying to the Marshal, he was told that only 
 common soldiers ever smoked in Marchenland. With 
 some trouble a highly flavoured pipe, a tinder-box, 
 and a pouch containing a dried herb that appeared
 
 84 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 to be the local substitute for tobacco were procured 
 for him. However, a very short experience con- 
 vinced him that duty required him to put in an 
 appearance at the State Ball. 
 
 The Ball Room was a long, lofty haU, lit by thou- 
 sands of candles set in great golden hoops ; the Ught 
 they gave being multiplied almost to infinity by the 
 fact that the walls and ceiling were Imed with ela- 
 borately engraved looking-glass, which, fortunately 
 perhaps for the Queen, was dumb. When he entered, 
 the musicians were already fiddling, piping, and fluting 
 in a gallery high up at one end facing a raised platform, 
 where his father and mother, looking extremely hot 
 and uncomfortable, were seated on gorgeous chairs. 
 A stately measure was being performed, which might 
 have been a gavotte or minuet or pavane for anythmg 
 he could say ; all he knew was that the figures were 
 quite unfamiliar to him. 
 
 But Daphne seemed to have learnt them — or had 
 they come to her by instinct ? — ^for she was dancing 
 in one of the sets. He watched her lissome form as 
 she moved through the intricate evolutions till he 
 began to envy the Count von Daumerlingstamm, her 
 elegant but undersized partner. However, he flattered 
 himself that he would have no difficulty in cutting out 
 little Daumerlmgstamm. 
 
 It seemed to him that that dance would never be 
 over, but the moment it was, he made his way to 
 Daphne with an au' that showed he was fully aware 
 of the distmction he was conferring. " Enjoying 
 yourself, Miss Heritage ? " he said. " Don't know what 
 that last dance was — ^but not much ' vim ' about it, 
 if you ask me. Tell you what — I'll get those fiddler 
 fellows up there to play somethmg a bit livelier,
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 85 
 
 and you and I'll show this crowd a two-step, 
 what ? " 
 
 " This is a great honour, your Royal Highness," 
 said Daphne, after sinking demurely in the regulation 
 curtsey. " But I must not accept it until I have her 
 Majesty's permission." (" Which I'm quite sure she 
 won't give ! " she thought to herself with much 
 satisfaction.) 
 
 "Oh, I say — what rot ! The Mater won't mmd ! 
 And if she does ! " 
 
 " It would bo very disagreeable for me, your 
 Royal Highness ! " 
 
 " Oh, well," he said, " I'll go and ask her." 
 
 As Daphne had anticipated, Queen Selma's refusal 
 was most emphatic. " You ought to know, Clarence, 
 that it's utterly out of the question ! " she said. 
 " And I'm surprised at Miss Heritage having the 
 presumption to expect it." 
 
 " She didn't, Mater. She said I'd better ask you 
 first." 
 
 " Then it seems she has a better sense of her posi- 
 tion than you have of yours, Clarence. I'm told you 
 have been seen walking about with a disgusting pipe 
 in your mouth, and that several people were remark- 
 ing on it. Now you are actually proposing to make 
 yourself conspicuous by dancing at a State Ball with 
 your sister's companion ! I have always credited you 
 with being a man of the world — but if this is the way 
 you are going on ! " 
 
 He felt the stmg of so unwonted a rebuke. " I 
 daresay you're right, Mater," he acknowledged. " I'll 
 be more careful after this." 
 
 " I hope you will, I'm sure. As Crown Prince you 
 mustn't thi7ik of any partner under the rank of
 
 86 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Baroness, Ask one of the Princesses first, or you'll 
 give more offence." 
 
 " Right-oh ! " was all he said, and, feeling that it 
 would be awkward to make any explanation or ex- 
 cuses to Daphne, he solved the difficulty by avoiding 
 her for the rest of the evening. 
 
 Princess Goldernenfingerlemigen, a prepossessing 
 but not very forthcoming damsel, enjoyed the dis- 
 tinction of being commanded by the Crown Prince as 
 his first partner. 
 
 He had had no experience in conversing with 
 Princesses, and she did not exert herself either to put 
 him more at his ease or prevent him from losing 
 himself frequently in the mazes of the dance. Once 
 or twice he was oppressed by a painful suspicion that 
 he had seen her making a little grimace of self-pity 
 at the Countess Gansehirtin. But elaborately engraved 
 mirrors are not very trustworthy, and he might have 
 been mistaken. Still, he was thankful when the 
 dance, in which he was conscious of having done 
 himself so little credit, came to an end. 
 
 " Edna, old girl," he remarked subsequently to 
 the Princess Royal, " I call this a rotten ball. Can't 
 stick dancing with any more of these Princesses ! " 
 
 Princess Edna, it appeared, had been no more 
 favourably impressed by the Courtiers. 
 
 " They've simply no conversation," she complained, 
 " and no ideas about any serious subjects ! " 
 
 "No, /'ve noticed that," he said ; " and they think 
 they're the only people who can dance ! I tell 
 you what — ^you and I'll show 'em how we do the 
 Tango. That'll make 'em open their eyes ! " 
 
 It did. As has already been said, both he and 
 Edna, as persons who could not afford to be out of
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 87 
 
 the movement, had taken lessons that winter in the 
 recent importation from dubious Argentine dancing- 
 saloons. They danced it now with conscientious care, 
 Prince Clarence exhibiting as much abandon as a man 
 could who was dancing with his sister. 
 
 But the Court wore not sufficiently enlightened to 
 appreciate the performance. They evidently con- 
 sidered it not only uncouth and undignified, but more 
 than a little improper, and their general attitude 
 conveyed that the couple were committing one of 
 those temporary indiscretions which it was not only 
 etiquette but charity to pass over in silence. 
 
 " Capital ! " said King Sidney, clapping his hands 
 at the conclusion. " Uncommonly well they dance 
 together, eh, my dear — never seen them do it before." 
 
 " And you will never see them do it again, Sidney," 
 replied the Queen ; "for I'm much mistaken if they 
 haven't broken up the Ball ! " 
 
 She was not very far wrong, for although, after 
 some minutes of awestruck silence, dancing was re- 
 sumed, it was carried on with a restraint and gloom 
 that soon decided the Royal Family to retire from the 
 Ball Room, 
 
 The Queen forbore from expressing her sentiments 
 just then either to her son or daughter, with the 
 latter of whom, indeed, she seldom, if ever, ventured 
 to find fault. But she felt that her first evening in the 
 Palace had not been a brilliant success. 
 
 This feeling impelled her to be more ingratiating 
 than ever to her ladies of the Bedchamber, whose 
 services in disrobing her she was compelled to accept, 
 though under protest. 
 
 " So much obliged ! " she said, as they finally 
 withdrew with glacial ceremony. " Quite ashamed
 
 88 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 to have troubled you, really ! Good-night, dear Prin- 
 cess, good-night. We shall breakfast at 8.30, But en 
 faynille, you know — quite en famille — so don't dream of 
 coming down ! " 
 
 " I hope, Sidney," she began later, as he joined 
 her in the Royal Bedchamber, " I hope you have 
 treated the gentlemen who undressed you with 
 proper consideration. It is so important. . . . Good 
 gracious ! What's that you've got on ? A night- 
 cap 1 " 
 
 " Those — er — noblemen seemed to consider it the 
 correct thing, my love, and they've put me on this 
 night-gown, too." 
 
 "I see they have. Embroidered all over with im- 
 possible animals. You look a perfect sigJit in it ! " 
 
 " I'm told they're — er — hippogriffs, my dear, the 
 — ah — Royal Crest or emblem or something. I should 
 have much preferred pyjamas myself. But it seems 
 they are not procurable here." 
 
 " Everythmg in this country is in a disgracefully 
 backward state ! " declared the Queen ; " and I can 
 see I shall have hard work to bring it up to my ideas 
 of what is proper. I shall hegin by putting that old 
 Mi's. Fogleplug in her proper place." 
 
 " I should bo careful, my dear," advised King 
 Sidney. " After all, you know, fhe's by way of bemg 
 a Fahy." 
 
 " So she says ! But, Fahy or no Fairy, she's much 
 too familiar. And if she cannot conform to my rules, 
 she will have to go, that's all." 
 
 " Well, my dear, I daresay when you put it to her 
 like that," began the King, who had by this time 
 succeeded in clambering into the immense bed, and 
 whose head was aheady buried in an enormous
 
 DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 89 
 
 pillow. " As I was saying," he continued hazily, 
 " put it to her in — in that way, and — and — no doubt 
 . . . very probably ... no reason to suppose . . . 
 any ..." But here his voice sank into an unin- 
 telligible murmur, until it rose presently into his first, 
 but not by any means last, snore in the character of 
 monarch.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 CARES OF STATE 
 
 Queen Selina was as good as her word. The first 
 thing after brealdast the next mornmg she retired to 
 her Bower, and sent a summons to the Com't God- 
 mother, desiring her immediate attendance. King 
 Sidney was engaged in interviewing the Lord 
 Treasurer on the subject of the Royal revenue. The 
 Crown Prince and Princess Edna were strolling on 
 the terrace, and Daphne had discovered the board 
 and pieces of a game something between Chess and 
 Halma, the rules of which she and Princess Ruby were 
 learning under the instruction of the Countess von 
 Haulemannerschen. So that the Queen, having taken 
 care not to disturb any of her ladies-in-waiting, could 
 count upon being able to deal faithfully with the 
 obnoxious old Fairy without fear of interruption. 
 
 " Well, my dear," began the latter, as soon as she 
 appeared, " I hope you passed a comfortable night ? " 
 
 " I don't know when I passed a more uncomfortable 
 one, Mrs. Fogleplug. That is one of the things I 
 wished to speak to you about. After being accus- 
 tomed as I have to a spring mattress, all those 
 great feather beds made it simply impossible to get a 
 wink of sleep ! " 
 
 "That," said the Fairy, "is one of the penalties 
 of being of the blood Royal. An ancestress of 
 yours slept in that very bed, my dear, ages ago, 
 before even / can remember — or I should rather 
 
 90
 
 CARES OF STATE 91 
 
 say she tried to sleep, but could not, owing to a 
 pea that had somehow got under the lowest feather- 
 bed of all. It was certainly very careless if the pea 
 has never been removed." 
 
 " It would also show, Mrs. Fogleplug, that during aU 
 those ages the bed can never have been properly 
 aired. I should have thought it would have been 
 your business to see to that." 
 
 " Then you would be entirely mistaken, my dear, 
 for it is not. And, as I notice that you find a diffi- 
 culty in pronouncing my name correctly, I may suggest 
 that it would be simpler in future to call me by my 
 proper title, which is, ' High Court Godmother,' or 
 * Court Godmother,' if you prefer it." 
 
 " And while we are on the subject of titles," said 
 Queen Selina, " / may mention that it is customary 
 to address a Queen as ' Your Majesty,' and not as 
 ' my dear.' " 
 
 " It has always been my habit with Sovereigns, and 
 I have never heard it objected to till now." 
 
 " Well, I object to it. But — and this is what I sent 
 for you about — there are other matters I object to 
 even more. I intend to regulate my household on a 
 thoroughly modern and English system, and I can- 
 not have any member of it careering about in the air 
 in outlandish cars drawn by birds. If you must have 
 a conveyance you must be content with a brougham 
 or a victoria, for I shall insist on your putting down 
 both those bird-cars." 
 
 " You seem to forget that, but for one of them, 
 you would never have come into your Kingdom ! " 
 
 " That may or may not be. At any rate there is 
 no further necessity for them, and — weU, it just 
 comes to this. Madam, either they go or you do."
 
 92 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 The old Fairy's eyes smouldered with anger, and her 
 nut -cracker mouth and chin champed for a few seconds 
 before she replied. 
 
 " I have occupied rooms in this Palace — when not 
 at the Palace of Clairdclune — for over a century 
 and a half, and I have no intention of givmg them 
 up. I shall also continue to use the vehicles which I 
 find most convenient." 
 
 " Oh ? " said the Queen, " will you ? We shall see 
 about that ! " 
 
 "We shall," the Court Godmother retorted. "I 
 don't think you quite realise yet whom you have to 
 deal with. I may be getting on in years, but both 
 here and at Clairdelune I am accustomed to being 
 treated with more deference and respect than you 
 seem disposed to pay me. You see, they know that, 
 although I have not used the full powers I possess as 
 a Fauy for many years past, I have not lost them 
 altogether. I might see fit to employ them once 
 more — on any person who was rash enough to incur 
 my displeasure. And ingratitude and pride are the 
 failings which I always made it my particular business 
 to correct. You would find it more to your advan- 
 tage to be on good terms with me." There was no 
 mistaking the veiled threat, and Queen Selina no 
 longer doubted the Fairy's abilities to carry it out. 
 She was worsted, and her only course was to give in 
 gracefully. 
 
 " My dear Court Godmother ! " she cried, " you 
 quite misunderstood me ! I'd no wish to interfere 
 with any of your habits — not in the very slightest 
 degree. All I meant was that, perhaps, at your age, 
 a more ordmary carriage than your present ones 
 might be — er — safer, you know ! "
 
 CARES OF STATE 93 
 
 " I am quite capable of looking after my own safety, 
 thank you. But, though you are our beloved Prince's 
 daughter, you have been brought up in ignorance of 
 the ways of this country, so I am the more willing to 
 overlook treatment to which I feel sure I shall not 
 have to draw your attention again. And now, as we 
 quite understand one another, my dear, we will say 
 no more about it. By the way, I hear you haven't 
 sent for any of your ladies-in-waitmg this morning. 
 How is that ? " 
 
 " I — I didn't quite like to. Court Godmother. We're 
 — well, hardly ultimate as yet. They are so reserved 
 and distant — especially that Princess Rapunzelhauser. 
 But, of course, she comes of a very high family." 
 
 " She is descended from the famous Rapunzel, 
 whose story is no doubt familiar to you. . . . No ? 
 Well, her father was a poor cottager who was caught 
 by an old witch stealing radishes from her garden. 
 She let him off on condition that he gave up to her 
 the child his wife was expecting. Rapunzel was the 
 child, and m due time was claimed by the witch, who 
 shut her up in a lofty tower. However, she had the 
 most wonderful hair, so long that when she let it down 
 from the top window it touched the ground, and so 
 thick that the Prince whom she subsequently married 
 was able to climb up by it, and make love to her." 
 
 " Now you mention it, I have some famt recollection 
 — and so Princess Rapunzelhauser is descended from 
 her ! Well, that would account for — but Princess 
 Goldenenfinger — something, now, she does look as if 
 she had some good blood in her vems." 
 
 " The best in Marchenland. An ancestor of hers 
 was King of one of the smaller Kingdoms into which 
 the country was divided m those days. One day
 
 94 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 when out hunting he found a woodcutter's daughter 
 living all alone in a hollow tree, and fell violently in 
 love with her." 
 
 " A woodcutter's daughter ? Dear me ! Then, of 
 course, marriage was out of the question." 
 
 " Not at all ! they were married and had children. 
 Unfortunately there was an estrangement between 
 the King and Queen later as she was accused of 
 having murdered them, and condemned to be burnt 
 to death." 
 
 " It only shows what a mistake it is to marry be- 
 neath one." 
 
 " This marriage ended happily. It was discovered, 
 just in time, that the children were aUve after all." 
 
 " Still," said the Queen, "it is not a pleasant thing 
 to have happened in any family. I should like to 
 hear something about the pedigrees of my other 
 ladies-in-waiting." 
 
 The Court Godmother was quite ready to give her 
 all the mformation she could. Princess Flachspinnen- 
 losburg, it appeared, traced her descent from the 
 incorrigibly lazy daughter of a poor and not over 
 scrupulous mother ; Baroness Belohnte von Haule- 
 mannerschen from similarly humble folk, whose 
 daughter was servant of aU work to seven dwarfs, 
 and afterwards married the King of one of the petty 
 states before mentioned ; Baroness von Bauerngross- 
 tochterheimer's ancestor was a peasant ; Countess 
 Gansehirten am Brunnen's ancestress a goose-girl — 
 and so on through the entire list. Queen Selina then 
 became curious as to the origin of the gentlemen of 
 her Court, and found that many of their forbears were 
 suUied by the taint of Trade. The founders of both 
 Prince Tapfer von Schneider leinberg's and Count
 
 CARES OF STATE 96 
 
 Daumorlingenstamm's houses were tailors ; Baron 
 von Bohnenrankon derived his title from a speculator 
 who, after a remarkably unsuccessful venture in cattle, 
 had made a colossal coup in beans. As for Prince 
 Hansmeinigcl, his pretensions to high descent were 
 even more questionable — at least, if it was actually 
 the fact, as the Fairy stated, that the first of his pro- 
 genitors was not only the son of a poor father, but 
 also suffered the additional social disadvantage of 
 being a hedgehog from the waist upwards ; added to 
 which he seemed to have cherished an eccentric passion 
 for playing the bagpipes while riding on a cock. It is 
 true that, after his marriage with a Prmcess, he be- 
 came a less impossible member of Society — still, as 
 the Queen very rightly felt, there are some thmgs 
 which can never be altogether lived down, 
 
 " I'm much obliged to you for telling me aU this, 
 Court Godmother," she said, at the end ; " most in- 
 terestmg, I'm sm*e. And so useful to know who 
 everybody really is ! " 
 
 It was somethmg of a disillusion to find that her 
 Court was so largely composed of parvenus, but, on 
 the other hand, it enabled her to face her ladies-in- 
 waiting in future without any distressing sense of 
 inferiority. 
 
 She was on the point of summoning them when the 
 King suddenly burst into her bower. " Selina, my 
 love," he began, with suppressed excitement, " if 
 you'll tell this good woman to go, I've somethmg to 
 say to you." 
 
 " Oblige me, Sidney," replied the Queen, " by not 
 alluding to the High Court Godmother again as a good 
 woman ; we may consider ourselves very fortunate 
 that she is doing us the honour of residing under
 
 96 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 our roof, and you will be good enough to show her 
 proper respect." 
 
 " Oh, sorry, I'm sure ; I thought you said — but if 
 thafs how it is, I apologise for interrupting you." 
 
 " I have said all I have to say," said the Court 
 Godmother, " so there is no need for me to remain any 
 longer." And with that she hobbled out of the 
 room, 
 
 " I suppose you got your way about those — ah — 
 bird-chariots, my dear ? " he asked, " as you don't 
 seem to have sacked her ! " 
 
 " She seemed so upset at the idea of giving them 
 up that I said she might keep them. I shall certamly 
 not ' sack ' her, as you call it. Now I've come to 
 know her better, I find she is a good, faithful old soul 
 who is much too useful to part with, and you must 
 be very careful to be civil to her in future. What 
 was it you wanted to say to me ? " 
 
 " The Lord Treasurer and I have been going into 
 our private resources," he said. " I thought perhaps 
 you might like to come with me to my Counting- 
 house and — and have a look at 'em, my dear." 
 
 She was only too eager to do so. " Tell me, Sidney," 
 she gasped, as they hurried through various corridors 
 to the wing in which the King's Counting-house was 
 situated. " Shall we — shall we have enough to live 
 on decently ? " 
 
 " I don't know what you will think," he replied, 
 with an irrepressible chuckle, " but I should caU it 
 affluence myself — positive affluence, my love ! " 
 
 They arrived at a heavily clamped door, where the 
 Marshal, the Treasurer, and Prince Clarence and 
 Pruicess Edna were waiting for them. " Two steps 
 down," said King Sidney after unlocking the door.
 
 CARES OF STATE 97 
 
 " And here we are / " he cried triumphantly, as they 
 entered. 
 
 The Counting-house was a huge barrel-roofed 
 chamber lighted from windows protected by elaborate 
 scroll-work bars. Upon shelves all round the walls, 
 and piled in heaps on the floor, were sacks, " Every 
 blessed one," explained the King, " chock full of 
 gold ducats ! What do you think of that, eh, my 
 love ? " 
 
 " I thmk, Sidney," she replied, " that / am the 
 person who should have the key." 
 
 " There's one for each of us," he said. " Here's 
 yours. And on that table there you'll find purses 
 laid out, and a little gold shovel to fill them with. 
 I've filled mine. Whenever our funds are running low, 
 you see, we've only to come down here and help 
 ourselves." 
 
 " Good biz ! " said the Crown Prince, beginning to 
 fill one of the purses. " I shall fill my pockets as 
 well — save another journey, what ? " 
 
 " Some of us do not possess pockets, Clarence," 
 said his mother. " And I must make it a rule that no 
 one is to take out more than a purseful at a time, 
 and only after satisfying me that the money is re- 
 quired for some legitimate purpose." 
 
 " I don't thmk such precautions are at all necessary, 
 my dear," said King Sidney. " Marshal Federhelm 
 seems to have put by a good deal while he was Regent. 
 And besides, there's plenty more where this comes 
 from, you know ! " 
 
 " And where does it come from ? " mquired the 
 Queen. 
 
 " Why, the Treasurer tells me, we've a mine of our 
 own in the Golden Mountains a few miles from here — 
 
 G
 
 98 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 a mine that is practically — ah — inexhaustible. I 
 rather thought of driving over to see it some day." 
 
 " Let's all go ! " said the Cro\vn Prince. " Why 
 not this afternoon ? It'll be something to do ! " 
 
 Queen Selina was pleased to approve the suggestion, 
 " We certamly ought to show that we are interested 
 in industrial concerns," she said. "All the best 
 Sovereigns do. I can't help wishing, though, that 
 poor dear Papa could have come with us. He knew 
 so much about gold mines." 
 
 " Just as weU for us he can't," said Clarence, " be- 
 cause he'd be the Boss, then ! I say, I've got an idea. 
 Why not take one of those sacks in the coach with us 
 and chuck money out of the ^vindow to the crowd, 
 what ? " 
 
 " Look too much as if we were out for a bean- 
 feast, my boy," objected his father. 
 
 " And what's the matter with a beanfeast ? Be- 
 lieve me, it will make us jolly popular and be a lot 
 better fun than just bowing to the bhghters." 
 
 " And far less fatiguing," said Edna. 
 
 " There's something in what Clarence says," said 
 the Queen. " It would increase our popularity — and 
 that is so important. Of course we shouldn't make a 
 'practice of it, but we can quite afford it, just for once 
 — what do you thmk, Mr. Marshal ? " 
 
 The Marshal thought it was an excellent notion. 
 
 The Golden Mountains were not much more than a 
 couple of leagues from Eswareinmal, and the roads 
 being tolerably good, a lighter vehicle than the State 
 Coach and six sturdy horses accomplished the journey 
 in very good time. In the streets they passed through 
 and at various villages along the vaUey, crowds had col- 
 lected, and the enthusiasm with which they scrambled
 
 CARES OF STATE 99 
 
 for the coins that were showered from the carriage 
 windows proved how fully they appreciated the bene- 
 fits of an established Monarchy. 
 
 " Don't throw any more now, children," counselled 
 Queen Selina as they neared the mine. " We must 
 keep some for the dear miners. Sidney, be sure to 
 ask some questions about the machinery, and whether 
 they're all happy and comfortable. And do it tact- 
 fully, because I've always heard miners are such a very 
 independent and intelligent class." 
 
 Perhaps even so short a residence in Marchenland 
 as theirs might have prepared the Royal party for 
 the unusual. But it was an undeniable shock to 
 them all to find, on arrival at the mine, not only that 
 the method of working was primitive to the last 
 degree, but that it was entirely conducted by diminu- 
 tive beings who were unmistakable Yellow Gnomes. 
 The interior of the mine resounded with the blows of 
 pickaxes, but the inevitable trumpeters had no sooner 
 announced that the Sovereigns had left their coach 
 than all work was suspended. The miners swarmed up 
 from their tunnellings, literally tumbling over one 
 another in their haste to behold the countenances of 
 Royalty. 
 
 " They seem — ah — a remarkable lively lot," ob- 
 served King Sidney as some of the Gnomes turned 
 somersaults and Catherine wheels aroimd their 
 visitors, while the more retiring stood unassumingly 
 in the background on their heads. " A bit undersized, 
 and, judging from their complexions, I should say the 
 work had affected their livers. But it may only be 
 due to the gold-dust." 
 
 " They don't seem to realise a bit who we are ! " 
 complained Queen Selina. " Sidney, did you see
 
 100 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 that ? One of the little wretches has just taken a 
 flying leap over my very head ! " 
 
 The Baron, who had followed in another coach, 
 explained that these demonstrations were merely in- 
 tended to express loyal delight. 
 
 " Oh, if you say so, Baron," she said. " But anyone 
 might easily mistake it for impertinence. If it was 
 not hopeless to expect an intelligent answer from 
 people who seem unable to stay right side up for a 
 single moment, I should like to know what wages 
 they receive and what they live on." 
 
 The Court Chamberlain informed her that the Gnomes 
 got no wages and required little in the way of food, 
 their favourite diet, he believed, being earth. 
 
 " Revolting ! " was her comment. " No wonder 
 they look so unwell ! Still, their living cannot cost 
 much, so I should think, Sidney, if we gave the — er — 
 foreman a gold piece to be divided amongst them, that 
 would be amply sufficient." 
 
 King Sidney thereupon presented a ducat to the 
 most important -looking Gnome, who immediately let 
 it drop indifferently. 
 
 " Wonder why he did that ? " said the King. 
 " Doesn't he think it's enough ? " 
 
 " ELnows too much about how it's made, I expect," 
 said Clarence. " Like the chap at the Marmalade 
 factory." 
 
 " Well, it's a pity to waste it," said his father, 
 picking up the coin. " I should like to see them at 
 work before we go." 
 
 His wish having been conveyed to the Head Gnome, 
 the whole band rushed, yelping and screeching, back 
 into the galleries, seized their picks, and began hack- 
 ing at the gold which gleamed in veins of incredible
 
 CARES OF STATE 101 
 
 richness through the rocky walls and roof of the 
 caves. But perhaps their efforts would have been 
 more effective if they had not been quite so apt to 
 get in one another's way. 
 
 The visitors then inspected the furnace where the 
 ore was melted, and the Mmt where it was stamped 
 into big fat coins. These were put up in sacks for 
 transmission to the Royal Treasury, but, as a fresh 
 batch had been delivered only recently, the supply 
 in hand at the Mint was not very large just then, 
 
 " I did like those Gnomes ! " said Princess Ruby on 
 the way home. " Didn't yoii, Mummy ? " 
 
 " I should have liked them better, my dear, if 
 they had been more like fellow-Christians. Sidney, 
 I shall insist on their wearing some civilised cos- 
 tume." 
 
 " By all means, my love, if we continue to employ 
 them. But I rather think it would be better to get 
 rid of them altogether." 
 
 *' Get rid of them, Sidney ? What in the world 
 for ? " 
 
 " Well, you see, my dear, at the last General Election 
 I took a somewhat prominent part in denouncing 
 the Conservatives for employing Chinese labour m the 
 South African mines. It would be very awkward if 
 people at Gablehurst found out that our entire m- 
 come was derived from — er — ' Yellow Slavery.' " 
 
 " Stuff and nonsense, Sidney ! Who do you suppose 
 is likely to tell them ? " 
 
 " You never know how things get about," he said 
 uneasily. " And, as a consistent Radical, it — it goes 
 against my conscience." 
 
 " Conscience, indeed ! My dear good Sidney, if 
 you go and get rid of those Gnomes, who seem per-
 
 102 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 fectly happy and contented, there'll be no one to dig 
 the gold ! " 
 
 " We could hire full-grown white labourers, my 
 dear. Of course at a Uvmg w^age, but, as they would 
 work more systematically, they would obtain a far 
 larger output, so we should make a handsome profit 
 by the change." 
 
 " Ah, when you put it like tliat, Sidney, it makes 
 all the difference. I could see for myself that those 
 hideous little horrors weren't taking their work 
 seriously." 
 
 " There's to be a State Council to-morrow morning," 
 said the King. " It would be a good opportunity to 
 inform them that we do not intend to countenance 
 slavery any longer." 
 
 " That ought to have an excellent effect," Queen 
 Selina replied. " I shouldn't wonder if it made us 
 more popular than ever. . . . Why, we're back in the 
 city already ! . . . How deUghted the dear people 
 seem to see us ! . . . Yes, Children, you can empty 
 the sack. The love of one's subjects is well worth 
 the money — and it's not as if we were ever likely 
 to miss it ! " 
 
 The next morning after breakfast the King and 
 Queen held their first State Council, Prince Clarence, 
 of whose business capacity both his parents had a 
 great opinion, being given a seat at the board. There 
 were, it appeared, various measures on the agenda 
 which, as the President explained, were of the highest 
 political importance, being concerned with the settle- 
 ment of such matters as the precise number of cherries 
 that were to be strung on a stick and sold for a 
 groschen at old women's fruit-stalls ; the dimensions 
 of the piece of jam that a huckster should be permitted
 
 CARES OF STATE 103 
 
 to put in his porridge ; whether the watchmen's 
 horns really needed new mouthpieces, and, if so, 
 whether these should be of ivory or bone. Questions 
 which had to be given the fullest consideration and 
 debated at prodigious length before the Sovereigns 
 could be asked to affix their signatures and seals to 
 the decrees. 
 
 Clarence fidgeted with undisguised impatience, and 
 King Sidney was more than once under the necessity 
 of raismg the golden hand at the end of his sceptre 
 to his lips in order to conceal an irrepressible yawn. 
 But at last the state business was disposed of, and 
 the King was able to introduce his own. It was 
 clear from the vehement wagging of the Councillors' 
 white beards while he was announcing the Royal 
 intention to emancipate all Gnomes at present in the 
 Gold mine, that they regarded the new departure 
 with no great favour. The President himself, al- 
 though he admitted that it concerned the Sovereigns 
 more closely than any other person, pointed out 
 certain objections which he begged their Majesties 
 to ponder. And Councillor after Councillor rose and 
 protested against the scheme with the utmost solem- 
 nity and proHxity. 
 
 Queen Selina, who was now far more eager than 
 the King to have the mine reorganised on a more 
 paying principle, would have answered the critics 
 herself, if Clarence had not induced her to leave the 
 reply in his hands. 
 
 "Well," he said, rising, "have you all done ? No 
 other gentleman wish to hear himself talk ? . . . All 
 right then. Now I'll have my little say. Of course, 
 what the venerable old Father Christmas in the chair 
 told you was perfectly correct. If we choose to set
 
 104 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 these little beggars free, it's no business of anybody 
 but ourselves. The Guv 'nor — that is to say, his 
 Majesty — was merely telling you about it — not asking 
 what you thought about it. Sorry if you don't 
 approve, but we shall get over it in time. And reaUy, 
 your objections, if you won't mind my saying so, are 
 absolutely footling. All they amount to is — because 
 Gold Mines here always have been worked by gangs 
 of Yellow Gnomes, therefore they must be for all time. 
 Now that's just the kmd of fine old crusted pig-headed 
 Conservativism that's kept this the stick-in-the-mud 
 Country it is ! Look at the sort of business you've 
 been wasting out time in jawing about to-day — why, 
 in the country We came from, a Rural District Council 
 would have settled it all in five minutes if they thought 
 it worth bothering about at all. Street lanterns and 
 watchmen's horns and old women's sweet-stalls in- 
 deed ! If you could only walk through — I won't say 
 one of our Cities, that might be too much of a shock 
 for you — ^but through an ordinary suburb such as we 
 lived in, and saw how things were done there, it would 
 open your eyes a bit, I can tell you ! You've been 
 marking time all these centuries while other Kmgdoms 
 have been making progress. I'll tell you about some 
 of the thmgs we've learnt to do and use, just as an 
 ordinary matter of course — and you haven't so much 
 as heard of." 
 
 Here he gave them a vivid description of the chief 
 inventions and discoveries of the last eighty years, from 
 the steam-engine to the aeroplane, which latter, he 
 declared, put their sixty-stork-power car completely 
 in the shade. 
 
 "If it is the fact," said the President, " that the 
 inhabitants of your Royal Highness 's Country can
 
 CARES OF STATE 105 
 
 work such marvels, you must be even mightier magi- 
 cians than were they whom our late King so wisely 
 suppressed." 
 
 " You're wrong there, old bird ! " said Clarence 
 cheerfully ; "no Magic about it whatever. All done 
 by brains and enterprise, but — and this is what I 
 am trying to knock into your heads — if we'd been 
 governed by a set of stuffy old fossils like yourselves — 
 if you'll allow me the expression — we should never 
 have got a blessed thing so much as started ! " 
 
 Many, if not most of the Council were sceptical as 
 to the possibility of such inventions as Clarence had 
 described, but the good old Baron assured them that, 
 even during the short time he was in England, and 
 although it was night, he had witnessed many of them 
 with his own eyes, thanks to the powerful illuminants 
 which made darkness almost as light as day. He 
 exhorted his hearers to count themselves fortunate in 
 having gamed Sovereigns who possessed such wondrous 
 powers, since their faithful subjects would assuredly 
 now enjoy the benefits of them. 
 
 " Aye," said the ex-Regent — though possibly not in 
 such good faith as the Baron. " We shall indeed have 
 reason to congratulate ourselves if his Royal Highness 
 will graciously teach us how to construct one of these 
 fire-and-smoke-breathing engines that draw a line of 
 waggons along roads of iron, or even a mast that will 
 send messages through a thousand leagues of air." 
 
 " You don't want much, do you, dear old boy ? " 
 said Clarence. " You don't suppose I can show you 
 how to build a railway train when you haven't got any 
 of the bally materials or appliances, do you ? " 
 
 " Your Royal Highness has but to name them, and 
 they shall be procured."
 
 106 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " They're not to be got here," repUed Clarence. " If 
 I tried to teU you what they were, you wouldn't be 
 any the wiser ! " He spoke nothing but the truth, 
 for he had but the sketchiest acquaintance with the 
 composition of any kind of machinery. 
 
 " Perhaps His Majesty," suggested the Marshal, who 
 had long ago taken King Sidney's measure, " is better 
 able to instruct us in these mighty secrets ? " 
 
 " H'm, weU, to tell you the truth," confessed the 
 King, " although I've been in the habit of using 
 railways, motors, electric light, telephones, and so 
 forth constantly, I can't pretend to more than a 
 general notion of how they work. Couldn't Tnake any 
 of 'em, you know. Not my line of business ! " 
 
 " If that is indeed the case," said the President, 
 *' we find it the more difficult to understand why 
 his Royal Highness should have reproached us for an 
 ignorance which is no greater than either his own or 
 your Majesty's." 
 
 " I wasn't reproaching you," said the Crown Prince, 
 a little awkwardly, " I was only telling you how 
 differently things are managed where we come from. 
 But after all, that isn't the pomt, so we'll say no more 
 about it. Let's get back to the Gnomes, One of you 
 — I think it was the gentleman with the grey topknot 
 — objected that there was no other useful way of 
 employing them, except in the mine. Well, of course, 
 we've thought aU that out," he declared, though, as a 
 matter of fact, the idea had only just struck him. 
 " We intend to set 'em to work at laying out a golf 
 links, and when they've done that, we shall keep 'em 
 on as caddies. They're such nippy little devils that 
 they ought to be jolly useful. . . . Ah, naturally, you 
 wouldn't know what Golf is. Well, Golf happens to
 
 CARES OF STATE 107 
 
 be a thing I do know something about, I can teach 
 you that right enough. It's simply the greatest game 
 going, and you'll be grateful to me for introducmg it. 
 Don't worry," he added, as some of the Council ex- 
 pressed dissent, " nobody's asldng you to learn unless 
 you like. I shouldn't say myself that any of you — 
 except perhaps the Marshal — was very hkely to shape 
 into a ' plus ' man, I fancy he's got the makings of a 
 golfer in him, though, and, once I've got the course 
 laid out and given him a lesson or two, I bet you'll 
 see he'll be as keen as mustard." 
 
 Before the Council broke up, the ex-Regent under- 
 took that, as soon as Clarence had selected the ground, 
 the Gnomes should be removed from their present 
 quarters, and placed under the Crown Prince's direc- 
 tions. 
 
 " Never again, Sidney," declared the Queen after- 
 wards, " will you and I sit through one of those 
 tiresome councils ! We'll leave them to manage their 
 own silly business, and if there's anything that requires 
 our signatures, they can bring the papers to us, and 
 we'U sign them in our own rooms. If there should be 
 any difficulty, we can always ask the Marshal — he's 
 BO very sympathetic and helpful." 
 
 " Very," said the ELing, " oh, very — that is, I half 
 fancied now and then — but I believe he means us well. 
 Yes, on the whole, my dear, I think he's a person we 
 can trust." 
 
 " You needn't think about it, Sidney," she replied ; 
 " you can feel absolutely certain that there's nothing 
 that man wouldn't do for us ! "
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 
 
 With regard to the Royal visit to the Gold Mine, it 
 should be mentioned that, on returning to the Palace, 
 the Queen and Princess Ruby had met Daphne m one 
 of the galleries. Ruby ran to her impulsively : "Oh, 
 Miss Heritage ! " she cried, " we've had a ripping 
 afternoon. Such fun throwing money to the people, 
 and seeing them scramble for it ! We saw the Gold 
 Mine. And all the darling little Gnomes ! You would 
 have loved them ! I do wish you had come with us ! " 
 
 " I fully intended to have arranged for you to do 
 so, Miss Heritage," said Queen Selina, with unwonted 
 
 graciousness. " But with so much to think of ! 
 
 Do you happen to know where my other ladies-in- 
 waiting are ? ... In the Tapestry Chamber ? Then 
 I must get you to show me to it, for I don't know my 
 way yet about this immense house. . . . Through 
 here ? Yes, you will accompany me — in fact, I 
 particularly desire you to be present." 
 
 At her entrance the Maids of Honour all rose from 
 their seats and made obeisances which, but for the 
 Court Godmother's revelations of their ancestries, 
 would have occasioned their Sovereign agonies of 
 embarrassment. But she felt she could face them 
 now without inauvaise honte, and indeed with all the 
 assurance of superiority. 
 
 " You may sit down, girls," she said, and although 
 
 108
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 109 
 
 they found it hard to believe at first that they could 
 be the persons thus addressed, they sat down. 
 
 " And what are you all about ? " she inquired, 
 " Embroidery, is it ? The pattern seems rather large. 
 . . . Oh, tapestry ? I see. I prefer a bright, cheerful 
 paper on the walls to any tapestry myself. Only 
 collects dust. Now if you were to knit some warm 
 woollen jerseys for those wretched little Gnomes, who 
 are really in want of them, you would be doing some- 
 thing useful. But that wasn't what I — ah, to be sure, 
 I remember now. I looked in to tell you, girls, that I 
 have appointed Miss Heritage here as my First Lady- 
 in-waiting. You will be careful to address her in 
 future as ' Lady Daphne,' and treat her in all respects 
 as your equal in rank. ... I don't know why you 
 should look so surprised." (If they did, it was merely 
 that any such recommendation should be thought 
 necessary.) " Miss Heritage's parentage may, it is 
 true, be obscure — but not more so, from all I have 
 been told, than that of most of your own ancestresses. 
 Indeed, I am much mistaken if she has not a better 
 claim to be considered a lady than any of them. Not 
 that I think mere birth of any importance myself, but I 
 object to people giving themselves airs without some 
 real ground for it. I am not alluding to Lady Daphne, 
 whom I have always found perfectly well-behaved and 
 unpretentious." 
 
 This was not perhaps the surest way of endearing 
 Daphne to her new companions, but then Queen 
 Selina was less concerned to effect that than to make 
 them pay for the excessive deference she had so mis- 
 takenly shown them in the past. 
 
 However, in their simplicity it had never occurred 
 to them that they had any cause to be ashamed of
 
 110 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 their descent, and so they never imagined that their 
 Royal Mistress could insult them with it, and her 
 shafts missed the target. 
 
 Fortunately for Daphne, too, she was already the 
 object of a secret schwdrmerei that left no room in 
 their sentimental bosoms for jealousy or Ul-feeHng. 
 
 But, not being aware of this as yet, she was ren- 
 dered only unhappy by this sudden rise in the Royal 
 favour. Her one consolation was the certainty that 
 it would not be very long before she was again in 
 disgrace. 
 
 On the afternoon of the day on which the State 
 Council had been held, the Crown Prmce explored the 
 surrounduig country with a view to selecting a golf 
 course. 
 
 He found a district which was in every way suitable 
 for his purpose — -a stretch of undulating land in a 
 valley behind the plateau on which the Palace stood, 
 abounding in natural hazards, and affording great 
 facilities for artificial ones — in short, an ideal site for 
 any links. He began laying it out the next morning. 
 The Gnomes were brought out of the mine and con- 
 ducted to the spot. The general idea was conveyed 
 to a Gnome who seemed, on the whole, less devoid of 
 intelligence than his fellows, and they all set to work 
 with more activity than immediate result. However, 
 they seemed to take kindly to their new industry, 
 and Clarence was very well pleased with them. He 
 had had no experience in golf -architecture himself, but 
 the nature of the ground was such that it required but 
 little to turn it into a very sporting course indeed, 
 and, if the Gnomes did not do much else, they con- 
 structed some remarkably cunning bunkers. 
 
 While they were thus engaged he ordered several
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 111 
 
 sets of clubs to be made from rough designs of his 
 own by a master artificer in Eswareinmal, who carried 
 them out with considerable skill and fideUty. The 
 implements he produced may not have been quite 
 according to Club standards, but they were fairly 
 serviceable. The baUs seemed at first likely to be the 
 main difficulty, but some were discovered on the toy- 
 stalls in the market square which, though not of 
 rubber, were composed of a substance that proved an 
 admu'able substitute. They were certainly open to 
 one objection that, in ordinary circumstances, might 
 have disqualified them — they cost considerably under 
 a farthing each. But Clarence got over that by pay- 
 ing a ducat apiece for them. And then, as the work 
 progressed but slowly, he was forced to wait with 
 what patience he could until the links were ready for 
 practicing on. 
 
 It does not take long for most people to get accus- 
 tomed to any surroundings, no matter how novel, 
 and Queen Selina and her family soon became accli- 
 matised. Now that her household had lost their 
 terrors for her, she began to enjoy the sensation of 
 being a Queen and inspiring reverence and awe 
 wherever she went, though she could have wished to 
 be the ruler of a Kingdom that was not quite so outre 
 as Marchenland. However, she felt she must take it 
 as it was, and in a short time she had almost forgotten 
 that there ever had been a period when she had not 
 occupied a throne. 
 
 Princess Edna, though she frequently protested 
 that her rank had no charms for her, was ready enough 
 to assert it on all occasions, and exercised authority 
 over the unfortunate ladies-in-waiting to a degree 
 that might have rendered their lives a burden to them
 
 112 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 if they had been able to take her as seriously as she 
 did herself, which they were not. 
 
 " Mother," she remarked one day, " I've been quite 
 shocked to find how appallingly ignorant our Maids of 
 Honour are. Fancy, they've never heard of Shake- 
 speare, or Ibsen, or Bernard Shaw, or — well, anybody ! " 
 
 " My dear," said the Queen, " what can you expect 
 from such a set of giggling, empty-headed minxes ? " 
 
 " I know. Still, I feel it a duty to do what I can 
 to improve their minds. I shall bring down my 
 note-book this afternoon. It's got all my notes on 
 those lectures on English Literature I attended last 
 Autvimn. I thought I'd read them aloud to them. 
 It would give them a very good general idea of the 
 subject. Enough, at least, to enable them to talk 
 about it without exposing themselves." 
 
 " I'm sure, Edna dear, it's most sweet of you to 
 trouble about them." 
 
 "Oh, since I have to live with a Court, I must try 
 and raise it to a more intellectual level." 
 
 And so that afternoon, while the ladies of the Court 
 were engaged, under the Queen's supervision, in knitting 
 little woollen garments of shattering hues for the un- 
 suspecting Gnomes, the Princess Royal produced her 
 note-book and read aloud extracts which gave an 
 impressionist bnd's-eye view of English Literature 
 from the fourteenth to the close of the nineteenth 
 Century. 
 
 No doubt the lecturer had given his audience credit 
 for some previous acquaintance with the subject, and 
 it may be that Princess Edna's method of note-takmg 
 had been a trifle desultory ; it was certain that the 
 ladies-in-waiting found a difficulty in assimilating the 
 scraps of literary pemmican she dispensed to them.
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 113 
 
 They received with poUte but languid attention 
 such items as that : " Shakespeare stands supreme 
 among dramatists for consummate knowledge of the 
 human heart " ; that : "as Ealph Roister Doister is the 
 first pure comedy, so The Vicar of Wakefield may be 
 termed the first idyllic English novel " ; that : " while 
 Byron possessed more intellect than imagination, 
 Shelley, on the contrary, was rather imaginative than 
 intellectual " ; and even the statement that : " Brown- 
 ing's ' Ring and the Book ' contains upwards of 
 twenty-one thousand lines " left them unmoved. 
 
 It is true they were more mterested in hearing 
 that it was : "after he had come under the spell of 
 Petrarch and Boccaccio that Chaucer produced his 
 wondrous Tales," but it appeared their interest was 
 due to some slight misapprehension. Daphne felt 
 the fearful joy of suppressed mirth combined with the 
 danger of detection as she heard Edna explaining 
 with laborious patience that she had Tiot intended to 
 convey that the Poet had been afflicted by a pair of 
 enchanters with any caudal appendages whatever. 
 
 But the Princess Royal could not conceal her 
 disgust when her final extract, which was to the 
 effect that : "during the closing decade of the Nine- 
 teenth Century England became once more a ' nest 
 of singing birds,' as was apparent from the stream 
 of fresh and melodious strains issuing from, among 
 other sources, ' The Bodley Head,' " was greeted 
 with a ripple of girlish laughter from her hearers. 
 It seemed that this incontrovertible statement of 
 fact had somehow aroused reminiscences of another 
 head which, if fresh, had not been precisely melodious 
 on the luncheon board after the Coronation. 
 
 Princess Edna waited with cold dignity until the 
 
 H
 
 114 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 last giggle was no longer audible before announcing 
 that she was willing to answer any questions they 
 might wish to ask her. Upon which Baroness Kluge 
 von Bauerngrosstochterheimer begged that they might 
 be favoured with the outline of one of the romances 
 wrritten by the Poet Shakespeare, who they had been 
 informed by her was so unsurpassed as a story-teller. 
 
 Now Edna was undoubtedly well versed in the 
 Literature of her native land. She could not only 
 have given with tolerable accuracy the names and 
 dates of the principal authors of each century, but a 
 list of their best-known works, and an estimate of 
 the rank assigned to them by modern criticism. She 
 had even, impelled by an almost morbid conscientious- 
 ness, consulted the works themselves, and could 
 honestly assert that she had read every single play 
 of Shakespeare's all through, though her private pre- 
 ference was for a more advanced and psychological 
 form of drama. 
 
 And yet on this occasion she chose to parry the 
 Baroness's very reasonable request. " Shakespeare," 
 she said, in her most superior tone, " did not write 
 romances. He wrote plays." 
 
 " Will your Royal Highness please," said the 
 Baroness, " to teU us about one of them ? " 
 
 For the life of her Edna could not just then 
 summon up a clear recollection of the plot of any 
 Shakespearian comedy or tragedy — ^and it is quite 
 possible that there are many persons as highly 
 educated as she who might be equally at a loss. 
 
 " With so prolific a writer as Shakespeare," she 
 hedged, "it is difficult to single out any particular play." 
 
 She was so plainly embarrassed that Daphne felt 
 impelled to come to the rescue.
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 115 
 
 <c 
 
 I think, Ma'am," she said, " they would like the 
 story of The Merchant of Venice ! " 
 
 " I should hardly call it suitable myself to such an 
 audience as this," repHed Edna, who was possibly 
 confusing it with Othello. " No, Miss Heritage, I 
 really think something less — less objectionable would 
 be — There's As you like it, now, quite a pleasant 
 play. I think I can remember the outline of 
 that. Let me see. Yes, it's about a girl called 
 " Rosalind," who dressed up as a boy and ran away 
 into a forest, where she met Ferdinand — or was it 
 Bassanio ? — anyway, the name is of no consequence. 
 WeU, and he carved her name on all the trees, and so 
 they fell in love, and in the end they were married, 
 you know." 
 
 As drama this appeared to strilce the ladies-in- 
 waiting as lacking in incident, and the Baroness von 
 Haulemannerschen openly declared that an ancestress 
 of hers who also ran away into a forest had the far 
 more excitmg experience of being poisoned by a 
 jealous Queen and enclosed by dwarfs in a glass 
 coffin. 
 
 "Oh, very well ! " said Edna ; "if you are going 
 to compare your own silly traditions with works of 
 genius, I give you up as hopeless ! " 
 
 And this was the beginning and the end of the 
 Princess Royal's attempt to infuse Culture into Court 
 Circles. 
 
 She had certainly failed signally to inspire her 
 ladies with any enthusiasm for English Literature, 
 though, strangely enough. Daphne succeeded later in 
 giving them a more favourable impression of its 
 quality. 
 
 Edna was, of course, incomparably more widely
 
 116 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 read, but then Daphne knew such authors as she had 
 read well enough to be able to give a very full and 
 clear account of her favourite books, and to repeat 
 many of her best loved poems from memory. 
 
 It is quite possible that much of the pleasure her 
 companions took in hearing her do so was due to her 
 OAvn personaUty. They were not, it must be confessed, 
 a highly intellectual or cultivated set of young 
 women, but one and aU regarded Daphne with a 
 whole-hearted adoration which would have given 
 Prmcess Edna, had she condescended to notice it, a 
 lower opinion than ever of their intelHgence. 
 
 The Imks were at last in a sufficiently advanced 
 stage for practice at the first nine of the eighteen 
 holes, and Clarence undertook to instruct the Marshal 
 in the mysteries of the game. The Marshal, though 
 slightly handicapped by insisting on playing in a 
 breastplate and high boots, was so much encouraged 
 by the success which most beginners at golf experience 
 that he at once became an ardent votary. He tried to 
 make converts of the Courtiers, but they preferred 
 to keep an open mind and remam spectators for the 
 present. 
 
 Prince Tapfer von Schneiderlemberg mdeed went 
 so far as to say that golf seemed to him to be without 
 the element of danger which all genuine sport should 
 possess. He modified that opinion, it is true, after 
 incautiously standmg close behmd the Marshal when 
 he was driving off from the tee, but it did not alter his 
 prejudices against the game. 
 
 King Sidney practised most assiduously in private, 
 and found he improved in his driving under Clarence's 
 tuition. The Gnomes had been estabhshed in a kuid 
 of compound near the links, but their unfortunate
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 117 
 
 tendency to bolt with the club-bags and purloin every 
 ball they found rather impaired their usefulness as 
 caddies. Marshal Fedcrhclm treated his with regret- 
 table inhumanity. 
 
 There was still a good deal of " ground under repair " 
 on the course, but the day was drawing near when the 
 links could be formally opened. The Marshal was 
 anxious to celebrate the occasion by challenging his 
 Royal Master to play him a single, a challenge which 
 was conveyed through the Crown Prince. 
 
 " Well, what do you think, my boy," asked King 
 Sidney. " Can I beat him ? " 
 
 " I think you ought to, Guv'nor. He fancies him- 
 self at it — ^but he's pretty rotten." 
 
 " In that case, you can tell him I accept," said the 
 King. 
 
 But on the mornmg before the day, Clarence, after 
 watching his parent top and slice and foozle through 
 a whole round without intermission, became less 
 sanguine. 
 
 " I tell you what it is, Guv'nor," he said, frankly, 
 " the Marshal's been shaping a bit better these last 
 few days, and it's my belief he can give you a stroke a 
 hole and win easy." 
 
 " After all," said the King, " I'm not sure there isn't 
 a certain loss of dignity — playing with my own subject, 
 don't you loiow." 
 
 " It won't do to let him lick you, certainly," agreed 
 Clarence. 
 
 " Quite so, my boy, quite so. I was thinking — I 
 might be prevented by sudden business — I could go 
 and sit with the Council, you know." 
 
 " He'd only want you to fix another day for playing 
 him. It's no use, Guv'nor, you can't get out of it
 
 118 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 now. Perhaps you'd do better if you played with a 
 different sort of ball, I must see if I can't get you one 
 or two." 
 
 And that evening he brought his father half a dozen. 
 " They're specially marked," he said, " so you can't 
 make a mistake over them, and I fancy you'U find they 
 travel better than any of the Marshal's." 
 
 " You've got those golf baUs I gave you ? " he 
 asked the King at breakfast next morning. " Mind 
 you don't forget to take 'em." 
 
 " I shan't forget, my boy. But what I'm most 
 troubled about is my swmg — ^there's something wrong 
 with it, only I can't find out what." 
 
 " I think it a great pity myself," said Queen Selina, 
 " that you ever agreed to play this match at aU, If 
 you are beaten it will certainly lower your prestige. 
 But I am sure the dear Marshal has too much tact not 
 to let you win." 
 
 " Don't you worry, Mater," said Clarence. " The 
 Guv 'nor 's going to win on his own, hands down ! " 
 
 " I sincerely hope so. It will be a sad blow to the 
 Throne if he does not" 
 
 These remarks did not help much to steady King 
 Sidney's nerves when he met the Marshal on the links, 
 where, as Monarch, he naturally had the honour, A 
 large crowd of onlookers from the Court had collected, 
 and the players had decided to dispense with caddies 
 under the circumstances. 
 
 The first hole was only about a hundred and sixty 
 yards ; a deep gully lay between, and on either side of 
 the approach were beds of tall rushes. 
 
 King Sidney addressed his ball for some time in 
 agonising indecision before he finally drove off. A 
 cloud of sand rose ; the ball was nowhere to bo
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 119 
 
 seon, and, taught by experience, he looked belund 
 for it. 
 
 " Jolly good shot ! " cried Clarence. " Right on 
 the green ! " 
 
 " Is it, my boy ? " said the King. " I can't see it 
 there myself." 
 
 " No more can I," Clarence owned, " but I bet you 
 what you Uke you're on the pretty, anyway. Your 
 drive. Marshal." 
 
 The Marshal smote a mighty blow, and his ball like- 
 wise vanished. Clarence was of opinion that it had 
 gone over the boundary, but the Marshal was so certain 
 that it was on the green that he decHned to search for 
 it. 
 
 " Funny," said Clarence disappointedly, as they 
 neared the pin, " I don't see your ball anywhere, 
 Pater. Nor yet the Marshal's." 
 
 " I fancy mine isn't very far away, my boy," said 
 the King hopefully. 
 
 One of the Courtiers who had gone to the hole, called 
 out to say that he could see a ball marked with a Royal 
 Crown wedged in by the pin. 
 
 " By George, Guv 'nor ! " cried Clarence, " you've 
 holed it in one ! " 
 
 " Ah," said King Sidney, " I thoicght I'd got the 
 right direction." 
 
 But the next moment both of them were depressed 
 by the announcement that the Marshal's ball had also 
 landed in the hole. The Courtier had naturally men- 
 tioned his Sovereign's achievement first, but there 
 could be no possible doubt that the Marshal had suc- 
 ceeded in equallmg it. 
 
 To have holed out at a hundred and sixty yards is 
 not by any means an unprecedented feat, but that two
 
 120 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 players should have done it in succession was at least 
 a rather remarkable comcidence. It was a severe 
 disappointment to the King, who had serious doubts 
 of his own abUity to repeat such a performance. 
 
 The next hole was a long one, some six hundred 
 yards, over undulating land with patches of bog ; the 
 green was on a hiUock protected by artfully devised 
 bunkers, and the approach was full of difficulties. 
 
 The Marshal was given the honour, and, as before, 
 none could follow the flight of his ball, though he 
 declared with the greatest confidence that it was 
 straight for the green. King Sidney's drive did not 
 look very promising, but Clarence assured him that it 
 was probably a longer one than he thought. 
 
 But neither player could locate his baU as they 
 trudged on, and, though it seemed unlikely that either 
 could have reached the green, they did not stop to 
 search on the way to it. Still, when they arrived 
 there each of them was obviously astonished by the 
 discovery that the other had holed out once more. 
 Even had the distance been less, it seemed to them 
 that this was stretching the long arm of coincidence 
 almost too far, but they did not say so ; in fact, they 
 both thought it wiser to abstain from any comment at 
 aU. The next hole was some three hundred and fifty 
 yards, with several extremely tricky hazards, but, 
 contrary to all reasonable expectations, both Kiig 
 Sidney and the Marshal distinguif^hed themselves by 
 doing it in one. 
 
 At this the King felt bound to make some com- 
 ment. " Very even game this. Marshal, so far," he 
 
 said. 
 
 " Very even indeed. Sire ! " said the Marshal curtly, 
 and turned aside to curse under his breath.
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 121 
 
 However, after they had played the fourth and 
 fifth holes with precisely the same result, King Sidney 
 became suspicious. " Clarence, my boy," he said, 
 taking him aside. " It strikes me there's something 
 rather odd about his play. I can't understand it ! " 
 
 " / can," said Clarence ; " it's plain enough. 
 Haven't you noticed he's been using a masliio — the 
 same mashie every time ? Well, he's bribed or bullied 
 that pop-eyed little swine of an Astrologer to enchant 
 it for him — that's what he's done ! " 
 
 " What a confounded low, ungentlemanly trick ! " 
 spluttered King Sidney in high indignation. " Just 
 when I was beginning to find my form at last, too ! 
 I shall decline to go on with the match. And what's 
 more, when we do get a Golf Club started, I'll have 
 him blackballed for it ! " 
 
 " I wouldn't make a row about it if I were you," 
 advised Clarence. 
 
 " Not make a row ? When he's taking an unfair 
 advantage of me by using this infernal Magic ? — which 
 is unlawful, by Gad, don't you forget that ! Wliy 
 shouldn't I denounce such trickery ? " 
 
 " Because," said the Crown Prince, " he might say 
 something disagreeable about it being a case of Pot 
 and Kettle, don't you know." 
 
 " Lot him ! " cried the King. " Let him ! I defy 
 him to prove that I've had anything done to my 
 clubs ! " 
 
 " Not the clubs," said Clarence ; " it's those balls 
 I gave you. I hadn't meant to tell you, but p'raps 
 I'd better now. I paid that little sweep to put a 
 spell on 'em. Of course I'd no idea he'd go and 
 overdo it like this. If he'd been anything of a Golfer 
 he'd have known most of these holes couldn't be done
 
 122 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 under three or four. And now he's given you both 
 away, blast him ! " 
 
 " It — it's most unfortunate ! " said King Sidney. 
 " I — I don't quite see what to do about it." 
 
 "Simple enough," said his son, "pretend not to 
 notice anythmg and play it out." 
 
 " I suppose I must, my boy, I suppose I must. 
 But I know I shan't play so well after this — it's quite 
 put me off my game ! " 
 
 " No, it hasn't, Guv'nor. You'll play up all right, 
 at least if Xuriel knows his job." 
 
 Xuriel apparently did know his job, for the King's 
 ball continued to be as foozle-proof as the Marshal's 
 mashie. 
 
 It would be tedious to describe any further holes. 
 When a bewitched mashie is pitted against an en- 
 chanted ball, there can obviously be none of the alter- 
 nations and vicissitudes of Fortune which constitute 
 the charm of Golf. 
 
 When they were at the turn, having halved every 
 hole up to the ninth, the Marshal had had enough of 
 it. " We are too well matched. Sire," he said, " and 
 to proceed would only be to waste your Majesty's 
 time, which is of far more value than my own." 
 
 " H'm, well, perhaps we'd better call it a draw and 
 have done with it," said the King. 
 
 The Court had witnessed the game without excite- 
 ment or astonishment. They saw no particular reason 
 why the balls should fail to reach the hole in one 
 stroke, and did not care in the least whether they 
 failed or not. The only impressions they received were 
 that Golf was too monotonous and too easy a pastime 
 to have any attractions for them, and that nothing 
 should induce them to indulge in it against such
 
 A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 123 
 
 invincible champions as his Majesty and the Ex- 
 Regent. 
 
 " I must say, my boy," said the King to his son, 
 as they walked back to the Palace together, " I wish 
 you hadn't gone to that magician fellow. It makes 
 it so very awkward for me." 
 
 " It would have been a jolly sight more awkward 
 if I hadn't. Just think of the lickmg you'd have had, 
 what ? " 
 
 " Yes, yes — but there's your Mother. She's so set 
 against Magic of any kind. I really don't know what 
 I'm to say to her." 
 
 " Well," said Clarence, " I should hope, Guv'nor, 
 you wouldn't be such a jay as to say anything." 
 
 " It might be only distressing her unnecessarily," 
 said the King. 
 
 " Sidney ! " exclaimed the Queen when they met, 
 " I can see by your face that you've been beaten after 
 all ! " 
 
 " Not at all, my love, not at all. Far from it ! " 
 
 " Then you've won ? " 
 
 " Well — er — not exactly won, my dear. We — we 
 finished up all square." 
 
 " Considering how long you've been learning, that's 
 as bad as if you'd lost. Now, mind what I say, Sidney, 
 you must never attempt to play golf again after this. 
 I cannot have you making yourseK ridiculous ! " 
 
 " I think you're right, my dear," he said meekly. 
 " In fact, I had already decided to give it up." 
 
 Clarence clung to his Golf as long as he could, but 
 he found it dreary work going round the course alone. 
 None of the Courtiers could be induced to learn the 
 game, and he felt a natural reluctance to take on the 
 Marshal as an antagonist, even if the latter had con-
 
 124 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 tinued to be keen. But he had conceived a strong 
 distaste for the game, and it was rumoured that there 
 had been a stormy interview between him and the 
 Astrologer Royal, who kept his bed for several days 
 afterwards. 
 
 And Clarence, as the Yellow Gnomes were impossible 
 as caddies, had to carry his own clubs, which he parti- 
 cularly detested. So in course of time he ceased to 
 visit the links, and thus deprived himself of his only 
 form of open-air exercise. 
 
 There was nothing much for him to do, except to 
 lounge and loaf aimlessly about the Palace, with a 
 depressed suspicion that he was not inspiring the full 
 amount of respect that was due to his position as 
 Crown Prmce. It would have been a distraction to 
 make advances to Daphne, but, after his some- 
 what cavaher treatment of her at the BaU, he could 
 not be sure how they would be received. Moreover, 
 either by her own management or his Royal Mother's, 
 he was never given a chance of seeing her except m 
 public. 
 
 He found a resource m gambling with the gentlemen 
 of the Royal Household. They played for high stakes, 
 but no higher, seeing that he could replenish his purse 
 as often as it was emptied, than he could well afford. 
 His visits to the sacks of gold in the King's Counting- 
 house became more and more frequent, but he would 
 have derived more enjoyment from cards if he had 
 won occasionally. 
 
 One afternoon when, the usual card-players being 
 absent on some hunting expedition, he was left to his 
 own devices, ho wandered forlornly through a suite of 
 empty halls till he drifted out upon a balcony that 
 overlooked the Palace gardens.
 
 A GAIVIE THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND 125 
 
 And then, as he stepped through the window, his 
 heart gave a sudden leap. At the comer of the balcony 
 he had just recognised Daphne. She was quite alone, 
 and he recognised that the opportunity, half-feared, 
 half -desired, had come at last.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 " A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER " 
 
 Daphne turned and saw Prince Clarence almost im- 
 mediately, and, after making the prescribed curt- 
 sey, was about to retreat indoors when he stopped 
 her, 
 
 " I say, Lady Daphne," he remonstrated, " don't 
 run aAvay like that ! " 
 
 " Your Royal Highness will be good enough to 
 excuse me," she said ; "I ought to be with. Princess 
 Ruby by this time." 
 
 " She's all right — trying to teach the Pages hockey 
 in the Entrance Court. And — look here, you needn't 
 be so beastly formal — \vith me, you know." 
 
 " I may remind your Royal Highness that you 
 desired me to observe the strictest etiquette." 
 
 " Did I ? I only meant in pubHc. Let's drop it 
 just now, anyway. I've been wanting to get a talk 
 with you. You see, you're the only person here I 
 can reaUy talk to ; and if you only Imew how awfully 
 hipped and depressed I'm feeling " 
 
 " Are you ? " she said. " I'm sorry." And there 
 was certainly pity in the soft grey eyes which rested 
 on him for a moment or two. 
 
 " I give you my word," he went on, " there are 
 times when I almost wish myself back at the office 
 again. There were things to be done there, even 
 if I didn't do 'em. Here there's nothing — except 
 
 126
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 127 
 
 cards. It wouldn't be so bad if the chaps here only 
 knew Auction — I could hold my own at that. But 
 you couldn't play bridge with the sort of packs they've 
 got in this God-forsaken country. So they've taught 
 me a bally game they call ' Krebsgriff,' and I've lost 
 over two sacks of ducats at it already. Anyone 
 would think after that they'd treat me as a pal, but 
 not a bit of it ! " 
 
 " Perhaps, Sir, they're afraid of being rebuked for 
 such presumption." 
 
 " Perhaps, but I don't think it's that. They're 
 polite enough and all that, to my face, but they don't 
 look vp to me, you know ! " 
 
 " Why should they ? " Daphne thought, but all 
 she said was, " That's very sad." 
 
 " Isn't it ? " he said ; " they don't give me a chance 
 to show what I can do. I could knock their silly 
 heads ofiE at golf, and they won't even learn ! And 
 now I can't get a game ; and this afternoon, when I 
 was feeling inclined for cards, they aU go off to the 
 forest without a word to me, hunting beastly boars and 
 bears, and I'm left without a soul to speak to." 
 
 " They might have asked you to do them the 
 honour of coming too," said Daphne. 
 
 " I couldn't very well have gone if they had. You 
 see, they hunt boars and that on horseback here, 
 and riding's a thing I've never gone in for." 
 
 " It's not too late to begin, Sir." 
 
 " Well, to tell you the truth, I did think at one 
 time of taking a few lessons. But I don't know. 
 You see, it would get about, and — well, people would 
 think it rather ridiculous." 
 
 " I should have thought — " began Daphne ; "no, I 
 mustn't say any more."
 
 128 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Oh, go on, Lady Daphne, don't mind me ! What 
 would you have thought ? " 
 
 " Well," said Daphne boldly, " that nothing could be 
 so ridiculous as a Crown Prince who can't sit a horse." 
 
 " I daresay I could as well as any other fellow, if I 
 tried." 
 
 " No doubt, sir, but if you never do try." 
 
 " I would, if I thought you cared." 
 
 " Of course I care, Prince Clarence," said Daphne. 
 " Naturally, I should like to see you doing everything 
 that other Princes do. You really aren't, so far, you 
 know. I suppose I oughtn't to have said that — I 
 couldn't help it," 
 
 " That's all right," he said. " There's one thing," 
 he added, thinking aloud, " if I did learn to ride 
 decently, you and I might go out ridmg together, 
 what ? " 
 
 " It's rather early to talk about that," said Daphne, 
 " when you haven't even begun to learn." 
 
 " I know, but I will begin. For your sake." 
 
 " No, Prince Clarence, for your own," she replied, 
 " though I shall be glad, too. And now, I mustn't 
 stay here any longer." 
 
 Why, he asked himself, after she had gone, was she 
 so keen on his cutting a figure at Court ? The answer 
 was obvious — he had interested and impressed her 
 more than he could have hoped. But that, he 
 shrewdly perceived, only made it more necessary for 
 him to be wary. She was certainly a most fascinating 
 girl, but if she had any ambitious designs on him, 
 she would find that he was quite capable of taking 
 care of himself. Still, she was right about his riding. 
 Every Prince ought to be able to ride. It would not 
 take him long to learn. And when he could ride he
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 129 
 
 would go out hunting. She would think a lot more 
 of him when she saw him returning in triumph with 
 a few boars and bears as trophies of the chase. 
 
 Accordingly he took the earliest opportunity of 
 mentioning to his family that he intended to take 
 lessons in horsemanship, which both the King and 
 Queen considered an admirable idea. The Marshal 
 was consulted, and though ho opposed it at first, on 
 the ground that anything which might affect the 
 succession to the throne was to be avoided, he gave 
 way in the end, and undertook to act himself as 
 Clarence's riding master. Clarence was prudent enough 
 to stipulate that none of his family should be pre- 
 sent while he was undergoing instruction, and the 
 Court were not to be mformed that he was having 
 any lessons at all until he had completed the course 
 and become an accomplished equestrian. 
 
 " Well, my boy," said the King, when the Crown 
 Prince entered the Royal Parlour after his private 
 lessons in the Palace tiltyard. " Well, and how did you 
 get on, hey ? " 
 
 " Never got on at all," Clarence reluctantly ad- 
 mitted. " Not likely I should, when there wasn't a 
 bally gee in the stables that would let me come near 
 him ! " 
 
 " Clarence ! " cried his mother, " you don't mean to 
 say you've been there all this time without riding a 
 single horse ! " 
 
 " I'd have ridden 'em right enough, if they'd let me 
 get on 'em — ^but they wouldn't." 
 
 " And pray what was the Marshal about ?" in- 
 quired the Queen. 
 
 " Well, he was laughing most of the time ; it's my 
 belief he'd had 'em all gingered up beforehand." 
 
 I
 
 130 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I'm quite sure, Clarence, he would be incapable 
 of such conduct as that. Why should he ? " 
 
 " / don't know," he said. " But I won't have Mm 
 about again. I'll get some one else to teach me." 
 
 " But, my dear boy, nobody can teach you much 
 if you can't even manage to get on a horse's back. 
 You'll only get hurt if you try any more, and you 
 will be far wiser to give it up altogether." 
 
 " Not much, Mater ! " he declared ; " I'm not so 
 easUy bested as all that. Now I've begun I mean to 
 go on with it." 
 
 And he went on ; for, to do Clarence justice, want of 
 pluck was not among his defects. But he was obliged 
 to admit that the Marshal was not fairly accountable 
 for the horses' behaviour, since they were quite as 
 unmanageable when he was no longer there. 
 
 They were spirited creatures, but perfectly docile 
 until they caught sight of Clarence, when they im- 
 mediately became as vicious as the most untameable 
 bronco. If he contrived occasionally to get hoisted 
 into the saddle, he never remained there long enough 
 to put the Royal Chief Huntsman's instructions into 
 practice, and he began at last to have serious doubts 
 whether Nature had ever intended him to shine as a 
 horseman. 
 
 He said nothing of these ignominious experiences to 
 Daphne, partly because he never found an opportunity, 
 though more from a fear of being laughed at. But he 
 could not keep them from his family, and so Daphne 
 came to hear of his repeated failures through Princess 
 Ruby. She did not laugh at them, however ; she was 
 even a little touched. She thought more of him for 
 his attempts to follow her unlucky suggestion than if 
 he had never attempted anything at all, and fuUy
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 131 
 
 believed that if he persevered he would conquer in the 
 end. 
 
 His Royal Mother was so perturbed and alarmed 
 that at last she made a confidant of the Court God- 
 mother, who was about to depart on her annual visit 
 to the Court of Clairdelune. " He v)ill go on with it ! " 
 Queen Selina lamented, " and I know he'll break his 
 neck before long ! It does seem so strange that those 
 horrible horses should behave like this with Clarence 
 and nobody else. When his poor dear Grandfather 
 was such a good rider, too ! I can't think why they 
 should, Court Godmother, can you ? " 
 
 The Fairy Vogelflug thought privately that the 
 reason was not very far to see. The horses of the 
 Royal stud were, she knew, of an exceptional aristo- 
 cratic breed. Now poor Clarence, though of Royal 
 blood on his mother's side, unfortunately had little 
 of the air and appearance which these intelligent and 
 observant animals probably connected with a true 
 Prince. It was more than likely that they had failed 
 to recognise that he was a Prmce at all, and so resented 
 being called upon to carry him. 
 
 But, though she could be out-spoken enough on 
 occasion, she felt that this was hardly an explanation 
 she could give to his mother. " Well, my dear," she 
 said, " it's very trying for you, of course. But I don't 
 know that there's anything / can do." 
 
 " I — I thought perhaps," said Queen Selina, with 
 some natural hesitation, " that you, as a Fairy, might 
 — er — know some quite simple little spell which " 
 
 " As I have told you before," mterrupted the Fairy, 
 " I make a pomt of using my knowledge of Magic as 
 seldom as I can nowadays. I have my health to 
 consider. And, in any case, I am acquainted with no
 
 132 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 spell for making a Prince into a horseman. Princes 
 in Marchenland," she added, rather unkindly, " have 
 never needed such aids." 
 
 But, after all, she was anxious that this Royal family, 
 whom she had been largely responsible for importing, 
 should do her as much credit as possible, and so she 
 applied herself to think of something that might be 
 of help to the unfortunate Crown Prince. A means 
 occurred to her at length, but as she was by no means 
 sure that it would be effectual, she was careful not to 
 commit herself. 
 
 She did not even mention it till she was on the point 
 of starting for Clairdelune, and then, before she stepped 
 into her dove-chariot, she suddenly said to the Queen, 
 d propos of nothing in particular, " By the way, my 
 dear, that jewel you were wearing when you first 
 came — I haven't seen you with it for a long while — 
 how is that ? " 
 
 " Well, you see, Court Godmother, my Crown jewels 
 seem to suit me so much better." 
 
 " Then, if you don't want that pendant yourself, 
 you had better give it to your son." 
 
 " To Clarence ? " cried the Queen. " Why, what 
 use would it be to him ? " 
 
 " It is a jewel which any Prince might be proud to 
 wear," said the Fairy ; " and I should strongly advise 
 you to see that he wears it. Not merely now and 
 then, but constantly. It may — mind, I don't say it 
 will — but it 7na,y bring him better luck than he has 
 enjoyed as yet." 
 
 " But really. Godmother, I can't quite beheve that 
 a thing — " began the Queen, when the Fairy cut 
 her short unceremoniously. 
 
 " I've no time to stay here arguing about it," she
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 133 
 
 said ; " my doves will be catching cold if they stand 
 about any longer. By all means don't take my advice if 
 you don't believe in it ; I merely thought you might find 
 it worth trying — but you must please yourself. And 
 now, with your permission, I'll take my leave of you." 
 
 At a sign from her, the team of doves fluttered up in 
 a snow-white cloud and winged their flight to the 
 neighbouring Kingdom of Clairdelune, where she had 
 another Royal Godson, Prince Mirliflor, in whose 
 affairs she took a keener interest than she could in 
 Clarence's. 
 
 " Old people have such queer ideas," thought Queen 
 Selina, as the chariot rapidly receded from sight. 
 "As if that twopenny-halfpenny pendant of Miss 
 Heritage's could — but the Court Godmother will be 
 annoyed if I don't follow her advice — and it's best not 
 to offend the old creature. I'll go up and see if it's 
 still in my jewel case." 
 
 It was, and she brought it down in time to intercept 
 Clarence as he was starting in rather low spirits for 
 another crowded hour of anything but glorious life in 
 the Riding Court. 
 
 " Clarence, my boy," she said, " I want you to 
 oblige me by wearing this in future." 
 
 " What — that thing you bought before we came 
 away ! " he replied. " I say, Mater, you donH expect 
 me to go about with a woman's pendant on my manly 
 bosom ! " 
 
 " Your Godmother Vogelflug thinks it is quite a fit 
 ornament for a Prince," urged his mother, " and — and 
 she as much as said that it would bring you good-luck." 
 
 " Did she, though ? Well, I could do with a bit 
 of that for a change." And he allowed her to fasten 
 the chain round his neck. " By Gad, makes me feel
 
 134 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 like a Good Forester or a Member of the Ancient Order 
 of Buffaloes or something ! " he remarked. 
 
 " Never mind," she said ; " and it really doesn't 
 look so very out of place. But remember, Clarence, 
 if it's to do any good, you must wear it always J" 
 
 " Right-oh ! " he said ; " and now I'll go and take 
 my usual morning toss, what ? " 
 
 Half an hour later, he came into the Royal Parlour, 
 where his family were assembled, Daphne being with 
 them. He looked round the circle with a satisfied air, 
 and then said in a tone of studied carelessness, " If 
 you've nothing better to do just now, all of you, you 
 may as well look m at the Riding Court in a few minutes, 
 and see how I'm getting on. I — er — should Uke Lady 
 Daphne to come, too, and the whole Court. Tell 'em 
 to hurry up. You'll find me down there ready for 
 you." He was gone before they had recovered from 
 their surprise. 
 
 " Dear me," said the King, "I'm not quite sure 
 that it would be wise to have the Court looking on 
 just yet, eh, my dear ? " 
 
 " I have every confidence in Clarence," said the 
 Queen. " He would not have suggested that they 
 shoiild attend unless — but perhaps a smaller audience, 
 of just om'selves, might be less trying for him." 
 
 So it was only the Royal family and Daphne that 
 went down to the Riding Court, where, to Queen 
 Selina's alarm, some very formidable-looking jumps 
 had been put up. 
 
 " He's never going to be rash enough to try to 
 get over those ! " she said. " TeU him he's not to 
 run such risks. I can't allow him to ! " 
 
 Just then Clarence cantered in on a high-spirited 
 mare, over which he seemed to have complete control.
 
 (( 
 
 A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 135 
 
 He put her at obstacle after obstacle, and surmounted 
 all of them with the greatest ease. To prove that he 
 was equally at home on any mount, he had several 
 other horses brought in, and over each he showed 
 the same mastery, and a seat with which Daphne, 
 who was critical in such matters, could find no fault. 
 
 " You young dog ! " said his father, when the 
 exhibition was over and Clarence had dismounted. 
 " So you've been taking us in aU this time, pretending 
 you couldn't stick on a horse for more than a few 
 seconds, hey ? " 
 
 "Oh, well," he said modestly, " I didn't like to 
 say too much. Fact is, it's only quite lately that 
 I've felt what you might call at home on a gee." 
 
 The Stud grooms could have testified how very 
 lately this was if they had thought proper to do so — 
 which, of course, they did not. 
 
 " It only shows what can be done with a little 
 perseverance," said Queen Selina. " Clarence, you will 
 be able to ride through the City now ! " 
 
 He managed to get Daphne to himself for a few 
 minutes on the way back to the Palace. 
 
 " Well, Lady Daphne," he began, " I've done 
 what I could to please you, and I hope you are satis- 
 fied, what ? " 
 
 " Indeed I am. Prince Clarence," she said warmly, 
 for he had risen several places in her esteem during 
 the past hour. "And I congratulate you most 
 heartily. And now things will be ever so much 
 pleasanter for you, won't they ? " As she spoke she 
 noticed the pendant, which, of course, she recognised 
 immediately. 
 
 " Ah, you're lookuig at this," he said. " Daresay 
 it strikes you as funny my wearing it ? "
 
 136 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Not at all, Sir," she replied ; " it isn't really a 
 woman's ornament." She did not tell him how she 
 knew it was not, for she had not forgotten her under- 
 taking to say nothing about it. 
 
 " Well, it was the Mater's," he said. " She's made 
 me promise to wear it always. Thinks it may bring 
 me luck." 
 
 " I hope it will, Prince Clarence," she said, quite 
 sincerely ; and, as the Queen happened to look back 
 just then and summon her sharply to her side, that 
 was all that passed between him and Daphne on that 
 occasion. 
 
 She was rather pleased than otherwise that he 
 should be the possessor of the pendant. As has been 
 said, she had never known her father, so there were no 
 tender associations attaching to it. And she had been 
 a little afraid that Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson had only 
 bought it out of consideration for her. It was some 
 relief that she had found a use for it. Daphne was, 
 of course, quite unaware who her unknown father had 
 been or that the pendant was a badge of his princely 
 rank ; and both the Queen and her son had no sus- 
 picion of the truth. Nor did either of them connect it 
 with his suddenly acquired mastery of the whole art 
 of horsemanship, Queen Selina believing that his 
 reports of previous unsuccess had been intended to 
 increase the surprise of his triumph, while Clarence 
 naturally found it easy to persuade himself that he 
 had been learning more from his disheartening failures 
 than he had been conscious of at the time. He cer- 
 tainly did not hide his new talent in a napkin, but 
 organised riding excursions of the lords and ladies of 
 the Royal household, at the head of which he made a 
 very gay and gallant appearance on a prancmg bay
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 137 
 
 palfrey. Only there was one thorn in his hixuriously 
 padded saddle. He had hoped that he might have 
 the pleasure of commanding Daphne to ride by his 
 side on these excursions, but, though she accompanied 
 them, it was never on horseback. Queen Selina, it 
 seemed, had developed such a preference for her 
 first lady-in-waiting's society that she was always re- 
 quired to accompany her in the Royal coach. 
 
 Daphne would wiUrngly have dispensed with this 
 and other signs of the marked favour with which 
 her Sovereign was overwhelming her just then. She 
 had no illusions as to the motives. The Queen 
 thought — most mistakenly, as it happened — that mak- 
 ing a favourite of Daphne was the surest method of 
 snubbmg and annoying her other ladies-in-waiting, 
 for whom she had begun to conceive a hearty dislike. 
 
 The dislike was certamly reciprocated. They re- 
 sented their Royal Mistress's insolence as much as 
 they despised her previous obsequiousness. They ac- 
 cepted the fact that she was their Queen, but, among 
 themselves, they did not pretend any respect for her, 
 as was manifest from their habit of referring to her 
 in private as " Mother Schwellenposch ! " Edna, 
 who was scarcely more beloved, was known as 
 " Princess Four-eyes," in allusion to her pince-nez. 
 Daphne found it hard at times to refrain from joining 
 them in this irreverence, but, while she saw the 
 Queen's and Edna's weak points as clearly as her 
 companions — and indeed more clearly than any of 
 them — her sense of loyalty kept her silent. She 
 might laugh when she was alone, and frequently did, 
 but that was a relief to her feelings for which she felt 
 she need not reproach herself very severely. Another 
 reason for Queen Selina's insistence on Daphne's com-
 
 138 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 pany in the coach was, as she was fuUy aware, the 
 desire to keep her at a safe distance from the Crown 
 Prince — a needless precaution which had its amusing 
 side for her. 
 
 Still, she often longed to be on a horse instead of 
 bemg shut up in a great lumbering vehicle with the 
 Queen and the Princess Royal, even if Princess Ruby's 
 presence did something to make things less dull. On 
 one of these expeditions Queen Selina had once more 
 provided herseK with a sack of gold from which she and 
 the Princesses scattered largesse. 
 
 " You may throw a httle if you like, Miss Heritage," 
 said the Queen graciously. (She reserved the title 
 " Lady Daphne " for occasions when the Court was 
 present.) 
 
 " I'd rather not, your Majesty," she replied. " I 
 mean," she explamed, " it's not as if it was my money." 
 
 " I should have thought," said Edna, " that that 
 was all the more reason for throwing it away." And 
 as she spoke she flung a handful to a stout old citizen, 
 who glared with indignation — not at her, however, 
 but at the nimbler and needier persons who had 
 grabbed most of the corns before he could stoop to 
 pick them up. 
 
 Daphne felt rather ashamed of these proceedings, 
 which seemed to her not merely undignified, but likely 
 to demorahse the pubUc. But she said nothing. 
 
 " We're not doing this out of ostentation, Miss 
 Heritage," explained the Queen, who seemed to have 
 divined something of her sentiments. " It's pohcy. 
 You may have noticed that we've not been nearly so 
 well received lately. Why, I don't know, unless 
 there's any ill-feeling about those detestable little 
 Gnomes."
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 139 
 
 There was a good deal. The Gnomes, havmg no 
 employment on the golf-links, had recently broken 
 out of their compound and found their way into 
 Eswaremmal, where they made themselves very much 
 at home. They quartered themselves on several of 
 the householders, and, having discovered that cooked 
 food was more palatable than earth, they had no 
 diffidence in helping themselves. In other respects 
 they were inoffensive and mclined to be sociable, but, 
 even in Marchenland, the most harmless and playful 
 Yellow Gnome is not considered a desirable addition 
 to any respectable family. The citizens one and all 
 regarded their visitors as intolerable nuisances for which 
 they had to thank their Sovereigns. 
 
 " It was his Majesty's idea to free them," the 
 Queen went on. "I was always in favour of keeping 
 them in the mine, where they were out of mischief. 
 And they certainly mustn't be allowed to run about 
 loose any longer. They ought to learn some sort 
 of discipline. Perhaps the best thing would be to 
 train them as Boy Scouts. . . . Have you caught cold, 
 Miss Heritage ? You seem troubled by a most dis- 
 tressmg cough." 
 
 Kmg Sidney himself had begun to doubt whether 
 the enfranchisement of the Yellow Gnomes was quite 
 one of his happiest inspirations. Such Marchen- 
 landers as had been induced to enter the mine were 
 demanding wages which left but a smaU margin for 
 profit, especially when it was considered that, if 
 their methods of working were more systematic than 
 their predecessors', they somehow got very much less 
 gold. No sacks at all had been dehvered of late, and 
 the shelves of the Royal Counting-house were begin- 
 ning to look ominously bare.
 
 140 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 He forced himself to mention this to the Queen 
 after the drive that afternoon, and point out the 
 necessity for being rather more economical than they 
 had been hitherto, "I'm sure, Sidney," she pro- 
 tested, " no one can say I am extravagant ! It was 
 absolutely necessary to have the whole Palace done 
 up — I had to order some new dresses, as I couldn't 
 be expected to wear ready-made robes in my position, 
 and one or two tiaras and things from the Court 
 Goldsmith, whose charges certainly were disgracefully 
 high. Then the household expenses come to several 
 sacks a week, try as I may to keep them down ! " 
 
 " I daresay, my love, I daresay — but I hear there 
 was another sack emptied only this afternoon — and we 
 really can't go on like this ! " 
 
 " Then I shaU have to give up driving out alto- 
 gether, Sidney. You've no idea how unpopular 
 you've made us all by releasing those wretched little 
 Gnomes. The people object to having to associate 
 with them — and I'm sure I don't wonder. You 
 simply must find some way of getting rid of them ! " 
 
 " The Court Chamberlain tells me a certain number 
 could be taken on the Palace Kitchens as extra 
 scuUions." 
 
 " And we shall have them getting upstairs and 
 running about all over the Palace ! " 
 
 " Oh no, my dear ; there wiU be strict orders against 
 that. But, to return to our expenses, I'm afraid 
 Clarence hasn't been as careful as he might have been, 
 and I shall have to speak to him very " 
 
 "No, you will not, Sidney. I won't have you 
 scolding Clarence just when he's doing so well — riding 
 and going out hunting and making himself a social 
 leader. You can give him a hint to be less extra va-
 
 "A STEED THAT KNOWS HIS RIDER" 141 
 
 gant if you like — but no more. But the first thing 
 you have to do, is to settle the trouble about those 
 Gnomes. You'd better ask the Marshal if he can 
 suggest anything." 
 
 The Marshal's solution was simple but practical. 
 There was, it seemed, a marshy tract at a considerable 
 distance from the capital which needed di-aining and 
 reclaiming — a work which the more able-bodied of 
 the Gnomes could carry out under strict control. So 
 the majority were deported to the Marchenlands, the 
 remainder being employed in the Royal Kitchens as 
 supernumerary and highly mcompetent scullions. 
 
 Whether a damp climate would suit the Gnomes' 
 constitutions was not a matter of general concern. 
 Most of them had been supplied with jerseys, which, 
 if they made them look more hideous little objects 
 than ever, had been knitted expressly for them by 
 the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting — and what more 
 could they possibly want ? 
 
 The citizens of Eswareinmal witnessed the exodus 
 of the gnomes with profound relief, but without any 
 outburst of gratitude to their Sovereign. It had 
 somehow been allowed to transpire that they owed 
 their deliverance entirely to the statesmanship of the 
 ex-Regent.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 
 
 King Sidney's remonstrances to Clarence on his ex- 
 travagances were put in too mild a form to offend. 
 " Perhaps I have got through rather a lot lately," the 
 Crown Prince admitted. " Not that I spend much on 
 myself — precious little chance in a bally place like 
 this. It mostly goes in tips. You see, the peasants 
 about here think anythmg under a purse of gold 
 stingy. But it certainly struck me the last time I 
 went to the Counting-house that what sacks there 
 were looked a bit flabby. When do you expect some 
 more in ? " 
 
 " The Lord Treasurer thinks one or two may be 
 delivered m a week or so — but we shall want con- 
 siderably more than that to pay our way, and I don't 
 see myself where it's to come from." 
 
 " I suppose," said Clarence, " it wouldn't quite do 
 to have the gates melted down, or the thrones ; but 
 there's any amount of other gold furniture Imockmg 
 about — what's the matter with coming that ? " 
 
 " It did occur to me," confessed King Sidney, " but 
 the Court Chamberlain says they're only silver gilt, 
 and that's no good here, you know." 
 
 " Well," said Clarence, " it's pretty clear that we 
 shall all be in the cart if we can't fmd some way to 
 raise the wind." 
 
 A day or two later he burst into the Royal Parlour 
 
 142
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 143 
 
 where his father was sitting disconsolately alone. 
 " I've found it, Guv'nor," he announced triumphantly. 
 
 " Eh, my boy, found what ? " 
 
 " The way to raise the wind. I've been in to see 
 little Pop-Eye — you know, the Astrologer Royal." 
 
 " Xuriel ? I haven't seen him since that — er — match 
 I played with the Marshal." 
 
 " I daresay not. The Marshal saw him, though — 
 and he hasn't been fit to be seen in public since. 
 Well, it seems he's been pottering away at Magic all 
 this time on the quiet — and quite lately he's come 
 upon an old spell-book of his father's and tried some 
 of the formulas in it. And he's turned out one little 
 thing that's simply it. I bought it of him on the 
 spot. I'll have it brought in here for you to see." 
 
 When it was brought it was not much to look at, 
 being just an ordinary round table of the plainest design. 
 
 " Ah, but you wait," said Clarence. " Just say to 
 it ' Little table, be laid.' " 
 
 " Really, my boy," protested his father, who had 
 evidently forgotten his Grimm's Fairy Tales, " I can't 
 bring myself to " 
 
 " Try it, Guv'nor — and see what happens." 
 
 " Oh weU, it's all nonsense — ^all nonsense — but — er 
 — ' Little table be laid.' " 
 
 Instantly the table was covered with a snowy linen 
 cloth and laid with a daintily prepared meal for one 
 person, including a small flagon of wine and a knife 
 and even a two-pronged fork. 
 
 " Neat, isn't it ? " remarked Clarence. " The little 
 joker wouldn't part with it at first — afraid of getting 
 into more hot water about it." 
 
 " I don't suppose for a moment the food's genuine," 
 said the King. " Well," he pronounced, after trying
 
 144 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 it, " I'm bound to say it's quite tasty — really very 
 tasty indeed. I think I'll have a little more — ate so 
 little at lunch. The wine isn't at all bad cither — 
 sort of Moselle flavour. It would be awkward if your 
 mother were to come in just now, eh ? " 
 
 " If you've done," said Clarence, " all you've got to 
 say is : ' Little table, be cleared.' " 
 
 The King repeated the words, and the table became 
 bare as before. 
 
 " Highly ingenious," he said ; " but all the same, 
 my boy, considering the cuisine we have in the Palace 
 already, it seems a waste of money to buy it." 
 
 " But there's money in it, Guv 'nor — money enough 
 to make us all millionaires if we go the right way to 
 work it ! Listen to me. Xuricl says he could easily 
 make any quantity of these tables — produce 'em in 
 all styles and sizes, to dine any number, if you and 
 the Mater will only give him a free hand." 
 
 "I think you're forgetting, my boy," said King 
 Sidney with dignity, " that there is a law — a. law 
 which your mother and I think a very wise and 
 salutary one — against the practice of anything in the 
 nature of — ah — Magic in our dominions." 
 
 " Oh, I know that," said Clarence. " But you can 
 alter it easily enough, can't you ? " 
 
 " No doubt we could. But why should we ? " 
 
 " Do you mean to say you don't see why ? And 
 you've been a business man all your life ! Of course, 
 we shouldn't give Xuriel such a concession as this 
 except on our own terms. He's willing to let us take 
 two-thii-ds of the selling price of every table he sells. 
 And they'U sell like hot cakes ! Why, there won't be 
 a family in all Marchenland that can afford to be 
 without one. They'U pay any price we like to put
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 145 
 
 ou such an article as this. Just think of it, Dad ! No 
 expenses— no risk— and a bigger income than we 
 could ever hope for from any bally mine. You can't 
 let a chance like that slip through your fingers ! " 
 
 " I quite see the possibihties, my boy ! " said the 
 King; "and m fact— but I can't decide one way 
 or the other tiU I know what your Mother thmks 
 of it." 
 
 Queen SeHna took an unexpectedly broad-minded 
 view of the scheme as soon as she fully understood 
 its advantages. 
 
 "Of course," she said, " nothmg would mduce me 
 to encourage any enterprise that was based on Sorcery 
 But the Astrologer Royal is far too respectable a 
 Uttle man to have anythmg to do with that. And 
 these tables would be such a boon to so many hundreds ! 
 We cannot leave that out of consideration. The dear 
 people ynW be so grateful to us for aUowmg them to be 
 placed withm the reach of the humblest. I daresay 
 IVIi-. Xuriel would supply them on the hne system. 
 And as for there bemg any Magic about the process— 
 if there is, it's quite harmless, and it's much more 
 probable that it can be accounted for by purely 
 natural causes which unscientific persons like our- 
 selves can't be expected to understand. After all 
 who really knows ? " ' 
 
 " And who reaUy cares ? " added Clarence, " so long 
 as the tables sell. It's lucky the Guv'nor and I have 
 had a business trainmg. We shaU be able to check 
 Master Xuriel's accounts— he'U do us in the eye if he 
 can, I'U bet. We'd better start it as a private com- 
 pany. The Patent Self-supplymg Tables Co., Limited 
 Under Royal Patronage, what ? " 
 
 " I cannot have any in the Palace," objected the 
 
 K
 
 146 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Queen. " The chefs would make such a fuss if I did. 
 And another thmg, Clarence — it mustn't on any 
 account be known that we take a share of the profits. 
 A Royal Family has to be so very careful that its 
 actions are not misinterpreted." 
 
 " We'll be sleeping partners, Mater," said the Crown 
 Prince, " and I don't fancy Master Xuriel will be 
 such a fool as to give us away. So far as the Public'll 
 know, we're interested in the venture on strictly 
 philanthropic principles." 
 
 " And that will be quite true," added Queen Selina, 
 "for I can conscientiously say that I wouldn't be 
 connected with it if I didn't feel it was for the general 
 advantage." 
 
 Thus was the " Patent Self -supplying Tables Co., 
 Ltd.," founded. A large disused granary in the City 
 was adapted as an Emporium, and the Astrologer 
 Royal, after working day and night for a week, filled 
 it with an extensive stock of dining-tables which were 
 graduated to suit the needs of every class of pur- 
 chaser. 
 
 As Clarence had predicted, they met with a ready 
 sale, for, although Marchenlanders had a tradition of 
 the existence of such tables, they had never expected 
 to be able to procure one for themselves by cash 
 payment. 
 
 It was obvious to all that an article which simplified 
 housekeeping by rendering both cook and kitchen fire 
 superfluous was cheap at almost any price, and the 
 demand was so great that Xuriel had to work harder 
 than ever to keep pace with it. 
 
 And everybody expressed the greatest satisfaction 
 with the tables when delivered — except, indeed, those 
 citizens who earned their livelihood as provision-
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 147 
 
 dealers. They protested that they were being ruined 
 by what they chose to call unfair competition, and 
 even sent a deputation to the Palace to represent 
 their grievances. 
 
 " Show them into the Hall of Audience," said King 
 Sidney, when he was told of their arrival, " and tell 
 them I will be with them presently and hear anything 
 they may have to say." 
 
 After he had done so he addressed them in a 
 paternal mamier, but with sound common-sense. It 
 was very unfortunate, he admitted, but it was one of 
 these cases where a small minority had to suffer for 
 the benefit of the community at large. As a con- 
 stitutional and democratic Monarch, he could not 
 interfere to restrict the production of articles that 
 increased the comfort and well-being of the vast 
 majority of his beloved subjects. The deputation had 
 his sincere sympathy, but he could do no more than 
 offer them his advice, which was to escape the starva- 
 tion they seemed— a little unnecessarily, if he might 
 say so— to apprehend by immediately investing their 
 savings in these seH-supplying tables. He added that, 
 from all he could hear, he thought it very probable 
 that the prices would go up very shortly. 
 
 The deputation then thanked him and withdrew. 
 Such dealers as could afford the outlay followed his 
 advice, and very soon the sacks in the Sovereign's 
 Counting-house were fuller than ever, and all danger 
 of a Royal banlo-uptcy was happily at an end, while 
 the Family had the additional pleasure of finding 
 themselves popular once more. 
 
 Strictly speaking, the Astrologer Royal had not 
 been authorised to employ his occult skill in pro- 
 ducing any objects but the self-supplying dinner-
 
 148 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 tables, though it was rumoured that his industry 
 was not entii'ely confined to these. He certainly sold 
 the Crown Prince a sword with which he could face 
 undismayed the fiercest of bears and boars, while the 
 old Court Chamberlain bought a silk skull-cap that he 
 found most useful on occasions when he did not 
 desire to attract attention. But, perhaps from un- 
 willingness to get Xuriel into trouble, neither of them 
 made any mention of these purchases. 
 
 Clarence should have been satisfied, for his feats in 
 the saddle and his daring in the forest, where he 
 slew every wild beast he encountered, had rendered 
 him a hero m the eyes of the populace, and even of 
 the Court. And yet he was very far from being 
 satisfied — for what was the good of his glory if it 
 brought him no nearer Daphne ? He hoped it was 
 maldng an impression, but he could not be certain, 
 because he never succeeded in getting a moment alone 
 with her. When she was not in attendance on his 
 Mother she was either with Ruby or the ladies-in- 
 waiting, or, worse still, surrounded by courtiers who 
 had not the tact to withdraw on his appearance. 
 And although she did not seem to show a preference 
 for any one in particular, that did not prevent him 
 from being furiously jealous of them all. 
 
 One afternoon Daphne received a message by one 
 of the pages that she was wanted at once in the Hall 
 of Audience by Princess Edna. But when she obeyed 
 the summons the only person she found in the hall 
 was the Crown Prince in hunting costume, with high 
 boots and a plumed hat, 
 
 " It's all right," he called out as she hesitated, 
 " Edna wiU be here directly. . . . You look as if you 
 didn't believe me."
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 149 
 
 " I'm afraid I don't, your Royal Highness," said 
 Daphne. 
 
 " Don't you ? Well, you're right. It was not 
 Edna that sent for you. It was me." 
 
 " You might have sent for me in your own name, 
 Prince Clarence." 
 
 " I daresay ! And then you'd have got out of 
 coming ! I've something I particularly want to say 
 to you. And I say— do sit down. It's Hke this," 
 he proceeded, after Daphne had sat dowTi on one of 
 the benches, " I never seem to see anything of you 
 now — what with all those Courtier chaps always 
 hanging about you. I wonder you let 'em. You 
 wouldn't if you knew as much about 'em as I do. 
 Why, that fellow Hansmeinigel's ancestor was half a 
 hedgehog — a beastly common ordinary hedgehog, by 
 Gad ! — and as for young Bohnenranken " 
 
 " Your Royal Highness may spare yourself the 
 trouble of going on," said Daphne. " I know all 
 about their descent already — from themselves. They're 
 not in the least ashamed of their ancestors — indeed 
 they're very proud of them." 
 
 " More than I should be if they were mme. Any- 
 how, there isn't one of 'em that's fit for you to make 
 a pal of." 
 
 " You would have more right to say that, Prmce 
 Clarence, if I had ever shown the shghtest inclina- 
 tion to treat them as ' pals,' " 
 
 " You can look higher than bounders like them. 
 And I must say I feel a bit hurt, that you haven't 
 taken more notice of all I've been domg to please you. 
 I mean, learning to ride as I've done, and leading an 
 active life, and all that." 
 
 " I really thought your Royal Highness was doing
 
 150 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 it for your own pleasure. But of course I've noticed 
 the change, and if I've had any share in bringing it 
 about, I'm very glad." 
 
 " And is that all I'm to get by it ? I want a lot 
 more than that. I want you ! " 
 
 " Don't be absurd, Prince Clarence," said Daphne. 
 " You know very well you would never be allowed 
 to marry me, even if / " 
 
 " Oh, of course, I know that. But — but, you 
 see, I — er — well, I wasn't thinking of marrmge ex- 
 actly." 
 
 " Then," said Daphne, with ominous quietness, 
 " would your Royal Highness be good enough to ex- 
 plain what you were thinldng of exactly ? " 
 
 " Well," he said, " my idea was something more in 
 the natui'e of a — what do you call it ? — a morganatic 
 alUance. Of course even that would have to be kept 
 dark because of the Mater, but " 
 
 Daphne rose. " Prince Clarence," she said, " is it 
 because I have been your sister's Governess that 
 you think you have the right to insult me like 
 this ? " 
 
 " It isn't an insult," he protested ; " you don't under- 
 stand. I assure you it's quite the usual thing in cases 
 like ours. You'd be none the less thought of — rather 
 the other way about. So why take this narrow-minded, 
 prudish view of it ? I didn't expect it — from you, you 
 know ! " 
 
 " Probably," said Daphne, " you don't expect to 
 get your ears boxed — but you will, if you dare to say 
 any more." 
 
 " Oh, do you thmk you'd better ? " he asked. " I 
 mean — smacking a Crown Prince's head — weU, it's a 
 jolly serious ojBEence, you know — what ? "
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 151 
 
 "I suppose," she said scornfully, "you think I 
 should deserve to be executed for it." 
 
 "It would make a good ' par ' in the papers," he 
 replied, "if we had any papers here. Something of 
 this sort : ' The execution of Lady Daphne took place 
 yesterday in the Market Square. There was no hitch, 
 everythmg, mcludmg Lady Daphne's head, gomg off 
 with the greatest eclat. The Crown Prmce was ex- 
 pected to be present, but was unavoidably detained 
 out hmiting.' ... Ah, you're laughmg ! You're not 
 so very angry with me after all ! " 
 
 " I was," said Daphne ; " but, after aU, you don't 
 know any better, and it reaUy isn't worth while. Still, 
 as it seems I can't expect any consideration from your 
 Royal Highness, it will be impossible for me to remain 
 in her Majesty's service." 
 
 He began to reaUse at last how deeply he had 
 offended her, and to desu-e a reconciliation on almost 
 any terms. 
 
 " No, I say," he pleaded, " don't take it like that. 
 I— I made a mistake. I'll never do it agam. I swear 
 I won't ! Now won't you stay ? " 
 
 Daphne looked at him for a moment before she re- 
 plied. " I wouldn't stay, Prmce Clarence," she said, 
 " if I didn't believe you really are a little sorry and 
 ashamed of yourself. And I will only stay now on 
 condition that you never try to speak to me again 
 except in public." 
 
 He had a sudden sense of what this would be to 
 him— he might almost as well lose her altogether. 
 There was only one way of obtaining her full for- 
 giveness and the privilege of bemg alone with her as 
 often as he wished. Of course he would have to pay 
 pretty dearly for it— but, hang it, she was worth makina
 
 152 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 some sacrifice for ! He might be able to get round his 
 people after all. . . . Yes, he'd take the plmige, 
 whatever it cost him. 
 
 " But — but look here," he began desperately, " sup- 
 pose — suppose I ask you " — he was on the pomt of 
 adding, " to be my wife," when the words died on his 
 lips as he saw that his mother had just entered the 
 Audience Chamber. " Not now," he broke off heartily, 
 " some other time." 
 
 Queen Selina regarded Daphne with cold displeasure 
 for a moment or two before speaking. " I was not 
 aware. Miss Heritage," she said, " that your duties 
 required you to be in this part of the Palace at any 
 time." 
 
 " I had a summons, your Majesty," explained 
 Daphne, " which I understood was from the Princess 
 Royal, to come to her in the Hall of Audience, or I 
 should not be here," 
 
 " If her Royal Highness had required you at all, 
 Miss Heritage, I think it more likely, on the whole, that 
 she would have sent for you to my Bower, where she 
 has been sittmg with me all the afternoon. But I 
 will find out if the message came from her." 
 
 Daphne bit her lip. 
 
 " It did not, your Majesty," she said ; " I know now 
 that it was given to me — by mistake." 
 
 " A mistake, Miss Heritage, which I trust will not 
 happen again. And, as it is the hour when you 
 should be in attendance on Princess Ruby, I will ask 
 you to go to her at once." 
 
 " She wasn't to blame, Mater," said Clarence, after 
 Daphne had left the Hall. " It was all my fault. / 
 sent her that message." 
 
 " It's very chivalrous of you, Clarence, to take the
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 153 
 
 blame on yourself," replied his Mother ; " but don't 
 imagine you can deceive me. I know very well you 
 are much too clever and wideawake to do anything so 
 compromising. That girl is doing her best to entrap 
 you into some rash promise, I've suspected it for 
 some time," 
 
 " No, I don't think so, really, Mater. Just before 
 you came in she was asking me to promise not to speak 
 to her again, except in pubHc," 
 
 " And didn't you see that was just her artful way of 
 leading you on ? But of course you did ! As if you 
 could fail to see through such an obvious trick as that." 
 
 Now Clarence came to think of it, it was pretty 
 obvious. He shuddered to remember how very nearly 
 he had been taken in by it. But the shrewdest man is 
 liable to lose his head for the moment. Fortunately 
 he had recovered his in time. 
 
 " Well, Mater," he said, " I wasn't born yesterday, 
 you know. I flatter myself I'm up to most moves on 
 the board. And you may depend upon it if she's had 
 any designs on me — mind you, I don't say she has — 
 but if she has, she sees now that they'll never come to 
 anything. She's given me up as a hopeless proposi- 
 tion." 
 
 This statement was inspired less by any personal 
 conviction than by the dread that wdthout such re- 
 assurance his anxious Mother might dismiss Daphne 
 on the spot. 
 
 Queen Selina did not dismiss Daphne, whose powers 
 of keeping Ruby amused and tlic ladies-in-waiting in 
 good humour were too valuable to be dispensed with 
 unless it was absolutely necessary. But she was 
 allowed to see in many ways that she had fallen from 
 favour. One of these was she was no longer invited
 
 154 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 to take part in the daily drives, a deprivation which 
 would alone have consoled her for much worse pen- 
 alties. 
 
 And she was freed from any further importunities 
 from the Crown Prince, who kept his side of the com- 
 pact by maintaining a cold and lofty dignity. Clar- 
 ence intended this to convey that his eyes were at last 
 open to her designs, and that it would be useless for 
 her to seek to beguile him any longer. But as Daphne 
 was quite guiltless of any designs at all, she was 
 merely grateful to him for leaving her in peace. 
 
 Queen Selina generally left it to the Marshal to 
 direct her excursions, and he always rode beside the 
 Royal coach. One afternoon he had conducted her 
 and her eldest daughter by a road across a fertile plain 
 dotted with pleasant villages and isolated farmhouses, 
 towards the outlying spurs of a range of moun- 
 tains. 
 
 On one of these spurs the Queen happened to notice 
 a large castle, whose grim-looking keep and towers 
 were surrounded by a high and far-extending wall, 
 while at its rear rose a frowning black crag. 
 
 " TeU me, Marshal," she said, " whose place is that, 
 and who lives there ? " 
 
 " That is Castle Drachenstolz, your Majesty," he 
 said. " It has belonged for many centuries to a Count 
 who chose, at some time during the previous reign, to 
 change the original family name to that of von Ruben- 
 fresser. It's present occupant is the last of the race, 
 the young Count Ruprecht." 
 
 " Really ! " said the Queen, " considering the Count 
 is so near a neighbour of ours, he might have had the 
 civility to caU, or at least leave cards, on us before 
 now ! "
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 155 
 
 " He would no doubt be happy to present himself at 
 Court, Madam, if he were not under strict orders never 
 to go outside his Castle walls." 
 
 " But why not ? " 
 
 " H!is parents were accused, whether justly or not I 
 cannot say, of certain malpractices, and the late Kuig, 
 your Majesty's gracious grandfather, ordered them 
 both to be put to death. Burnt alive, if I remember 
 rightly. This youth, being a mere mfant at that period, 
 was allowed to live, but in semi-confinement within 
 his ancestral walls, with a custodian (who is now re- 
 moved), and a few old family retainers, who are the 
 only persons he has ever been permitted to see." 
 
 " And is there anythmg against the young Count 
 himself ? " 
 
 " Nothmg whatever," replied the Marshal. " He has 
 been brought up in the simplest manner and on the 
 strictest principles, and by all accounts, is a most 
 amiable and excellent young man." 
 
 " It seems rather hard that he should have been a 
 prisoner all these years," said Princess Edna, " for no 
 fault of his own." 
 
 " It does seem hard, your Royal Highness, and, in 
 fact, while I was Regent I was on the point of ordermg 
 him to be allowed at large, when — when I was reUeved 
 of all responsibility. However, his lot is not a very 
 severe one. The estate is large, and he can drive or 
 walk anywhere w^ithin its boimdaries. I understand 
 that he spends much of his time in his kitchen garden, 
 where he has brought the art of forcing certam vege- 
 tables to truly wonderful perfection." 
 
 The young Count did not sound from this descrip- 
 tion particularly exciting, even to Edna, but still she 
 could not get him and his undeserved captivity out
 
 ir,(5 IX BRIEF ArriloIMTV 
 
 of her thought s, and, as soon as she got back to the 
 l'alH((\ she iittftfkwl the King on tJic hulijcct. 
 
 " Its nil vtiy well, fatluT," she con( hwh-fl iri<lig- 
 nantly, " hut in those days you simply nm'f keej) that 
 young man shut up for life just because my great- 
 grandfather chose to have Ins parents burnt alive — 
 most likely for no reason at all." 
 
 " / don't want to keej) him shut nj.. my dear. Never 
 heard of him before. I am ([uilc \silling to set him 
 free if I am satisfied that it's the right thing to do." 
 
 ' Of course it's the right thing to do. Sidney," said 
 his wife ; " and, uhat's more, it will be very popular. 
 Just one of these gracious little acts of clemency that 
 go home to people's hearts. The Miirshal quite agreed 
 with me about that." 
 
 " Oh, very well," said the King. " I 11 .'^end a herald 
 over to tell him he needn't consider himself a i)rl>^oner 
 for the future." 
 
 " We owe him more than that. Sidney." said the 
 Quci-n ; " we ought at hast to ask him over to lunch." 
 
 " Yes. wc might do that," agreed Edna ; " not that 
 he's likely to accept." 
 
 " He cannot refuse a Royal command, my love," 
 said her mother. 
 
 The Count did not refuse. On the appointed day 
 Clarence and his sisters saw from one of the windows 
 a dilapidated sable coach drawn by eight very ancient 
 coal-black horses turn into the Court-yard. 
 
 " Only wants a few undertaker's men in weepers to 
 be a really classy funeral ! " was the Cro^^^l Prince's 
 tribute to this equipage. " ' Come to bun,- Ca?sar, not 
 to praise him,' as Hamlet or some other Shakespearian 
 Johnny says, what ? " 
 
 When the yoimg Count von Paibenfresser was ushered
 
 THE TLEASURES OF THE TABLE 157 
 
 into the Royal presence his entrance made a slight 
 sensation. Nobody had been prepared for the fact 
 that he was much nearer seven than six feet in height. 
 Otherwise there was nothmg alarming about him ; he 
 wore his flaxen hair rather long and arranged over the 
 centre of his head in a sort of roll ; his chuia-blue eyes 
 (which Ruby said afterwards was " plain all romid, 
 like a fish's eyes ") were singularly candid ; he had a 
 clear, fresh complexion, full red hps, and magnificent 
 teeth. He wore a rich suit of sable as deep as his 
 coach. " Magog m mourning," Clarence christened 
 him in an midertone. 
 
 It was curious that he should have inspiicd Da})hne 
 at first sight with a vague repulsion, and that Ruby 
 should have felt a similar antipathy, though, with her, 
 it took the form of a violent fit of the giggles — but so 
 it was. Daphne was thankful that she was able to 
 remam at a distance from him, as she was not Imiching 
 at the Royal Table. 
 
 He was shy at first, as most persons would be if the 
 first meal they had ever eaten away from their owti 
 home had to be consumed in the presence of Royalty, 
 but he had been evidently tramed to observe the 
 ordinary table etiquette, and as ho became more at 
 ease he talked fluently enough, though at times with a 
 naivete that was almost chfldhke, and increased Clar- 
 ence's resolve to pull his leg whenever he saw an 
 opportmiity. 
 
 " Your Majesties must pardon my asking the ques- 
 tion," he said, in his thin, pipmg voice, as he helped 
 himself to a cutlet, " but is this what is called meat ? " 
 
 " So we're given to understand by the butcher, 
 Count," repUed Clarence. "Why do you want to 
 know ? "
 
 158 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 *' Because," he replied, " I've often heard of meat, 
 but this is the first time I've ever seen it. Do you 
 know," he went on presently, ** I like meat. I shall 
 have some more." 
 
 " I should, if I were you," advised Clarence ; "it 
 may make you grow ! " which reduced Ruby to silent 
 convulsions. 
 
 " Do you really think it will ? " inquired the Count, 
 either not noticing, or tactfully disregarding. Princess 
 Ruby's lapse from good manners. " It might. My 
 poor dear Father and Mother were both great meat- 
 eaters, I believe, before they took to vegetarianism, 
 which was quite late in life. I cannot remember seeing 
 them, but I've always understood that they were much 
 taller than I am." 
 
 *' You don't say so," returned Clarence. " Must 
 have been most interesting people to meet." 
 
 " Tliey were, your Royal Highness. Though, un- 
 fortunately, I cannot speak of my ovm. knowledge. 
 As yoiu" Majesties may be aware, during the short 
 time they were spared to me I was too young to 
 appreciate their society." 
 
 " Well, weU, Count," said Queen Selina, perceiving 
 that this was delicate ground, " it's all very sad, 
 but you must try not to think about it now. The 
 Marshal tells me you give a great deal of your time to 
 growing vegetables. How do tomatoes do with you ? " 
 
 " I don't pay any attention to tomatoes, your 
 Majesty," he replied, vAth a blush that few tomatoes 
 could have outdone. " My efforts have been chiefly 
 directed to pumpkins. I have reared some particu- 
 larly fine ones. I am very fond of pumpkins." 
 
 *' Jolly Httle things, ain't they ? " put in Clarence. 
 " So playful ! "
 
 THE PLEASURES OF THE TABLE 159 
 
 " Are they ? " said the Count with perfect sim- 
 plicity. " I did not know that. But then I have 
 never attempted to play with my pumpkins." 
 
 " Haven't you ? " said Clarence. " Well, you get 
 'em to play kiss-in-the-ring with you, and you'll find 
 out how frisky they can be ! " 
 
 " I do not know anything about kissing," he con- 
 fessed, " except that it is very -v^Tong." 
 
 " Not pumpkins," said the Crown Prince. " There's 
 no harm in that ! Ask the bishop ! " 
 
 " I say, old girl," he remarked to Princess Edna, 
 after their visitor had taken his departure, " what on 
 earth induced the Mater to teU that lanky overgrown 
 lout we should be pleased to see him any time he 
 cared to drop in ? We shall have the beggar running 
 in and out here like a baUy rabbit, you see if we 
 don't ! " 
 
 " Not if you intend to go on insulting him, Clarence, 
 as you did to-day at lunch," replied Edna coldly. 
 
 " Why, I was only raggmg him. Who could help 
 ragging such a champion mug as that ? " 
 
 " There is more — far more — in him than you are 
 capable of seeing, Clarence. And, even from a physi- 
 cal point of view, he is immeasurably your superior." 
 
 " I admit I shouldn't have a look in with him if we 
 were both candidates for a Freak Show," he con- 
 ceded. " On the other hand, no one can say I'm 
 gone at the knees." 
 
 " It's a pity, Clarence, that you're so narrow as you 
 are ! " she said. 
 
 " D'you mean round the chest or calves ? " he asked. 
 " Because I'm quite up to the average measure- 
 ments." 
 
 " I meant, so insular in your prejudices. You were
 
 160 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 almost rude to the poor Count. When he was our 
 guest, too ! " 
 
 " I expect," he said, " that if he's ever our guest 
 again, I shall be a bit more insular, I can't stick the 
 beggar, somehow ! "
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 
 
 The Count was not slow to take advantage of 
 his permis de circuler ; his coal-black horses and 
 coach were soon a familiar spectacle in the streets of 
 Eswareinmal, Avhere he had discovered the delights of 
 promiscuous shopping. He ordered a self-supplying 
 dinner-table of the best quality — to be paid for by 
 monthly instalments — from the Astrologer Royal, 
 with whom he struck up a sort of friendship. Nor 
 did he neglect to avail himself of his general invitation 
 to the Palace, where he dropped in so frequently as 
 almost to justify Clarence's prediction. Queen Selina 
 gave him occasional hints that she had not expected 
 him quite so often, but hints were thrown away on 
 the Count's ingenuous nature — he seemed to take it 
 for granted that he was always welcome. 
 
 Princess Edna certainly never discouraged his 
 visits. She had been struck from the first by his 
 great stature and powerful physique, which were just 
 what she imagined that Nietzsche's ideal Superman 
 would possess. It has already been mentioned that 
 she had been attending lectures on the Nietzschean 
 philosophy. 
 
 Those were the days — not so very long ago, though 
 they seem remote enough now — when a certain class 
 of high-browed and serious persons accepted works of 
 modern German philosophers as containing a new 
 
 161 L
 
 162 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 gospel which none who desired intellectual freedom, 
 enlightenment, and efficiency could afford to neglect. 
 The theories of " the Will to Power " and of Might 
 being equivalent to Right are already hopelessly 
 discredited in this country by recent exhibitions of 
 the way in which they work out in practice. But it 
 was not so then, and Edna, who liked to feel that 
 she was one of the elect and in the advance guard 
 of Culture, readily imbibed as much of the Nietzschean 
 doctrine as could be boiled down for her in a single 
 lecture. She would not, of course, have thought of 
 regulating her own actions on such principles, any 
 more than, in all probability, did their author himself. 
 But she was very anxious to see some one else do so, 
 and the young Count seemed to have been formed by 
 Nature for Neitzsche's typical " Blond Beast," if he 
 only chose to divulge his possibilities. Unfortunately, 
 he did not seem even to suspect them ; he remained 
 quite oppressively mild and amiable. She very nearly 
 gave him up in despair once when he timidly pre- 
 sented her with a pair of mittens which he had knitted 
 for her himself. However, a day came when she saw 
 him under a less discouraging aspect. 
 
 They were at lunch, to which he had invited himself 
 as usual, and Ruby had asked her brother how it was 
 that in all his hunting expeditions he had never 
 managed to slay a dragon. 
 
 " Never saw one to slay, Kiddie," he replied. " They 
 seem scarce about here." 
 
 The Court Chamberlain, from behind the King's 
 chair, took it upon himself to explam that there were 
 no longer any dragons in existence, the few that re- 
 mained havmg been exterminated by the late King's 
 orders.
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 163 
 
 " Oh ! " exclaimed Ruby, " I did so want to see a 
 dragon ! And now I never shall ! " 
 
 " If you wish it, little Princess," said Count von 
 Rubenfresser kindly, " you shall see mine." 
 
 " Yours I " cried Ruby, quite forgetting her dislike 
 for him in her excitement. " Have you really got a 
 dragon — a real live one ? " 
 
 "A real Uve one — and almost full-grown," he re- 
 phed. " My poor dear Father had a pair, but they 
 were kiUed. Mine is the last of the breed. I dis- 
 covered it myself when I was a child in a cave close 
 to the castle. At that time it was only an egg." 
 
 " Hatch it yourself ? " inquired Clarence. 
 
 " Only partially," said the young Count ; " the sun 
 did the rest." (It was perhaps as well for Daphne that 
 she was not at the table just then.) " I begged that 
 its life might be spared, and it was. So Tiitzi and I 
 have grown up together." 
 
 " Tootsie ! " remarked Clarence sotto voce, " what a 
 dashed siUy-ass name for a dragon ! " 
 
 " And wiU you show us him ? " asked Ruby eagerly. 
 " Mummy, couldn't we go to the Count's castle and see 
 his dragon ? This afternoon ? " 
 
 " I should rather Hke to see it myself," said her 
 Father. " No idea there were such things. What do 
 you say to our driving back with the Count and having 
 a look at it, eh, my love ? " 
 
 " I think, Sidney," replied the Queen, " we certainly 
 ought to do so." 
 
 So, to Ruby's delight, the State coach was ordered 
 to take the Royal Family to Drachenstolz, and the 
 party set out shortly after lunch. Clarence accom- 
 panied them on horseback, while the Count followed 
 in his sombre vehicle. Daphne was left behind, and
 
 164 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the Court, although invited to join the party, begged 
 with singular unanimity that they might be ex- 
 cused. 
 
 On arriving at the Castle the visitors were first taken 
 over the ulterior, which was ill-lighted and rather de- 
 pressing, after which the Count led them through a 
 spacious courtyard to the kitchen-garden, where the 
 Queen deigned to compliment him on the huge size of 
 the vegetable marrows and pumpkins that were ripen- 
 ing in the sun. 
 
 " If there should be a Harvest Festival at the Church, 
 Count," she said graciously, "I'm sure some of those 
 would come in very nicely for it ! " 
 
 They then passed over a rough tract of ground 
 towards a rocky cliff that formed part of the Castle 
 boundary. In this cliff was a deep cavern, on one side 
 of which was a stout staple with a chain attached, 
 only a portion of which was visible. Here their young 
 host stopped and gave a low whistle. Instantly there 
 was a rattle of the chain, and the next moment all but 
 the Count and Ruby hastily retreated as a great horny 
 head with distended nostrils r,nd lidless eyes was pro- 
 truded from the opening. 
 
 " Don't be alarmed ! " said the Count, calmly 
 unfastening the chain and leading the creature out 
 into the open. " Tiitzi is perfectly tame, as you can 
 see." 
 
 "It may or may not have been full-grown, but it was 
 large enough at all events to be a fairly fearful wild- 
 fowl, with its huge leathery wings, crested spine, for- 
 midable talons, and restless tail. The colour of its 
 scales was extraordinarily rich, ranging from deepest 
 purple and azure through vivid green to orange and 
 pale yellow, and fully justified King Sidney in remark-
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 165 
 
 ing — from a safe distance — that " it appeared to be in 
 very good condition." 
 
 But there was no doubt about its tameness. It 
 suffered Ruby, who showed no fear of it whatever, to 
 stroke it on its plated beak, and even to scratch ifc 
 behind its bristly ears, with every sign of satisfac- 
 tion. 
 
 " Ruby ! " shrieked the horrified Queen, "come 
 away at once ! I'm sure it isn't safe to tease that 
 dreadful thing ! " 
 
 " I'm not teasing him, Mummy," replied Ruby, 
 whose eccentric penchant for reptiles was now being 
 gratified beyond her wildest dreams. " He loves being 
 tickled. Can't you hear him purring ? " 
 
 As the noise the brute was making would have 
 drowned that of the most powerful dynamo, the ques- 
 tion was almost unnecessary. Count Ruprecht next 
 made his dragon exhibit the few accomplishments it had 
 learnt, which were of the simplest, consisting in sitting 
 up, rolling over and shamming death, and reviving to 
 utter three terrific snorts, supposed to be loyal cheers, 
 all at the proper word of command. He concluded by 
 mounting its back and riding it several times round 
 the enclosure, after which he lay between its forepaws, 
 while it licked his face with its huge flickering forked 
 tongue. 
 
 " Capital ! " cried Clarence, apparently unim- 
 pressed, though he did not venture very near the 
 beast. " You've only to teach it to jump through a 
 hoop, and you'd make quite a decent Music-hall 
 ' turn ' together. What do you feed it on, eh ? Sop — 
 or canary-seed ? " 
 
 To which the CouLtit did not vouchsafe any reply. 
 I've been most interested, I'm sure, my dear 
 
 ((
 
 166 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Count," said the Queen, after he had chained it up 
 again. " And it's quite a thing to have seen — once. 
 But we really can't allow you to go on keeping such a 
 creature as that — can we, Sidney ? " 
 
 " Certainly not, my love," said the King. *' It's 
 against the law, you know. Count, against the 
 law." 
 
 " Is it, your Majesty ? " said the Count. " I— I had 
 no idea of that — no one ever told me so ! " 
 
 " Well, it is, you know. You must put an end to 
 it — have it destroyed. Painlessly, if you like, but — 
 well, you've got to get rid of it somehow." 
 
 " In your own interest, Count," urged the Queen. 
 " Just think how unpopular you would be with your 
 neighbours if it broke loose ! " 
 
 " I should not like to be unpopular," he said. " And 
 if your Majesties insist on slaying the only living 
 creature that loves me ! " 
 
 " What ? " put in Clarence unfeelingly, " don't the 
 hearse — I mean the carriage-horses love you ? " 
 
 But again the Count took no notice of the ques- 
 tion. 
 
 " It's too bad of you. Father ! " cried Edna in- 
 dignantly ; " yes, and you too, Mother ! To come here 
 at Count Ruprecht's invitation, to see his dragon and 
 then tell him to destroy it ! I think it perfectly dis- 
 graceful of you, and you will get a very bad name 
 in the country when people hear of it. When you 
 happen to be Sovereigns you might at least behave as 
 such ! " 
 
 " Well, weU, my dear," said her Mother, who had 
 not considered the question from this side before, " we 
 merely threw it out as a suggestion — nothing more. 
 And if the Count wiU undertake to keep his dragon
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 167 
 
 under proper control, that is all we shall require of 
 him." 
 
 The Count willingly gave this undertaking, and the 
 visit ended without any loss of cordiality on either side. 
 
 " We've seen the dragon, Miss Heritage ! " Ruby 
 announced with sparkling eyes on her return. " And 
 he is such a darling ! Do you know, I don't think the 
 Count can be quite so horrid after all, or Tiitzi wouldn't 
 be fond of him. Only fancy. Mums and Daddy 
 wanted the Count to have him killed ! But Edna 
 made them say he needn't. Aren't you glad ? . . . 
 Oh, I forgot — you never really loved my newts. But 
 you would Tiitzi — ^he's quite dry, you know — not the 
 least bit clammy. ... Do you think there's time 
 before dinner for me to run down and play with the 
 Gnomes ? " 
 
 " My dearest ! " cried Daphne, " surely your Mother 
 doesn't approve of your doing that ? " 
 
 " She wouldn't mind if she knew. They're yellow 
 — but quite nice. Much better fun than those fat 
 little muffs of pages, who are too afraid of spoiling 
 their clothes to play at anythmg rough. You don't 
 mmd my having a game of ' I spy ' with the Gnomes — 
 just till it's time to dress for dinner — do you, Miss 
 Heritage ? " 
 
 " Well, darling," said Daphne, " I'm not allowed 
 any authority over you now, you know. But I'm 
 quite sure that if her Majesty ever hears of your 
 running about with Yellow Gnomes, she wiU blame 
 me for it, and probably send me away." 
 
 " Oh, then I won't any more. Only it will be 
 rather duU without them. I almost wish sometimes 
 I had lessons to do. But there's nothing for me to 
 learn. I can understand everything everybody says,
 
 168 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 and they understand me. And there aren't any 
 pianos, and History and Geography are no earthly 
 good here, and I know more Arithmetic as it is than 
 I shall ever want now I'm a Pruicess. Princess 
 Flachspinnenlos promised to show me how to work 
 a spinning-wheel some day, but she's not very good 
 at it herself, and anyhow, I'm sure it will be frightfully 
 boring. Still, I'd rather give up the Gnomes than 
 lose you, Miss Heritage, dearest ! '' 
 
 She spoke with feeling, for it meant abandoning a 
 cherished scheme of hers for inciting them to steal up 
 during dinner and pinch the pages' legs. 
 
 Daphne was sorry for the poor little tomboy Princess, 
 of whom she had grown to be really fond. There was 
 little she could do for her, however, beyond being 
 with her as often as she could ; and the Queen had 
 shown a tendency of late to discourage even this. 
 
 Edna looked forward with interest to the Count's 
 next visit ; his performances with the dragon had 
 impressed her greatly in his favour, and she had 
 begun to think that he might have the makings of a 
 Superman in him after all. It might be time to 
 begin his education, and she prepared herself for the 
 task by running through her lecture notes on Nietzsche 
 once more. 
 
 When he called he was shown by her command to 
 the chamber which served as her boudoir, where, 
 rather to the scandal of some of the Court ladies, she 
 received him in private. 
 
 He looked taller than ever as he sat doubled up on 
 a low seat. " I came to thank you, Pruicess," he 
 began, " for persuading your exalted parents to spare 
 my poor dear Tiitzi. Of course I don't want to break 
 the law, but he is chained up, and besides, he is such
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 1G9 
 
 a good dragon that I'm sure nobody could object to 
 my keeping him." 
 
 " Why are you so anxious not to break the law ? " 
 
 " Because it's wrong to break laws." 
 
 " And do you never do anything wrong ? " 
 
 " Never. My tutors taught me that people who do 
 wrong are always punished for it. I shouldn't like to 
 be punished at all." 
 
 " Still, you must have wanted to do bad things now 
 and then." 
 
 " Now and then I have," he confessed. " Especially 
 lately. But I never do them, You see, bad people 
 are never really liked." 
 
 " Do you know, Count, what the great German 
 philosopher Nietzsche would call such goodness as 
 yours ? He would say it was ' slave-morality.' You 
 only do what other people tell you is right because 
 you're afraid of what they would think of you if you 
 didn't. You have courage enough to master Tiitzi, 
 but you daren't defy what Nietzsche so finely terms 
 ' the Great Dragon of the Law,' which says : ' Thou 
 Shalt '— ' Thou shalt not.' " 
 
 " What ? " he said in surprise. " Is there another 
 dragon besides Tiitzi ? And one that can talk, too ! 
 I never heard of him ! " 
 
 " Nietzsche was speaking metaphorically, of course," 
 said Edna impatiently. " He meant the human laws 
 and customs and prejudices which a true Superman 
 should soar above. I think you ought to be more of 
 a Superman." 
 
 " Ought I ? " he said, open-mouthed. " What sort 
 of things does a — one of those gentlemen — do ? " 
 
 *' Well," said Edna, after refreshing her memory 
 by her notes, " you should begin by ' hating and
 
 170 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 despising the ideals of the average man ' ! You 
 should create your own Truth — your own Morahty. 
 Obey only your primordial instincts — the Will to 
 Power." 
 
 " I wonder if I could do all that." 
 
 " Of course you can, if you are strong enough — and I 
 believe you are." 
 
 " And what else ought I to do, Princess ? " 
 
 " Well, let me see — oh, yes, you should ' act towards 
 slave or stranger exactly as you think fit.' You 
 should be ' an intrepid experimentalist, ceaselessly 
 looking for new forms of existence.' You must ' be 
 able to bear the sight of others' pain, remembering 
 that you cannot attain the height of greatness 
 
 " I've grown taller lately," he interjected, " a great 
 deal taller ; haven't you noticed it ? " 
 
 " ' Attain the height of greatness,' " resumed Edna 
 severely, " if you do not feel within yourseK both the 
 will and the power to inflict great suffering ! And 
 through it all you must exhibit the joyous innocence 
 of a child that is amusing itself.' Do you under- 
 stand ? " 
 
 " I think I do. It means I must do whatever I 
 feel inclined, without minding what people say. Shall 
 you be pleased mth me, Princess, if I do that ? " 
 
 " I shaU at least respect you more than I can do 
 while you form your conduct entirely on Sunday 
 School standards." 
 
 "Then I'll try," he said. "Yes, I will certainly 
 try. Do you know, I thitik I shall rather like being 
 what your great teacher with a name like a sneeze 
 calls a Superman." 
 
 " Then make yourself one," she said, " for I am 
 quite sure that you have the power."
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 171 
 
 Probably she did not know herself exactly what she 
 wanted him to be ; it did not mean much more than 
 the admii-ation for the prehistoric male brute to 
 which the more advanced type of young woman seems 
 peculiarly prone. But when he left she felt that she 
 had made a most promising convert, and had every 
 reason to be satisfied with the success of her after- 
 noon. 
 
 As much could not be said with regard to her 
 Mother, who remonstrated with her after the Count's 
 departure as strongly as she dared. 
 
 "I shouldn't see him alone like that, again, my 
 love," she said anxiously. " It might put ideas into 
 people's heads. Indeed I'm not sure that, as it is, 
 some of the Court don't think there must be some- 
 thing between you." 
 
 " It's perfectly indifferent to me what they think, 
 Mother," was the lofty reply. " As a matter of fact, 
 there is nothing whatever between us. I am merely 
 doing what I can to make him a httle more civil- 
 ised." 
 
 " There would be no objection to that, my dear. 
 Only it does look so very like encouraging him, you 
 know. And it's so necessary to be careful just now. 
 I'm afraid the People think we are making far too 
 much of that young man. I noticed they looked very 
 black that day we drove over to Drachenstolz. I 
 really think it would be better if the next time he calls 
 you would be ' not at home ' to him." 
 
 "My dear Mother," returned Edna, "I am old 
 enough to have the right to choose my own friends, 
 and I shaU certainly decline to drop them just because 
 the Court chooses to make my friendships a subject 
 for foolish gossip."
 
 172 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Queen Selina did not venture to pursue the con- 
 versation any farther, but she was more relieved than 
 she would once have thought possible when she heard 
 that the Court Godmother had returned from Clairde- 
 lune. According to strict etiquette, it was for the Fairy 
 to attend her Mistress and report herself, but the Queen 
 waived all ceremony by paying the first visit. She 
 went at once, and unattended, to the apartments in 
 one of the towers that had been assigned to the Court 
 Godmother, who, without seeming at all overwhelmed 
 by such condescension, received her with more be- 
 nignity than usual. " Thank you, my dear," she 
 said, in answer to the Queen's inciuiries, " I am 
 tolerably \vell, and feel no ill effects from my journey. 
 And I think," she added complacently, " you will 
 agree that I have spent my time at Clairdelune not 
 altogether unprofitably. But you shall hear all about 
 it presently. Tell me how things have been going on 
 here while I have been away. As satisfactorily, I 
 trust, as possible ? " 
 
 "Oh, quite — quite — that is, I've been just a little 
 worried lately about that young Count Rubenfresser. 
 He has taken to coming here oftener than I think 
 quite desirable." 
 
 " Coming here ? " repeated the Fairy, with sur- 
 prise. " Why, I thought he was never allowed out- 
 side his Castle ! " 
 
 " Not till lately. My poor dear Grandfather seems 
 to have been very severe both on him and his parents. 
 But the Marshal spoke so highly of the poor young 
 man, and recommended so strongly that he should be 
 given his freedom, that his Majesty and I decided to 
 do it." 
 
 "Oh," said the Fairy. " WeU, of course, if the
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 173 
 
 Marshal thinks it safe ! " She suspected the ex- 
 Regent of cherishing some resentment agamst her 
 still for the part she had taken in bringing back the 
 Sovereigns to supersede him, and she had no wish to 
 run counter to him again. So, whatever she might 
 think of the wisdom of his advice, she was far too 
 prudent an old person to express her doubts. " But 
 I gather," she went on, " that you don't approve of 
 the young Count yourself, my dear ? " 
 
 " Oh, he seems gentlemanly enough — though rather 
 taller than the average. The only reason that I 
 disapprove of him is that I'm afraid he comes here so 
 often on Edna's account." 
 
 "You don't mean," said the Court Godmother, in 
 some alarm, " that she shows any ? " 
 
 "Oh, dear me, no ! Not the slightest ! She thinks 
 he requires civilising, and is trying to do it for 
 him, that's all. But I can't get her to see that the 
 notice she takes of him is liable to be misunder- 
 stood. Not only by him — but by everybody, you 
 know." 
 
 " Oh well, my dear, if it's no worse than that, you 
 needn't trouble yourself about it. And now for my 
 news. You've heard me speak of Prince Mirlifior of 
 Clatrdelune, King Tournesol's only son ? " 
 
 Queen Selina had heard her speak of him so often 
 that she instinctively prepared herself for half an 
 hour of ennui. 
 
 " A charming young man. I don't say ho hasn't 
 his faults, but I shall make it my business to cure 
 him of them all in time. I was one of the three God- 
 mothers at his christening — the other two have gone 
 years ago — I forget what their gifts were — Courage 
 and Good-looks, I think. I gave him what I still
 
 174 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 consider a most useful present for any infant prince — 
 a complete set of the highest ideals." 
 
 " How nice ! " murmured Queen Selina absently, 
 for her attention was beginning to wander already. 
 " Most neat and appropriate, I'm sure." 
 
 " They would have been," said the old Fairy, " if 
 he'd made use of them sensibly, as I intended. But 
 that is just what he hasn't done. For instance, al- 
 though he's been of an age to marry these three years, 
 he's refused to look at every eligible Princess that has 
 been suggested to him because, if you please, she 
 doesn't happen to come up to his ideal of beauty ! " 
 
 " Dear me," said the Queen, concealing a yawn, 
 " you don't say so, Court Godmother ! " 
 
 " My dear," said the Fairy irritably, " it's non- 
 sense to teU me I don't say what I've just said ! 
 And, as I was about to teU you, his conduct caused the 
 greatest disappointment and annoyance to his father, 
 who is naturally anxious that his line should not die 
 out. So he begged me to use my influence. WeU, I 
 saw, of com^se, that the only way was to appeal to 
 another of the ideals I had given him — his ideal of 
 Duty. I put it to him that he owed it not only to 
 his father, but his country, to choose a bride without 
 any further shilly-shaUying." 
 
 " And what did he say ? " asked the Queen, with 
 more interest, as she had begun to see what was 
 coming. 
 
 " Don't be in such a hurry," said the Fairy ; "I 
 haven't finished what / said yet. I told him that 
 personal beauty was of very little consequence in a 
 bride, and that M'hat he needed was a sensible girl 
 who would be clever enough to keep him from having 
 too high an opinion of himself — which, I may say,
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 175 
 
 has always been one of his failings. I added that 
 your Edna was just the very person for him." 
 
 " How kind of you to put in a word for her ! " said 
 Queen Selina. " And — was it any good ? " 
 
 " So much so that, to his father's great joy, he 
 recognised that it was his imperative duty to seek the 
 hand of such a paragon of wisdom and learning. 
 And I am empowered by him to prepare you for his 
 arrival in the course of a day or two, in the character 
 of the Princess Royal's suitor. So you see," she 
 concluded, " I haven't been at Clairdelune all this 
 time for nothing." 
 
 " Indeed you have not, dear Court Godmother ; and 
 I'm most grateful, I'm sure, for all the trouble you 
 must have taken. Fancy our Edna the Queen of 
 Clairdelune some day ! Not that she isn't fitted for 
 any position. How pleased she will be when she hears 
 of this, dear thing ! So will his Majesty — and 
 Clarence too ! He and dear Prince MirUfior will be 
 able to go out hunting together. For — I forgot to tell 
 you — since you have deserted us, Clarence has learnt 
 to ride most beautifully ! " 
 
 " Has he indeed ? " said the Fany. " Then I was 
 right after all. I thought it just possible that, if you 
 could persuade him to wear that jewel " 
 
 " Do you mean that pendant of mine ? He does 
 wear it, but that has nothing whatever to do with his 
 riding. He'd taught himself to ride long before I 
 gave it to him. He was only pretending he couldn't, 
 as a joke." 
 
 " He may say so, my dear — but, all the same, if it 
 hadn't been for that jewel " 
 
 " ReaUy, Court Godmother," said Queen Selina, 
 who naturally resented anything that detracted from
 
 176 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 her son's credit, " it astonishes me to find anyone so — 
 so clear-headed as you are in most things still clinging 
 to these superstitious ideas. As if the mere fact of 
 wearing a piece of jewellery could suddenly make any- 
 one into a good rider ! " 
 
 " It depends upon what the piece of jewellery is," 
 said the Fairy. 
 
 Queen Selina saw her way to an absolutely crushing 
 rejoinder. " Well, this particular piece of jewellery," 
 she said, " happens to be a paltry ornament which I 
 bought from Miss Heritage before I ever heard of 
 Marchenland." 
 
 Her shot had certainly told. " What ? " faltered 
 the Court Godmother, obviously out of countenance. 
 " Did I understand you to say you bought that jewel — 
 and from the Lady Daphne ? " 
 
 " I prefer to call her Miss Heritage — the other is 
 merely a courtesy title. Yes, I did buy it from her. 
 She was in difficulties at the time, and I gave her thirty 
 pounds for it, which was a good deal more than any- 
 body else would have done." 
 
 " And — and — have you told this to any other per- 
 son — the — the Marshal, for instance ? " 
 
 " My dear Court Godmother, I am not in the habit 
 of proclaiming my acts of charity — for it was an act of 
 charity ! " 
 
 " An act of charity," said the Fairy drily, " which 
 I should strongly advise you to keep to yourself." 
 
 " I intend to," replied the Queen, as she rose with 
 much dignity, though her face was redder than usual. 
 " I should never have mentioned it at all, even to you, 
 Court Godmother, if I hadn't felt it necessary. Of 
 course, in my present position, I should never dream of 
 buying jewellery from one of my own ladies-in-waiting.
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 177 
 
 But it was different then. I hadn't come into my 
 Kingdom, and Miss Heritage was only my governess ; 
 and anyway, it was a perfectly fair bargain, so my 
 conscience is absolutely clear. Still," she added, 
 turning on the threshold, " perhaps you will admit 7iow 
 that you were just a little mistaken in attaching any 
 importance to wearing that pendant ? " 
 
 " Yes," said the Fairy, completely crestfallen and 
 subdued, "I made a mistake— a great mistake— I 
 admit that." 
 
 " I thought you would ! " returned the Queen 
 triumphantly. " And now I must go to dear Edna 
 and tell her the news about Prince MirHfior." 
 
 She had no suspicion of the state of mind in which, 
 by her unconscious revelation, she was leaving the 
 unhappy Court Godmother, who was so stunned that 
 it was some time before she could think out the situa- 
 tion at all clearly. 
 
 The present Sovereigns of Marchenland, it seemed, 
 were nothing but impostors ! Innocent impostors, 
 no doubt — but that did not lessen her own responsi- 
 bility for helpmg to place them on the throne. If she 
 made the truth known, would the people — worse still, 
 would the ex-Regent — believe that she and the Baron 
 and the Astrologer Royal had not been deceiving them 
 from the first ? She recognised now that they had 
 been too ready to accept the wearer of Prmce Chryso- 
 pras's jewelled badge as the sought-for Queen without 
 some further inquu-y- and yet who in all Marchenland 
 would have dreamed of making any ? How could any- 
 one have supposed that Queen Selina had merely 
 become the possessor of the jewel by purchasing it 
 from that little Lady Daphne ? It seemed to follow 
 that Lady Daphne must be the true Queen. The 
 
 M
 
 178 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Fairy remembered now that she had taken her to be 
 so at their first meeting. If only she had thought 
 then of asking a question or two, the mistake might 
 have been discovered before matters had gone too far 
 — but, in her unfortunate anxiety to see a legitimate 
 sovereign ruling Marchenland once more she had taken 
 everything for granted. How could she put it right 
 now without appearing either a traitress to the King- 
 dom, or at least a foolish old Fairy who ought to have 
 laiown her own business better ? That was a bitter 
 reflection for an autocratic dame who had long been 
 accustomed to consider that age and experience had 
 endowed her with a wisdom which was absolutely 
 infallible. 
 
 There was just one faint hope to which she clung. 
 She had been mistaken once — why should she not be 
 mistaken again ? Lady Daphne might herself have 
 bought the pendant from some third person. In that 
 case she would have no better claim to the throne than 
 Queen Selina, and matters could be left as they were — 
 which would relieve the Fairy of the unpleasant 
 necessity of having to admit that she was liable to 
 error. 
 
 She could not rest till she knew more, and so, as 
 soon as she felt equal to any action, she took her crutch- 
 handled staff, hobbled down the winding steps, and 
 then up more stairs and along a succession of corridors, 
 until she reached the door of the chamber she had been 
 told was Daphne's. 
 
 " I shall know very soon now ! " she told herself, 
 " And, after all, there's nothing to be uneasy about. 
 Whoever this girl may be, it's most unUkely that 
 she will turn out to be any relation of poor Chry- 
 sopras'."
 
 THE BLONDE BEAST 179 
 
 But, in spite of these reassurances, it was a very 
 tremulous hand that rapped at the door, and the Court 
 Godmother's heart sank as she heard a clear sweet 
 voice inviting her to enter. 
 
 It would have been such a reUef, just then, to find 
 that Daphne was not in her room.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 A WAY OUT 
 
 Daphne was rather surprised to see the Court God- 
 mother enter, for she had not honoured her by any 
 special notice since her first arrival. But she was 
 pleased, and touched as well, by a visit which she knew 
 must have cost the old Fairy considerable effort. 
 
 *' I thought I'd come up and see how you were get- 
 ting on, my dear," began the latter, after sinking into 
 the chak Daphne had brought forward for her, and 
 recovering her breath. " I hope you are happy here — 
 and — and well treated ? " 
 
 " Quite, thanks, Court Godmother," said Daphne. 
 
 " But you shouldn't sit moping here by yourself 
 like this." 
 
 " Her Majesty doesn't like me to come down until 
 she sends for me," explained Daphne; "and she 
 hasn't to-day. But I haven't been mopmg, Court God- 
 mother ; I've been listening to the swallows. They're 
 discussing their plans for the winter, and they can't 
 make up their minds where to go, poor darlings ! " 
 
 " That's only what you fancy they're talking about," 
 said the Fairy sharply ; for the gift of understanding 
 bird-language is comparatively rare, and only possessed 
 by those who have a strain of Fairy blood in their 
 descent. " You can't possibly know ! " 
 
 " I didn't till I came here, and then I suddenly found 
 I could. Princess Ruby declares I make it all up — 
 
 180
 
 A WAY OUT 181 
 
 but I don't. I can even understand what some of 
 the animals have to say, and its rather fun sometimes. 
 The other mornmg in the Gardens I heard a tortoise 
 telling a squirrel " 
 
 " I daresay, I daresay," interrupted the Court 
 Godmother, who had not come there to hear the 
 small talk of any tortoise ; "I find their con- 
 versation wearisome myself — and so will you when 
 you've been here a little longer. And so you're 
 comfortable here, are you ? " she went on, looking 
 round the chamber, which had walls of mothor-o'- 
 pearl with hangings of delicate shimmering blue-green 
 at the window and round the small ivory four-post 
 bed. " Well, this room looks very cool and pleasant. 
 And you've pretty dresses to wear, it seems. I like 
 that one you have on — most bccommg, though it 
 wants an ornament of some kind to set it off. But 
 perhaps you don't care for jewellery ? " 
 
 " I do," said Daphne, " very much. But I haven't 
 any now, you sec." 
 
 " But you had once, hadn't you ? I seem to re- 
 collect the Queen telling me she bought something — 
 a pendant, I fancy she said — from you before you 
 came to Marchenland. Or was it somebody else ? " 
 
 " No, it M'as me," said Daphne. " It was very 
 decent of her, because I was in rather a hole jast then — 
 with a debt I couldn't possibly have paid otherwise — 
 and the pendant was no use to me, you see — not a thing 
 I could ever have worn." 
 
 " So you wasted your money in buying an ornament 
 which was unsuited to you, eh ? " 
 
 " I didn't buy it, Court Godmother," said Daphne, 
 and proceeded to explam — much as she had done at 
 " Inglegarth " — how it came into her possession. The
 
 182 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Fairy questioned her about her father, but she had 
 little information to give. Even his name was \m- 
 certam, as it seemed he had only moved into his last 
 rooms shortly before his death. All his landlady 
 could say was that it was something foreign which she 
 could not pronounce. But she had gathered from 
 certain things he had let fall that he had led a wander- 
 ing life as a musician, and had at one period been a 
 ridmg-master. She beUeved that, in the latter capa- 
 city, he had met his young wife, Daphne's mother, 
 and that it had been a runaway marriage. She died 
 soon after giving birth to Daphne, and left him so 
 broken-hearted that he did not care to make any 
 fight against illness when it came to him, but rather 
 welcomed a death that meant re-union, " But all I 
 really know," concluded Daphne, " is that that pendant 
 belonged to him, and that my adopted Mother took 
 care of it for me tjill I was grown up. And I think 
 he would not have minded my sellmg it when I wanted 
 the money so badly." 
 
 " WeU, whether he would have minded or not," 
 said the Fairy, " you did sell it — and a sorry bargain 
 you made of it, too ! I'll be bound, now, that you've 
 told the whole Court about it long ago ! " 
 
 " I have told no one. Court Godmother," said 
 Daphne. " Why should I tell them about my own 
 private affairs ? I shouldn't have said anything to 
 you, if you hadn't heard of it already from her Majesty." 
 
 " You were wise to hold your tongue," remarked 
 the Fairy, greatly reheved. " For I may tell you 
 that, if the Court once heard that the Queen bought 
 that jewel from you, it would prejudice them very 
 seriously against her. And I am sure you would not 
 wish that."
 
 A WAY OUT 183 
 
 " Of course I shouldn't wish it," said Daphne, a 
 little haughtily. " Though how I could prejudice her 
 Majesty by telling anybody of an instance of her 
 kindness to me, I really don't know. She's scarcely 
 worn the pendant herself, and now she's given it to 
 Prince Clarence. But nobody knows that it was 
 once mine, and you can be quite sure that nobody 
 ever will, from me." 
 
 " In a Court like this, my child," said the Fairy, 
 almost apologetically, " one cannot be too careful. 
 But I can see you are to be trusted." And, after 
 some conversation on less dangerous subjects, she 
 retired. 
 
 Her worst fears had been confirmed ; she could no 
 longer doubt that Daphne was Prmce Chrysopras's 
 daughter. She wondered now how she could ever 
 have doubted it. But this constituted her Daphne's 
 official Godmother. As such, was it not her duty to 
 see that she had her rights ? 
 
 If she did her duty to her godchild it might entail 
 very unpleasant consequences to herself — consequences 
 from which she felt herself shrinking as much as ever. 
 IVIight they not be avoided ? Daphne evidently had 
 no suspicion of her claims. And, as the Faiiy re- 
 minded herself, " What the eye does not miss the 
 heart will not grieve for." The child was quite happy 
 and contented as she was. If the Marshal still had 
 any ambition to resume his power, he would have no 
 scruples about removing any rival. 
 
 " I should only be exposing her to danger," thought 
 the Court Godmother. And there were the poor 
 King and Queen to be considered, and the Baron and 
 the Astrologer Royal, who would all go down in the 
 general d^bdcle if the truth were allowed to come out.
 
 184 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 She was bound to think of them. So far as she 
 could see, the only result of disclosure would be to 
 establish the Marshal as Monarch — and they had had 
 quite enough of him as Regent. 
 
 So, as it is seldom difficult to discover insuperable 
 objections to any course that one has strong personal 
 reasons for avoiding, the Fairy easily persuaded 
 herself that she owed it to others to remain silent. 
 The secret was safe enough. Both Queen Selina 
 and Daphne could be depended on not to betray it 
 now. It was better for everybody concerned — par- 
 ticularly the Court Godmother — that it should remain 
 unknown for ever. 
 
 Still, her conscience smote her a Uttle with regard 
 to Daphne. She was so well fitted to be a Queen — it 
 seemed hard that she should forfeit the cro^\^l that 
 was rightfully hers. " But that's entirely her own 
 fault ! " the Fairy told herself. " Xuriel read the 
 stars quite correctly. He foretold not only the very 
 spot where she would be discovered, but the sign 
 by which she was to be recognised. If she chose to 
 part with the jewel to another, she must take the 
 consequences, /'m not responsible ! " 
 
 And yet, after all. Daphne was her god-daughter, 
 if she could not be openly acknowledged as such. 
 Something must be done to make up to the poor child 
 for aU she had lost. And here the Faiiy had a positively 
 brilliant idea — why not marry her to Mirhfior ? But 
 almost immediately she remembered with dismay that 
 she had been making a very different matrimonial 
 arrangement for him. That, however, was before she 
 knew what she knew now. The case was entirely 
 altered — she could not possibly allow him to commit 
 himself to an alliance with a daughter of these usurpers.
 
 A WAY OUT 185 
 
 That must be prevented at all hazards, and fortunately 
 he had taken no irretrievable step as yet. " Unless 
 I'm much mistaken," she thought, " he will forget 
 all about Princess Edna if he once sees Lady Daphne. 
 She ought to be lovely enough to satisfy even his 
 ideal. But if he doesn't see her soon, it maybe too 
 late to save him." 
 
 Like most Fairy Godmothers, she possessed the 
 power of impressing any jrroUge of hers who was not 
 more than a couple of hundred leagues away with a 
 perfectly distinct vision of anybody or anything she 
 chose. She had made not a few matches by this 
 means in her best days, and some of them had not 
 turned out at all badly. But it was a long time smce 
 she had last exercised any of her occult faculties. 
 To do so demanded a concentration of will-power and 
 psychic force which told on her more and more severely 
 as she advanced in years, and she had resolved to 
 abstain from any practices that might shorten the 
 life to M'hich she had every intention of clingmg as 
 long as possible. 
 
 " But I must risk it — just for this once," she decided. 
 " Yes, I'll make him dream of her this very night." 
 
 Meanwhile Queen Selina had informed her daughter 
 of the brilliant future that awaited her, and was not 
 a little annoyed at Edna's failure to express the 
 least enthusiasm. 
 
 " I wash Godmother wouldn't meddle like this in 
 my affairs," she said. " I suppose I shall have to see 
 this Prmce MirUflor now if he comes ; but it is not 
 at all likely that he will have any of the qualities that 
 appeal to me." 
 
 " My love ! " remonstrated Queen Selina. " He 
 will be the King of Clairdelune some dav ! "
 
 186 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " He may be, Mother," returned Edna. " But 
 that is a consideration which I shall not allow to 
 afEect me in the sUghtest." 
 
 " Of course not, my dear," said her Mother, feeling 
 that Edna could be safely trusted to look after her 
 own interests. " You are free to decide exactly as 
 you please. I shall put no pressure on you what- 
 ever." 
 
 " My dear Mother," returned Edna, " you would 
 gain nothing by it if you did." 
 
 That night the Court Godmother retired early, and 
 spent a long and strenuous vigil in callmg up a vivid 
 recollection of Daphne as she had seen her that after- 
 noon, and imprmtmg the vision on her godson's 
 sleepmg bram. She was unwell in consequence all 
 the next day, but she was easier in her mind after 
 having prevented any untoward effects her counsels 
 might have had upon Mirhflor. It was rather a strain 
 upon her to face the Royal Family again, but she 
 forced herself, for her own sake, to treat them with 
 as much outward respect as before. 
 
 She had begun to think that the worst was over 
 when an envoy suddenly arrived in hot haste from 
 Clairdelune bearing a formal proposal from Prince 
 Mirlifior for Princess Edna's hand, and the informa- 
 tion that he was following shortly to plead his suit in 
 person. 
 
 He had also entrusted the messenger with a short 
 despatch to his Godmother, which she read with 
 impotent fury. It was a somewhat involved and 
 incoherent letter, expressing his thanks for the vision, 
 for which he could not doubt he was mdebted to her, 
 but intimating that she had convinced him so forcibly 
 that Princess Edna possessed qualities infinitely more
 
 A WAY OUT 187 
 
 precious than the most exquisite beauty, that his 
 determination to win her had already been irrevocably 
 fixed. 
 
 " Prefers her to Lady Daphne, does he ? " she said 
 to herself, as she realised that she would be forced to 
 speak out now if he was to be saved from such an 
 alhance. " Then he must marry her, that's all ! I 
 can't and won't turn all Marchenland topsy-turvy on 
 his account ! I've done all I could for him, and I 
 shall leave him to go his own way. I'll go up to bed 
 before he arrives, and I expect it will be a long time 
 before I'm able to come down, for I feel sure 1 am 
 going to be iU — and little wonder ! " 
 
 Queen SeHna was so elated by the Prince's message 
 that she ordered it to be publicly announced at once. 
 The Court, whom she informed herself, expressed the 
 greatest delight, and, as for the old Court Chamber- 
 lain von Eisenbanden, he was almost lyrical in his 
 jubilation. 
 
 " This is indeed a glorious day. Madam ! " he cried. 
 " It has long been my dream to see the reigning houses 
 of Marchenland and Clairdelune united, but of late I 
 had begun to despair that it would ever be accom- 
 plished ! And from all I have heard of Prmce Mirli- 
 flor, her Royal Highness is almost as much to be felici- 
 tated as he ! " 
 
 " Thank you, Baron," repHed the Queen. " We are 
 all most pleased about it. Though I shall be very 
 lonely without her. You see," she added, raising her 
 voice for the benefit of such of her ladies-in-waiting 
 as happened to be within hearing, " there is no one 
 else here who is any companion for me. I can't make 
 intimate friends of any of my ladies, as I could of the 
 dear old Duchess of Gleneagles, for mstance, or even
 
 188 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the Marchioness of Muscombe. Ah, my dear Baron, 
 our English aristocracy ! You've nothing to approach 
 them in a country like this — nothing ! " 
 
 " I can well understand," he said, " that your 
 Majesty must feel the loss of such society." 
 
 " I miss it, Baron," Queen Selina confessed, without 
 untruthfulness, seeing that she always liad missed it. 
 "It is only natural that I should. The Duchess is 
 such a sweet woman — a true grande dame ! And the 
 Marchioness, though only a peeress by marriage, such 
 a clever, talented creature ! They would both have 
 so rejoiced to hear of our dear Edna's engagement 
 — she was such a favourite of theirs, you know ! I 
 remember the Duchess always prophesied that she 
 would make a brilliant marriage." 
 
 These particulars were thrown in mainly for the 
 edification of the Court, but Queen Selina had almost 
 brought herself to believe them, and, in any case, 
 none of her own family was at hand just then, so 
 she was safe from contradiction. 
 
 The announcement of Prince Mirliflor's proposal had 
 no sooner reached Count Rubenfresser's ears than he 
 drove over to the Palace, to ascertain from Edna 
 herself whether the report had any truth in it. He 
 succeeded in obtaining a private interview, and at 
 once put his question. 
 
 "It is only true so far as that the Prince has 
 proposed to me by letter," Edna informed him. 
 " Whether I shall accept him when he appears will 
 depend entirely upon circumstances." 
 
 " You won't accept him. Princess," said the Count, 
 drawing himself up to his full height, which was 
 now well over seven feet. " Or, if you do, he will 
 never wed vou. / shall see to that ! "
 
 A WAY OUT 189 
 
 " Really, Count ! " protested Princess Edna, feeling 
 secretly rather pleased. " I don't quite see what it 
 has to do with you.'" 
 
 " Don't you ? " he replied. " I migJit want to 
 marry you myself. I've been thinking of it lately." 
 
 " Have you 1 " said Edna, not so pleased. " That 
 is very good of you. But has it never occurred to you 
 that / might have a voice in the matter ? " 
 
 " You would have to belong to me, if I wanted you 
 badly enough," he said calmly. 
 
 " And you're not sure yet if you do want me badly 
 enough, but, in the meantime, you would prevent 
 anyone else from marrying me if you could — is that it ? " 
 
 " That's exactly it ! " he said, gratified at being so 
 thoroughly understood. 
 
 " Well, can't you see how selfish that is of you ? " 
 
 "It's splendid being selfish," he said, " and not 
 really so difficult after all — when you try.'' 
 
 " And how do you suppose you could prevent mc 
 from marrying Prince Mirhflor if I thought proper to 
 accept him ? " 
 
 "Oh, that would be easy. I should only have to 
 unchain Tiitzi, and send him to kill the Prince for me. 
 Tiitzi's so intelligent and obedient that he'll do every- 
 thing I tell him." 
 
 " I think you forget, Count, that it's against the law 
 to let that dragon loose." 
 
 " I know," he said ; " but I've no respect for human 
 laws any more. I'm not going to obey anything in 
 future, except my own instincts." 
 
 " I'm sure you don't mean that. And if you really 
 sent that dragon to kill anybody — especially anyone 
 who had done nothing to offend you — it would be very 
 wicked indeed."
 
 190 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " Other people might think so," he said. " I 
 shouldn't myself — and that's all that reaUy matters, 
 I'm going to make my own morahty for the future. I 
 want to be a Superman, like that learned man you told 
 me about with the odd name. Aren't you glad I'm 
 taking your advice ? " 
 
 " Of course I am pleased," said Edna, " that you 
 should be more independent and unconventional and 
 assert yourself — which is all that Nietzsche reaUy 
 meant. You mustn't carry it too far, you know." 
 
 " But you said I couldn't be really great unless I 
 felt the will and the power to inflict great suffering," 
 he said ; " and that's just what I do feel." 
 
 " Yes, but you can feel the wiU and the power 
 without actually inflicting suffering," said Edna 
 instructively. " Nietzsche never intended that. And 
 if you set that horrid dragon of yours at the Prince, 
 you would inflict very great suffering indeed." 
 
 " I shouldn't mind tlmt'' he said. 
 
 " Perhaps not — but Father and Mother would. 
 And you would be imprisoned again, and lose your 
 dragon as well. But I don't suppose for a moment 
 you are serious. It would be too absirrd of you to 
 threaten violence to a Prince before I've ever seen 
 him or made up my mind to accept him — which most 
 likely I shall not do," 
 
 " That is true," he said, rather as if he were glad of 
 an excuse for not taking any immediate action, " Yes, 
 I wiU wait till I hear whether he is betrothed to you or 
 not. But if I find he is, I shall have to clear him out 
 of my path somehow or other." 
 
 He left Edna with the consciousness that she had 
 been more than usually interested. The Count was 
 certainly developing. She liked his new air of self-
 
 A WAY OUT 191 
 
 confident domination. It would be rather thrilling, 
 she thought, to be wooed in this masterful way. But 
 he had taken some pains to let her see that he was not 
 sure yet whether she was worth the trouble of wooing ! 
 That was insulting, of course, but he might alter his 
 opinion in time — and then she would know how to 
 avenge herself. She wondered if Prince Mirliflor 
 would be ardent and domineering enough to carry her 
 by storm, and caught herself hoping he might be. 
 
 But when, shortly afterwards, she heard that he 
 was just entering the Courtyard of the Palace with his 
 suite, she was seized by a sudden panic. " You go 
 down and speak to him. Mother," she implored the 
 Queen. " I — I can't see him just yet. And make 
 him understand that I must get to know him better 
 before I can give him a definite answer." 
 
 Queen Selina bustled down to the State Reception 
 Hall, where she arrived in a highly flurried condition, 
 just after the Prince and his briUiant retinue had been 
 ushered in. 
 
 " My dear Prince ! " she began. " This is really too 
 kind ! So delighted by your proposal — we all are — 
 dear Edna especially. We feel it such a compliment. 
 My husband — ^his Majesty, I mean — will be in directly, 
 but Edna has asked me to make her apologies for not 
 coming down for a few minutes. The poor child — 
 naturally — is feeling a little shy and overcome." 
 
 " Madam," said the Prince, whose comely face and 
 gallant bearing had already won him the sympathies 
 of those of the Court who were present, and particu- 
 larly the Court Chamberlain's, " I'count each minute 
 a month until I have the happiness of looking upon the 
 enchanting face that has haunted me constantly from 
 I the moment I beheld it in a vision."
 
 192 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " In a vision ? " cried the Queen. '* How very odd ! 
 But how did you know, Prince, it was our Edna ? " 
 
 " I will attempt to describe my vision. Madam," he 
 replied, " and, though my poor words cannot hope to 
 do it justice, they will at least convince you that it 
 was indeed the Princess whom I was permitted to 
 see." 
 
 He described her as well as he could, though with a 
 growmg bewilderment that the lady of his dream 
 should have a Mother who so little resembled her. 
 
 Queen Selina listened to his rhapsody with mis- 
 givings. With every allowance for the fervour of a 
 lover who was also a Fairy Prince, even maternal 
 partiality could not blind her to the fact that his 
 description would be far less incorrect as appUed to 
 that Heritage girl than to the Princess Edna. 
 
 " It certainly suggests dear Edna, Prince," she re- 
 marked, with a mental note that Daphne must be kept 
 out of his way. " Except, perhaps in one or two 
 respects ; but then you can't expect to see people in 
 dreams looking exactly like themselves, can you ? I'll 
 run up and bring her down to you — and, if a Mother 
 may say so, I do7iH think you'll be very disappointed." 
 
 But it was to Daphne's chamber that she went first. 
 " Oh, Miss Heritage," she began, quite pleasantly, 
 *' I'm going to ask you to do something for me. I 
 don't at all like the effect of those jewels they've sewn 
 on to the front of my satin-brocade. I'm sure they 
 would look much better on my cloth -of -gold skirt. 
 Would you mmd getting both skirts from my ward- 
 robe and just making the necessary alterations for me ? 
 You had better set to work at once, as I may be requir- 
 ing the cloth-of-gold very shortly. And as time is 
 pressing, I will tell them to bring all your meals up
 
 A WAY OUT 193 
 
 here till the work is done. It's so important that 
 I can't trust any of the regular ladies-in-waiting 
 with it." 
 
 " That disposes of her for at least a week," she re- 
 flected, as she went on to Prmcess Edna's apartments. 
 " And everything ought to be settled long before 
 that ! " 
 
 When, a little later, she smiUngly re-entered the 
 Reception Hall with one arm affectionately placed 
 round her reluctant daughter's waist, it cannot be 
 denied that the Prince was very much disappointed 
 indeed. The vision had not prepared him for Edna's 
 pince-nez, among other matters, and altogether he 
 felt that his Godmother had exaggerated the Prmcess 's 
 personal attractions to a most unscrupulous degree. 
 But this he had sufficient self-command to conceal. 
 In fact, he rather overdid it, though it was only to 
 himself that his courtly greeting sounded fulsome and 
 insmcere. 
 
 But if Edna detected no extravagance in his homage, 
 she was none the more pleased Mdth it. It made her 
 feel awkward and self-conscious. She set him down in 
 her own mind as " too finicking," while his good 
 looks did not happen to be of a type that appealed 
 to her. 
 
 Still, they got through the first interview fairly well, 
 though both were relieved when a message came from 
 the Court Godmother that she was feeling too indis- 
 posed to leave her apartments, but would be glad to 
 see him as soon as he was at Hberty. He had himself 
 conducted to her at once, and was not a little ag- 
 grieved, as well as surprised, by the asperity of his 
 reception. 
 
 " Well," she said peevishly ; "so you've seen your 
 
 N
 
 194 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Princess, have you ? And now I suppose it is all 
 settled between you ? " 
 
 " Not yet," he said stiffly. " I believe she is reserving 
 her answer till we are better acquainted." 
 
 " But you don't expect it will be unfavourable, do 
 you ? " 
 
 " Do you, Godmother ? I can't think you would 
 have urged me to present myself here to be publicly 
 humihated." 
 
 " Oh, there's no doubt she vaW accept you," she 
 said, with a sharp twinge. " You need have no 
 apprehensions on that score. And, as you no longer 
 consider beauty indispensable, I daresay she will be 
 as satisfactory a helpmate as you could wish." 
 
 " I daresay," he agreed dully ; and then his pent-up 
 grievance suddenly broke out in spite of him. " With 
 all respect to you. Godmother Voldoiseau," he said, 
 " I don't consider you've treated me fairly over this ! 
 You persuaded me that it was my duty to marry at 
 once, and that there were better and more permanent 
 quaUties than beauty. I'm not complaining of that — 
 I am quite ready to believe that the Princess Edna is 
 as learned and admirable a lady as you gave me to 
 understand, while she is not without good looks of a 
 kind. But why send me a vision representing her as a 
 miracle of loveHiiess ? That is a deception which I 
 can't understand, and I confess I find hard to forgive ! " 
 
 How could she have foreseen that he would be 
 foolish enough to imagine that the vision represented 
 Edna ? But the worst of it was that the Fairy could 
 not explaiti her real intention just then without landing 
 herself in fresh difficulties. So she sought refuge in 
 prevarication. 
 
 " / send you a vision ! " she said. " I don't know
 
 A WAY OUT 195 
 
 what you're talking about, Mirliflor, A vision, 
 indeed ! " 
 
 " Didn't it come from you ? " he asked lamely. " I 
 — I made sure it must have." 
 
 " You had no business to make sure of anythmg of 
 the kind. And if you choose to dream that your 
 future bride is more beautiful than she happens to be, 
 I don't see why you should put the blame on me ! 
 But the truth is you're longing for some excuse for 
 getting out of this marriage. Come, MirUflor, you 
 know you are — and you had better say so frankly." 
 
 " It is not so, Godmother," he rephed ; " I'm quite 
 prepared to obey your wishes. After all, since I must 
 marry, I am not likely to find a more advantageous 
 match than this. Besides, I couldn't possibly back 
 out of it now — even if I desired." 
 
 " And what," asked the Fairy, " if you actually 
 meet the Princess of your dreams ? " She was ignorant 
 of the Queen's manoeuvre, and so thought he could 
 not well fail to come across Daphne that very evening. 
 
 " That is so likely ! " he said bitterly. " A mere 
 creation of my own mmd — an ideal that I ought to 
 have known would never be reaUsed ! No, God- 
 mother, since there is no hope of that, it matters little 
 to me whom I marry ! " 
 
 " Listen to me, IVIirHfior," said the Fairy impatiently. 
 " I — I'm not so bent on this alliance as I was. Never 
 mind why — but I'm not. And — and — if you would 
 rather withdraw, it's not too late. / see nothing to 
 prevent you," 
 
 " Nothing to prevent me ! " rephed MirHflor in- 
 dignantly. " There is my honour ! What Prince 
 with any sense of honour at all could propose to a 
 Princess and then inform her that he finds, after a
 
 196 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 personal interview, that he has changed his intentions ? 
 You of all people, Godmother Voldoiseau, should 
 know that we cannot do these things ! " 
 
 " Those ideals again ! " said the exasperated Fairy. 
 " You'll drive me out of all patience directly ! But 
 there — I've said all I could, and if you will be pig- 
 headed, you must. And now I'll ask you to go away, 
 as I'm really not well enough to bear any more con- 
 versation." 
 
 He had not been gone more than ten minutes when 
 there was another knock at her door, and this time it 
 was Princess Edna herself who entered. 
 
 " So it's you, is it ? " snapped the Court Godmother, 
 with none of her customary urbanity. And then, 
 recollecting the necessity of keeping up appearances, 
 threw in a belated " my dear." " Well, I hear you are 
 taking time before you put IVIirlifior out of suspense, 
 but I presume you've already decided to accept him ? " 
 
 " That's what I came to consult you about. Court 
 Godmother," replied Edna. " I don't feel that I — 
 he is at all a person I could ever be happy \^dth. He 
 is not on the same intellectual plane mth me — we should 
 have nothing whatever in common. He seems to have 
 none of the qualities that would make me respect and 
 look up to a man." 
 
 Relieved though she was, the Fairy still resented 
 any disparagement of her favourite godson from such 
 a quarter. 
 
 "Hoity-toity!" she exclaimed — an expression 
 which, if it ever was popular, is no longer used by 
 anyone but Fairy Godmothers — and even the Fairy 
 only indulged in it under extreme provocation. " Let 
 me tell you that Mirliflor is not generally regarded as 
 ineligible. But, no doubt, my dear," ahe added 
 
 A
 
 A WAY OUT 197 
 
 acidly, " you have every right to be fastidious." She 
 was greatly tempted to let her know that Mirliflor 
 would be anything but broken-hearted by a refusal, 
 but prudence w^arned her that she had better not. 
 " And may I ask what you propose to say to him ? " 
 
 " Oh," said Edna, " I suppose I shall have to tell 
 him to-night that I find I don't like him enough to 
 marry him." 
 
 " And give everybody to understand that he is 
 personally displeasing to you ! Indeed you will not ! " 
 said the old Fairy imperiously. " Other persons' feelings 
 have to be considered as well as your own. Mine, 
 for one. IMirHflor would never forgive me for exposing 
 him to such humihation. Nor would his father, King 
 Tournesol, for that matter, and I can't afford to 
 quarrel with either of them. You can't get rid of an 
 unwelcome suitor like that — at all events, not in 
 Marchenland ! " 
 
 " Can't I ? " said Edna. " Then how am I to get 
 rid of him ? " 
 
 " A Princess of high breeding," replied the Fairy, 
 *' finds some means of tempering her refusal so as 
 to avoid wounding her suitor's pride ; and I may tell 
 you Mirhflor has more than his share of that. The 
 usual method here is to accept him, on condition that 
 he succeeds in answering some question so difficult 
 that it is no disgrace if he fails to answer it." 
 
 " Do you mean something in the nature of a riddle?" 
 asked Edna. 
 
 " Well, a riddle will do. Yes, there are precedents 
 for that. A riddle would be quite in accordance 
 with Court etiquette. Ask him a riddle if you like." 
 
 " I'm afraid I am not very familiar with riddles," 
 said Edna. " I have never found them particularly
 
 198 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 amusing myself. But I must try and remember one. 
 It needn't be so very difficult, because he doesn't 
 seem to me clever enough to guess any riddle." 
 
 " Quite clever enough not to try ! " was on the tip 
 of the Fairy's tongue, though she did not say it. 
 " I've no doubt, my dear," she replied, " that any 
 riddle you may ask Mirliflor wiU be quite beyond his 
 power to answer." 
 
 " Thank you very much for your advice, Court 
 Godmother," said Edna. " I daresay I shall be able 
 to remember a riddle of some sort by this evening." 
 
 The Fairy felt that she had extricated herself from 
 her dUemma with considerable tact and ingenuity. 
 Not only had she delivered her godson from the shght 
 of being summarily rejected by this upstart girl, but 
 she had saved herself from all necessity to make any 
 compromising disclosures. 
 
 " Yes," she told herself complacently, " I've really 
 got myself and Mirliflor out of it very neatly indeed. 
 I mayn't be quite as quick-witted as I was in my prime 
 — ^but I'm not in my dotage just yet ! "
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 
 
 Princess Edna took the earliest opportunity of 
 acting on the Fairy Vogelflug's suggestion. At the 
 conclusion of the banquet that evening, she requested 
 King Sidney to order the silver trumpets to be flour- 
 ished, and when this had been done and an expectant 
 hush feU upon the assembly, she rose. After regarding 
 the Prince, who sat on her right, with a graciousness 
 which, enhanced as it was by her pince-nez, struck 
 terror into his very soul, she began in a high, clear 
 tone : 
 
 " You all know, I think," she said, " that his Royal 
 Highness Prince Mirliflor of Clairdelune has done me 
 the great honour of asking me to be his wife, and that 
 I have promised him my answer this evening. That 
 answer I am now about to give. Prince Mirliflor, 
 you have impressed me so favourably that, although 
 I had previously no thought of marrying, I have de- 
 cided to accept you," At this the whole Court broke 
 out in frantic and rapturous applause, for they had 
 been most anxious for the Prince to succeed in his 
 project — if only for the reason that it would entail 
 the removal of Princess " Four-eyes " to Clairdelune. 
 The King exclaimed, " Quite right ! Sensible girl ! " 
 and Queen Selina assured the Prmce that he had won 
 a treasure. Clarence, who had taken a liking to his 
 new brother-in-law, which was not entirely recipro- 
 
 199
 
 200 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 cated, rose and clapped him heartily on the back, 
 while the old Court Chamberlain could scarcely con- 
 tain his pride and joy. Edna held up her hand for 
 silence. " Wait, please ! " she said ; " I haven't 
 finished. I said I would accept you, Prince Mirliflor, 
 and so I will — on condition that you are able to give 
 the correct answer to a question I am about to ask 
 you." 
 
 There was a murmur of disappointment at this, 
 though it was generally recognised that the Princess's 
 action was quite en regie. The Prince, feeling that it 
 was at least a reprieve, begged her to put the question 
 without keeping him in any further suspense. 
 
 " My question is this," said Edna : " Why did the 
 sausage roll ? " 
 
 " Hang it all, Edna ! " cried Clarence, " you're not 
 going to chuck him unless he can guess a rotten riddle 
 like that ! " 
 
 " Of course not ! " said her anxious Mother. " Don't 
 be alarmed, dear Prince Mirliflor. She doesn't mean 
 it seriously. It — it's a little joke, that's all ! " 
 
 "It's not a joke. Mother," said Edna; "I'm per- 
 fectly serious. I am sure Prince Mirliflor is so clever 
 that he will have no difficulty in guessing the riddle. 
 If he can't — well, I shall be very sorry, but — I shall 
 not be able to marry him." 
 
 " Alas, Princess ! " said Mirliflor, " but it passes 
 my poor wit to discover why the sausage rolled." 
 
 "Will your Majesties pardon me," struck in the Court 
 Chamberlain, " if I humbly offer a suggestion. Such 
 a problem as her Royal Highness has propounded 
 cannot be solved in a moment. It is only just to his 
 Royal Highness Prince Mirliflor that he should be 
 given a night to reflect before delivering his answer."
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 201 
 
 " Certainly," said the King ; " you must see that 
 yourself, Edna. Give him a chance — every chance ! " 
 
 " I have no objection, Father," said Edna. " The 
 Prince shall have till to-morrow morning to thmk it 
 over — but I can give him no longer." 
 
 "It's an infernal shame, MirUflor ! " said Clarence. 
 " I haven't an idea why the bally sausage rolled, or 
 I'd tell you, dear old chap ! " 
 
 " I am sure you would, my dear Prince Clarence ! " 
 Mirliflor assured him ; " but, believe me, I am none the 
 less grateful to you." 
 
 Queen Selina did all she could think of to persuade 
 her daughter to alter her decision, and, when this 
 failed, to extract the answer to the momentous conun- 
 drum, which Edna knew her mother too well to confide 
 to her, so that at length she was obliged to take up 
 her bedroom taper and retreat, with a Parthian pre- 
 diction that such folly would be bitterly repented in 
 the future. 
 
 Edna's next visitor was the Court Godmother, on 
 whose entrance she at once mformed her waiting- 
 women that she would not require their further ser- 
 vices that night. " Well, Godmother," she began, 
 as soon as they were alone together, " I did as you 
 advised, you see. And — you don't think Prince 
 Mirliflor can possibly find out the answer, do 
 you ? " 
 
 " My good girl," said the Fairy, " I'd defy the Astro- 
 loger Royal himself to find it out, if he consulted all the 
 stars and all his mystic books into the bargain ! How 
 the dickens did you come to invent such a riddle as 
 that ? " 
 
 " I didn't invent it," said Edna ; " I heard it a long 
 time ago — at the Theatre — in some silly play. I've
 
 202 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 forgotten what the play was about — but I remembered 
 the riddle." 
 
 " Ai'e you sure you remember the answer ? I have 
 heard of sausages talkiiig occasionally, and I daresay 
 they can roll, but I fail to see what intelligible reason 
 any sausage could give for doing it," 
 
 " It's a catch," explained Edna. " It's like this. 
 Why did the sausage roll ? Because it saw the jam- 
 turnover. Now do you see ? " 
 
 " I can't say I do, my dear. It seems senseless 
 to me. But that's all the better — the more idiotic it is, 
 the less chance of its being guessed. Yes, on the 
 whole, I don't think you could have thought of a better 
 
 one." 
 
 Shortly afterwards Prince Mirliflor, just as he was 
 about to extinguish the flambeaux and turn into bed, 
 was startled to see his door opening by some mysterious 
 means. He was more startled still when the figure 
 of the old Court Chamberlain suddenly materialised in 
 the centre of the room. 
 
 " Your Royal Highness will forgive my intrusion," 
 said the Baron, " when I explain the object of this 
 visit. My reason for suggesting that the Princess 
 should grant you a night to answer her question was 
 that I felt convinced that she would be unable to re- 
 frain from telhng it to some person — ^her mother, most 
 probably. So I resolved by means of this " (and here 
 he exhibited a small skull-cap of purple silk) " to pene- 
 trate unseen to the Princess's apartments and overhear 
 her conversation. To my disappointment, she would 
 reveal nothing to Her Majesty, but by-and-by the 
 Com't Godmother paid the Princess a visit, in the course 
 of which I, remaining, of course, invisible, succeeded in 
 learning the secret on which your Royal Highness's
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 203 
 
 happiness and the hopes of all Marchenland depend. 
 The answer, it seems — though I must admit I can make 
 little of it myself — is " 
 
 " Stop, Baron ! " mterrupted Prince ^lirliflor, " I 
 refuse — do you hear ? — I refuse to take advantage of 
 any information obtained in such a disreputable 
 manner — I insist on your leavmg this room at once 
 without another word ! " 
 
 " But, sire, hear me ! This is not a case for being 
 over-scrupulous. In love, as in war, all is fair. And 
 the answer is — ' Because ' " 
 
 " Will 3''ou get out ? " cried the Prince, stopping both 
 his ears. " I won't hear you. I can't, as you can see. 
 And if you don't clear out at once, I'll strike this gong 
 for the guard ! " 
 
 The Baron, seeing that he could do no more, hastily 
 put on his cap again and disappeared. " What a 
 pity," he thought, " that such a fine young Prince 
 should be so priggish when his own interests are 
 concerned ! " 
 
 But although IVIirliflor's code of honour was un- 
 doubtedly high, it is quite possible that he might not 
 have stopped his ears quite so hermetically if Princess 
 Edna had only borne a closer resemblance to his vision 
 of her. 
 
 As it was, even if the Baron had forced him to hear 
 the answer, it would have made no difference, since he 
 had not the least intention of profiting by it, and so he 
 slept soundly, with no apprehensions concerning what 
 the morrow might bring him. 
 
 Shortly after breakfast the next day the Court 
 filled the body of the HaU of Audience, on the dais of 
 which the King and Queen presently appeared and 
 took their thrones, Prince IVIii'liflor and the members
 
 204 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 of the Royal Family being accommodated with lower 
 seats on the same platform. 
 
 " Now, Prince Mirliflor," remarked Edna sweetly, 
 " you have been given a night to consider the answer 
 to my question. I hope you have found it ? " 
 
 The Prince was about to confess his utter inabihty 
 to do so, when, to his extreme annoyance, he found 
 that the Baron, who had stationed himself behind his 
 chair, was whispering discreetly into his ear. " Will 
 you be kind enough to leave me alone. Baron ? " he 
 said m a savage undertone. " I've told you already 
 that I don't desire any interference in my affairs. 
 ObUge me by holding your tongue ! " 
 
 " Certainly, your Royal Highness," said the Baron 
 obsequiously, " your wishes shall be obeyed. . . . His 
 Royal Highness, Madam," he said aloud, " begs me to 
 make his excuses. He feels too much agitated to speak 
 for himself, but instructs me to say that he believes the 
 reason why the sausage rolled was because it had seen 
 the jam pasty. And," he added confidently, "your 
 Royal Highness will, I am sure, be gracious enough to 
 admit that Prince Mirliflor has answered her question 
 with absolute correctness." 
 
 Iklirliflor's attempts to deny that he had offered any 
 solution whatever were unheard in the tumult of 
 acclamation which followed the Court Chamberlain's 
 announcement. 
 
 " He hasn't given the correct answer ! " declared 
 Edna, as soon as silence could be obtained. " He 
 ought to have said ' the jam turnover ' — not the ' jam 
 fasty ' / " 
 
 " Oh, come, my dear ! " said her father. " That's 
 splitting haii-s, you know. He was near enough. 
 What's the difference ? "
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 205 
 
 " None that 1 can see," pronounced the Queen. 
 " Both are pastry, and both contain jam. Yes, Prince 
 Mirhfior, you have won the dear child, as I'm sure you 
 richly deserved to ! " 
 
 " How can you say that, Mother ? " cried Edna, 
 scarlet with vexation. " When his answer utterly 
 missed the point ? And, anyhow, it was given by 
 proxy, so it doesn't count ! " 
 
 " H'm— ha ! " said King Sydney, " that's rather 
 a ticklish question ! What do you think, my love ? " 
 and he consulted the Queen in undertones for a minute 
 or two. " Well," he announced presently, " her 
 Majesty and myself both consider that the Prince's 
 answer should be adjudged correct, and that its having 
 been given by proxy is — ah — no disqualification what- 
 ever. Still, to avoid all appearance of favouritism, 
 we propose to refer the case to the final decision of 
 our Council." 
 
 " I say ! " protested Clarence in a horrified whisper, 
 " you're never going to leave it to those old pumps ? " 
 " It's quite safe, my boy," said the King. " They 
 won't give it against him ! " 
 
 So, after the Councillors had filed out to deliberate, 
 Clarence devoted himself to keepuig up Mirliflor's 
 spu-its, though the latter could not be induced to see 
 that he had no cause for uneasiness. 
 
 But King Sidney had not been mistaken m his 
 prediction ; after a short absence the Councillors filed 
 in agaui and reported that they were unanimously of 
 opinion that Prince MirHflor had succeeded. 
 
 "There, my dear," said the King to the Prmcess 
 Royal, as soon as the shouts of joy had quieted down, 
 " you've got the Council's decision. Give the Prince 
 your hand, and let's have no more bother about it."
 
 206 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 ** I won't ! " declared Edna, losing all self-control 
 in her rage and disappointment. " He hasn't won 
 me fairly. I've been tricked into this, and it's aU the 
 Court Godmother's doing ! " 
 
 No accusation could well be more unjust, but it was 
 difficult for the Fairy to disprove it without declaring 
 that she had done her utmost to hinder the match — 
 and this would have been impolitic just then. 
 
 "My doing, forsooth ! " she repeated. " If you really 
 believe that, you were never more mistaken in your 
 life ! " 
 
 " Oh no, I'm not mistaken ! " said Edna. " It was 
 you who suggested my asking the riddle — and you 
 were the only person I told the answer. If you did 
 not tell him, I should like to know who did ! " 
 
 " May I remind you, Princess," said Mirliflor, " that 
 the answer was not made by me ? " 
 
 " You let the Baron answer for you, which is just 
 as bad ! " retorted Edna. " And I absolutely refuse 
 to be trapped and cheated into marrying anybody ! " 
 
 " My conscience at least is clear," he said. " But I 
 am to understand that you decline to marry me, 
 Princess — is that so ? " 
 
 " Certainly I do. Nothing would induce me to 
 accept you after this ! I don't care what Father and 
 Mother or the Council or anyone says ! When. — ^if — 
 I marry I intend to choose for myself. And you are 
 about the last person, Prince Mirliflor, I should ever 
 dream of choosing ! " 
 
 "I am desolated to hear it, Princess," he replied, 
 with admirable patience and resignation. " But since 
 I have the misfortune to be so obnoxious to you, the 
 only service I can render you now is to relieve you of 
 my presence as soon as possible."
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 207 
 
 Queen Selina implored him to stay to lunch, and 
 even held out hopes that Edna might relent in time 
 — but all her entreaties were in vain. To her infinite 
 chagrin and the general lamentation, he insisted on 
 leaving the Palace within an hour. He said no fare- 
 well to his Godmother, who for her part was glad to 
 escape a private interview with him, but he took his 
 leave of his host and hostess with all due outward 
 courtesy, though inwardly fuming with rage and im- 
 patience to quit a place where he considered he had 
 been so wantonly insulted. 
 
 Count von Rubenfresser must have got wind from 
 some quarter of the Prince's discomfiture, for on the 
 very next day he turned up at the Palace about lunch 
 time, according to his previous habit, and Queen 
 Selina, though far from delighted at his appearance, 
 could hardly avoid inviting him to remain. His 
 manner at table was considerably more assured, and 
 his appetite, if anything, heartier than usual, but even 
 so he seemed, to all but Princess Edna, an indifferent 
 substitute for the Prince whose departure they were 
 still mourning. 
 
 Edna, however, seemed to make a point of treating 
 him with marked favour, so much so that, when lunch 
 was over and the Royal Family had removed to the 
 Terrace, it was rather with disgust than sm'prise 
 that they discovered that the Princess Royal and the 
 Count had stolen of! together to a secluded part of 
 the gardens. 
 
 Whether amour propre had incited her to make a 
 special effort to overcome his hesitation, or absence 
 and jealousy had quickened his somewhat lagging 
 ardour, none could say with any certainty, but when 
 they eventually re-appeared, Queen Selina observed
 
 208 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 with positive horror that they were walking hand-in- 
 hand. 
 
 " It's quite all right, Mother," said Edna, as they 
 came within speaking distance ; " Ruprecht and I are 
 engaged." 
 
 " Engaged ! " spluttered King Sidney. " You've 
 got to get your Mother's consent for that, you know. 
 And we couldn't hear of it. Not for a moment ! 
 Eh, my love ? " 
 
 " Of course not ! " said the Queen. " Entirely out 
 of the question ! " 
 
 " We expected this," remarked Edna calmly. " But 
 no amount of opposition will make the sUghtest dif- 
 ference to ws — will it, Ruprecht ? " 
 
 " Not the slightest," he replied. " At least — to 
 
 ME." 
 
 " But think, my dear, only think ! " the distressed 
 Queen entreated Edna. " After you've just made us 
 all so unpopular by refusing a Prince, you simply 
 can't go and engage yourself to some one whose position 
 is so far beneath your own ! " 
 
 " Ruprecht is above me in every sense," said Edna ; 
 " and because I'm a Princess by no wish of mine is 
 no reason why I should sacrifice myself for reasons of 
 state. I utterly and entirely deny that any parents, 
 no matter what their position in life, have the right 
 nowadays to dictate to their children whom they should 
 marry or not marry. Of course, I would rather you 
 were sensible enough to recognise our engagement, 
 but if you aren't, I shaU simply marry Ruprecht just 
 the same." 
 
 Queen Selina reflected. If she refused consent, it 
 would only end in a still worse situation. And, after 
 all, she would have been proud enough in her Gable-
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 209 
 
 hurst days to be able to announce her daughter's 
 engagement to a real Count with a fine and ancient 
 castle. 
 
 "Well," she said, "if it's understood that there 
 must be no thought of marriage for at least a 
 year " 
 
 "Oh, Ruprecht will wait a year for me — won't you, 
 Ruprecht ? But the engagement must be proclaimed 
 at once — we insist on that. And now you may kiss 
 Mother, Ruprecht, and tell her that you already look 
 on yourself as her son," 
 
 The Count stooped to give his prospective Mother- 
 in-law an amateurish embrace, while Ruby fled, fearing 
 that her own turn would come next. " Good Lord, 
 Edna ! " said Clarence, drawing her aside, " have 
 you gone dotty or what ? To go and chuck a real 
 good sort like Mirliflor, and then take this overgrown 
 bounder — it beats me what you can see in the beggar ! " 
 
 "I see a man, Clarence, whom I feel I can really 
 look up to." 
 
 " You'll have the devil of a way to look up, if he 
 goes on growing much longer. He's shot up lately 
 like a bally beanstalk ! " 
 
 " You are jealous because he makes you feel so 
 small. I glory in his being so big. He is just my 
 idea of a superman ! " 
 
 " Strike out ' man ' and substitute * swine ' ! " said 
 Clarence, " and I'm with you ! " 
 
 " There's no need to descend to vulgarity, Clarence. 
 And it seems a pity you should be so prejudiced against 
 him when he is only anxious to prove the affection he 
 feels for you ! " 
 
 "Oh, is he ? Well, if he comes pawmg me about, 
 he'll find out what 7ny sentiments are ! " 
 
 o
 
 210 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 (( 
 
 I should advise you to be civil to him — for your 
 own sake," said Edna coldly, " because he's rather 
 a powerful person." 
 
 Queen Selina had no option but to inform the 
 Court of the engagement without delay, and the 
 general consternation it caused could only find ex- 
 pression in chilling silence. 
 
 To the Court Godmother she tried to present the 
 matter as favom-ably as possible. " I don't pretend," 
 she said, " that it is quite all we could desire from a 
 mere worldly point of view. But in a case of true 
 love on both sides such as this, his Majesty and I 
 both feel that it would not be right to interfere. And 
 you know what dear Edna can be when she's once set 
 her mmd on anythmg. Besides," she concluded, 
 " we've insisted on their being engaged for a year — a 
 good deal may happen before then." 
 
 " It may," agreed the Fairy ; "and I shall be very 
 much surprised if it doesn't. But, so far as I am 
 concerned. Princess Edna may bestow her hand as 
 she pleases. I shall never go out of my way to find her 
 a suitor again, I can assure you ! " 
 
 It had already occurred to her that the Royal Family 
 might very shortly fuid Marchenland too hot to hold 
 them, which would relieve her of all responsibiUty for 
 them. So she saw no reason for interfering with any 
 of their proceedings. 
 
 Ruby rushed excitedly up to Daphne's chamber, 
 where she had been hurting her pretty fingers by 
 laboriously unpicking the innumerable jewels from 
 one of the Queen's robes and sewing them on to an- 
 other. " Oh, Miss Heritage, dear," she began, " it's 
 such ages since I've seen you, and I've such lots to tell 
 you about. Just fancy ! Edna's engaged ! . . . No,
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 211 
 
 not Prince Mirliflor ! She sent him away the day 
 before yesterday. I can't think why — when he was 
 so perfectly ripping. It's Count Rubenfresser." 
 
 "Oh, Ruby ! " cried Daphne in dismay. " Not to 
 him ! How can she ? " 
 
 *' I don't know — but she is. Mums doesn't like it, 
 of course, but she's had to give in, and they'll be 
 married in a year. Isn't it awful ? There's only one 
 advantage about it that / can see — Tiitzi will be one of 
 the family now. . . . Oh, and you needn't go on sewing 
 any more. Mummy said after lunch that she'd forgot- 
 ten to tell you she won't want the skirt altered after 
 all, and that you might come down again as usual now." 
 
 So Daphne made her reappearance that evening, 
 and was welcomed by the Court with as much effusion 
 as if they had not seen her for weeks. The Count was 
 there, his towermg form more splendidly apparelled, 
 as became his new role of an accepted suitor, and she 
 soon learnt that she was by no means alone in loathmg 
 the thought of the engagement. Princess Edna was 
 in such high good humour that she not only deigned 
 to single out Daphne by her notice, but actually offered 
 to present her to her fiance — an honour from which 
 Daphne had the courage to beg that she might be 
 excused. 
 
 " I see how it is. Miss Heritage," said Edna, with a 
 frown. " You can't understand my rejecting a Prince 
 and preferring some one of so far inferior a rank. I 
 really should not have thought you would be quite 
 so snobbish as that ! " 
 
 " It isn't that, Princess Edna," said Daphne 
 desperately. " It's because — I'm sure — I can't ex- 
 plain why, but I am sure he's bad — really bad ! " 
 
 " If you mean by that — ^that he is not a pattern of
 
 212 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 virtue like Prince Mirliflor," said Edna, "he is none 
 the worse for it, in my eyes ! " 
 
 " I meant more — much more than that. But I 
 ought not to have said anything." 
 
 "Oh, pray go on. In fact, I insist on it." 
 
 " Well, then, Princess Edna," said Daphne un- 
 dauntedly, " not only I, but almost everybody at 
 Court, think that a marriage with Count von Ruben- 
 fresser would be a horrible mistake." 
 
 " So you have joined the league against him, have 
 you, Miss Heritage ? " said Edna. " But, of course, 
 you would condemn anyone who failed to conform 
 to your prim, governessy little notions of right and 
 wrong. I might have Imown as much ! I am only 
 sorry I should have gone out of my way to offer you 
 a privilege you are so incapable of appreciating. You 
 may now retire." 
 
 Daphne retreated accordmgly. She knew very well 
 that she would have been wiser in her own interests 
 to hold her tongue, and she had certainly done no 
 good by speaking. But for no earthly inducement 
 would she have allowed herself to be presented to 
 that detestable Count. She had been almost forced 
 to speak plainly, if only in the faint hope of opening 
 Edna's eyes to a sense of what she was doing. And 
 though she had failed, she did not in the least regret 
 having spoken. If the other ladies-in-waiting had 
 known of her protest she would have been more 
 idolised by them than ever, but a lingering sense of 
 loyalty kept her from saying anything that might 
 increase their disaffection for " Princess Four-Eyes." 
 
 Perhaps the person in the Royal Household who 
 felt the engagement most acutely was the old Court 
 Chamberlain. Queen Selina, returning from a drive
 
 UN\VELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 213 
 
 the next day, discovered him weeping, or rather 
 absolutely blubbering, m a darker corner of one of the 
 passages. " I can't help it, your Majesty," he said, 
 almost inarticulate with emotion. " That the Princess 
 should have scorned such a consort as Prince Mirliflor 
 for one whose parentage — it's too much to bear ! I 
 think my old heart would break if I had not once 
 more put a hoop around it. If your Majesty only 
 knew how your subjects detest such an alliance as this ! " 
 
 " I don't see what it has to do with them, Baron," 
 said the Queen. " But they have certainly been less 
 respectful lately. I'm afraid we shall have to take a 
 sack of gold out again on our next drive. I was most 
 alarmed this afternoon by a rude person throwing 
 something into the coach which I quite thought at 
 first was a bomb. However, it turned out to be only 
 a particularly fine turnip, though it very narrowly 
 missed his Majesty's nose. Of course, as the Marshal 
 assures us, it may have been intended merely as a 
 humble sort of offering, but I should like to feel surer 
 about it than I do. And — strictly between ourselves, 
 Baron — I should be only too thankful if this engage- 
 ment was broken off. But what can I c?o ? The 
 Princess won't listen to me ! " 
 
 " Perchance," said the Baron, " she would allow 
 herself to be influenced by the noble ladies whom 
 your Majesty spoke of." 
 
 " The Duchess of Gleneagles and the Marchioness of 
 Muscombe ? Ah, my dear Baron, she might, if they 
 were only here ! I laiow they would do their best to 
 persuade her. But what is the use of thmking of 
 that, when they are both so far away ? " 
 
 " And doubtless your Majesty is m ignorance of 
 their very whereabouts."
 
 214 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 "Oh, they would be in London just now," said the 
 Queen, not displeased to exhibit her knowledge. ** The 
 dear Duchess travelled down from the North sometime 
 ago to her town residence in Stratford Place — had her 
 tiara stolen on the journey, Baron — and came to tell 
 me about it at once, poor soul ! And — yes, the 
 Muscombes must be back in that cosy little flat of 
 theirs in Mount Street by this time. They always 
 spend Easter in London, you know." 
 
 " In London ! " sighed the Baron. " That is truly a 
 far cry from our Marchenland ! But your Majesty 
 can see that, in my present spirits, I should make but 
 a sorry figure at Court. Have I your leave to absent 
 myself for a brief period ! " 
 
 " By all means — as long as you like," said the Queen, 
 who rightly considered that a Court Chamberlain in 
 constant floods of tears would do little to relieve the 
 prevailing depression. And so the Baron did not 
 appear that evening, which might have excited some 
 remark if anyone had happened to notice his absence. 
 
 On the following morning Queen Selina paid a sur- 
 prise visit to the Tapestry Chamber, where her ladies 
 were more or less busy in embroidering " chair-backs " 
 (she was too much in the movement not to know that 
 the term " antimacassars " was a solecism). It was 
 an industry she had lately invented for them, and they 
 held it in healthy abhorrence. 
 
 She had not had at all a good night, and was con- 
 sequently inclined to be aggressive. " Good morning, 
 girls," she began, " I fancy I heard, just before I came 
 in, one of you mentioning a person of the name 
 of ' Old Mother Schwellenposch.' The speaker, if 
 I'm not mistaken, was Baroness Bauerngrosstochter- 
 heimer."
 
 UNWELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 215 
 
 " It was, yoiir Majesty," admitted the Baroness, 
 rising and curtseying. 
 
 " And who, may I ask, is this Mother — ^whatever- 
 her-name is ? Some vulgar acquaintance of yours, I 
 presume ? " 
 
 " If your Majesty is so pleased to describe her, it 
 is not for me to protest," was the Baroness's demure 
 reply, followed by suppressed but quite audible giggles 
 from her companions. 
 
 " Why you should all snigger in that excessively un- 
 ladylike way is best known to yourselves," said Queen 
 Selina. " But I can make allowances for you, con- 
 sidering who your ancestresses were ! It's true I had 
 hoped when I first came here that, if I could not ex- 
 pect quite the sort of society I had been accustomed 
 to, I should at least have people about me of ordinary 
 refinement ! As it is, I often wonder what my dear 
 friends the Duchess of Gleneagles and the Marchioness 
 of Muscombe would say if they knew the class of 
 persons I have to associate with. I can fancy how 
 they would pity me. When one has enjoyed the 
 privilege of intimacy with really great ladies like them, 
 one is all the more apt to notice the difference. . . . 
 Is that you, Baron ? Returned so soon ? But you 
 shouldn't come bursting in like this without asking 
 for an audience. That is quite against my rules ! " 
 
 " Your Majesty will, I feel sure, pardon the in- 
 trusion when you hear my tidings," said the Baron. 
 " I have the honour to inform your Majesty that 
 your high-born friends, the Grand Duchess of Glen- 
 eagles and the Margravine of Muscombe, are now in 
 the Palace ! " 
 
 " The— the Duchess ? And the Marchioness ? " 
 cried the Queen. " Nonsense, Baron ! It must be
 
 216 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 some silly mistake of yours. How could they possibly 
 get here ? " 
 
 " In the stork-car, your Majesty," he explained. 
 " I brought them myself. As they are still sunk in 
 sleep, I have had them laid on couches in one of the 
 vestibules, and instructed the Lady Daphne to remain 
 in attendance." 
 
 " Good gracious ! " said Queen Selina faintly. She 
 was painfully conscious that her face must be expressing 
 dismay rather than dehght, and that her ladies-in- 
 waiting had not failed to notice it. " What a — what 
 a delightful surprise ! And Lady Daphne with them, 
 did you say ? I — I'll go to them at once ! " 
 
 If the poor Court Chamberlain had expected any 
 gratitude from his Sovereign when they got outside, 
 he received none. She did not speak to him at all — 
 possibly because she could not trust herself, and she 
 hurried towards the great Entrance Hall at a pace 
 which left him hopelessly in the rear. As she went 
 she vainly endeavoured to think of any possible excuse 
 or apology that she could offer her distinguished 
 visitors, but her chief anxiety was that she might not 
 arrive until after they had awaked, and Miss Heritage 
 had anticipated her explanations.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 
 
 Daphne was passing through the upper gallery, on her 
 way to join the other ladies-in-waiting in the Tapestry 
 Chamber, when she heard a commotion in the great 
 hall below, and, looking down over the balustrade, was 
 astonished to see two inanimate female forms being 
 carried by attendants into the vestibule. Baron von 
 Eisenbanden, who was directing them, caught sight of 
 her and beckoned. On descending the jasper staircase, 
 she found him beaming with satisfaction, surrounded 
 by a host of courtiers, guards, and pages. 
 
 " All will be well now, my Lady Daphne," he whis- 
 pered confidentially. " I have brought hither two noble 
 dames to persuade the Princess to renounce this ill- 
 omened alliance — the Grand Duchess of Gleneagle and 
 Margravine of Muscombe, her Majesty's dearest and 
 most intimate friends. She will surely be overjoyed 
 when I announce their arrival." 
 
 Somehow Daphne could not share his certainty. 
 Queen SeUna had been careful not to dwell too much, 
 in her presence, on these aristocratic acquaintances, 
 and they certamly had not visited " Inglegarth " 
 while she had been an inmate of the household. 
 
 " If I were you. Baron," she said diplomatically, 
 " I should send away all these people before I told her 
 Majesty. I am sure she would rather welcome her 
 friends in private." 
 
 217
 
 218 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 He accepted the suggestion, cleared the hall, aiid 
 bustled away, after committing the still unconscious 
 visitors to Daphne's care. 
 
 She found them laid side by side on couches in the 
 vestibule, which was a lofty chamber, panelled in ivory 
 and ebony, with inset opals of enormous size and a 
 ceiling of dull silver. The Duchess was a short, spare, 
 grey-haired and rather homely-looking woman in a 
 black demi-toilette with priceless old lace. Lady Mus- 
 combe was about twenty-six, tall, with a beautiful 
 figure and a pale, piquant face ; she wore a rose 
 charmeuse gown that scmtillated with paillettes ; her 
 luxuriant, but just then slightly dishevelled, chestnut 
 hair was confined in a sparkling band, from which 
 drooped a crushed pink plume. 
 
 As they seemed on the point of awaking, Daphne, 
 thinking that they would probably prefer to do so un- 
 observed, discreetly left them to themselves. 
 
 Lady Muscombe was the first to recover. She sat 
 up, stretched her white and shapely arms, and yawned 
 widely, revealing her perfect teeth, as she regarded the 
 Duchess with sleepy brown eyes. 
 
 " I suppose you are the Duchess of Gleneagles ? " 
 she said. " And, if you don't mind, I should rather 
 like to know why you've brought me here — wherever 
 it is. 
 
 " I ? " said the Duchess. '' I've had nothing to do 
 with bringing you. Don't even know who you are — 
 though you seem to have got hold of my name." 
 
 " Why, I married Muscombe — the Marquis, don't 
 you know. I dare say you know before that I was 
 Verity Stilton of the Vivacity. I was working my way 
 up to quite important parts. You may have seen me 
 in some of them ? 
 
 jj
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 210 
 
 " I have not had that advantage. I seldom visit a 
 theatre, and when I do " 
 
 " You like to go and see something stuffy ? / 
 know. And I expect you've got quite a wrong idea 
 of Musical Comedy. Most of us in the Chorus at the 
 Vivacity were ladies by birth. And we didn't mix 
 with the others, off the stage. We were most particu- 
 lar, too. I assure you I never went to sup alone with 
 Nibbles — I call Muscombe ' Nibbles,' you know — 
 he's so exactly like a white mouse — I never supped with 
 him alone till after we were regularly engaged." 
 
 " That is most interesting," said the Duchess, " and 
 entirely to your credit, but it doesn't explain how we 
 came to be here together." 
 
 " All I can say is that a queerly dressed old freak 
 suddenly burst into my flat, just as I was going to dine 
 at the Carlton, and told me you were waiting outside 
 in a car to take me on a visit to the Queen." 
 
 " And did not that strike you as slightly improb- 
 able ? " 
 
 "Oh, for anything / knew, you might be another of 
 Nibbles 's aunts. I haven't nearly worked through all 
 his relations yet. But I said at once that I couldn't 
 throw over my Carlton party to oblige any Duchess on 
 earth. And then the old creature put on a cap and 
 vanished. And the next thing I knew was that a cloak 
 was thrown over my head and I was being lifted up and 
 bundled out kicking — and that's all I remember. I 
 don't know what they thought of me in Momit Street, 
 or why nobody interfered." 
 
 " Much the same thing happened to me," said the 
 Duchess. " Only I was told that the Queen wished to 
 see me at once on an urgent matter. Of course, as the 
 messenger's appearance did not inspire me with con-
 
 220 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 fidence, I insisted on seeing his credentials. And then 
 he disappeared, and I found myself caiiglit up and 
 carried off. I suppose none of my people were in the 
 haU, or else they were too afraid to come to my rescue. 
 And Stratford Place is very quiet, so my smothered 
 cries attracted no attention. Besides, I fancy I must 
 have been chloroformed." 
 
 " I expect we both were. Nibbles would be furious 
 if he knew — luckily he doesn't. We had a tiff, and he 
 went off to Monte, all on his little lone. But I wish 
 I had any idea where we are." 
 
 " I have certainly no recollection of ever having been 
 in such a place as this before in my life," said the 
 Duchess. 
 
 Daphne returned in time to offer what explanations 
 she could. 
 
 " I know it must seem a little strange at first," she 
 said, coming forward, " but this is the Palace of the 
 Queen of Marchenland." 
 
 "Marchenland ? " repeated the Duchess. "And 
 where may that be ? " Never heard of such a 
 country ! " 
 
 " Well," said Daphne, "it's a long way from every- 
 where, and it's the place where most of the stories 
 one used to think were only Fairy Tales really hap- 
 pened." 
 
 " I never expected to find myself in Fairyland," 
 the Duchess remarked. " Tell me — are you the 
 Queen of this country 1 You look as if you might be." 
 
 "Oh no," replied Daphne, with a little laugh. 
 " I'm only one of her ladies-in-waiting. She hasn't 
 long been Queen. We were all carried here from Eng- 
 land in a big car drawn by flying storks — the one that 
 brought you, I expect. I don't know, of course,"
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 221 
 
 she added dubiously, " but you may have met Queen 
 Selina when she Lived at Gablehurst — her former 
 name was Mrs, Wibberley-Stimpson." 
 
 " Wibberley-Stimpson ? " repeated the Duchess 
 thoughtfully. " No, I can't say I remember anyone 
 of that name." 
 
 " Nor I," said Lady Muscombe languidly. " Don't 
 know any one at Gablehurst." 
 
 " But if she is half as charming as you, my dear," 
 added the Duchess graciously, " it will give me much 
 pleasure to make her acquamtance, though I am 
 curious to know why she seems to have taken so 
 much trouble to cultivate mine." 
 
 At this moment Queen Selina herself arrived, very 
 much out of breath. " Your Grace ! " she began, 
 " My lady Marchioness ! " 
 
 "Ah, here is the housekeeper ! " said the Duchess, 
 before Daphne could enlighten her. " Can you tell 
 us, my good woman, w^hen and where her Majesty will 
 receive us ? " 
 
 " I — I am her Majesty ! " said Queen Selina, wishing 
 she had devoted more pains to her morning toilet. 
 
 " Oh, to be sure," said the Duchess. " You must 
 forgive my blunder, Ma'am, but my sight is not what 
 it was." 
 
 "It is of no consequence, my dear Duchess — ^pray 
 don't mention it. Miss Heritage, I find I shall require 
 that skirt after aU, You wiU be good enough to see 
 to it at once, and not come do-mi till it is finished," 
 said the Queen sharply, feeling it more imperative 
 than ever to prevent any account of this meeting 
 from being communicated to the Court. . . . "No, 
 Baron, I shall not require you,'" she went on, as he 
 appeared at the entrance. " You have done quite
 
 222 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 enough." And Daphne and the Baron withdrew 
 accordingly. 
 
 " I'm so distressed, your Grace, by this unfortunate 
 — er — contretemps," said Queen Selina, as soon as she 
 had her guests to herself. "I really hardly know 
 how to apologise. I'm afraid my old Court Chamber- 
 lam has taken a most unpardonable liberty." 
 
 "Well, Ma'am," said the Duchess, "there's no 
 doubt he kidnapped both myself and this lady here. 
 On false pretences, too ! I don't know yet whether 
 he was acting on your instructions ? " 
 
 " Most decidedly not ! Indeed I should never have 
 ventured. The fact is, he must have confused you 
 with two other ladies of title who are great friends 
 of mine. I expect he heard me mention them, and — 
 it was most stupid and careless of him, I know — 
 but he must have concluded I wanted to see them, 
 and brought you by mistake." 
 
 " I see," said the Duchess ; " though I don't under- 
 stand how he came to know our names and addresses, 
 as he must have done to find us." 
 
 " Oh," said Queen Selina, with much presence of 
 mind, " you're both of you pubhc characters, you 
 know. He's such an old blunderer, he probably 
 couldn't find the right people, and thought you would 
 do as well." 
 
 " I can only say," replied the Duchess, " that that 
 impression of his has put me to a great deal of per- 
 sonal inconvenience." 
 
 " I was carried off without a chance of ringing them 
 up at the Carlton, where I ought to have dined last 
 night ! " complained Lady Muscombe. 
 
 " If your Majesty will get a new Chamberlain — one 
 who isn't an absolute idiot," said the Duchess severely,
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 223 
 
 " your house-party would be in less danger of being 
 recruited in this irregular manner." 
 
 " But I assure you I'm dehghted to see your Grace, 
 and you too, of course, Lady Muscombe ! I hope, now 
 you are here, you will stay as long as ever you can. 
 Such a pleasure always to his Majesty and myself to 
 welcome any of our own country-women ! And now 
 I will take you up to your rooms, and you will no 
 doubt be glad of a Uttle rest before you come down 
 to lunch and meet the family." 
 
 " I cannot possibly appear at lunch in this dress," 
 said the Duchess ; " but I shall be glad if you will send 
 me up some food, and then I must really start for 
 home." 
 
 " So must I," declared Lady Muscombe ; " there'll 
 be a fuss if I'm not back soon — and I simply couIdnH 
 stay in any house without a single trunk, or a maid 
 either ! It isn't giving me a fair chance ! " 
 
 " I'm afraid the storks won't be fit for such a long 
 return journey just yet," said their hostess ; " and it 
 would be a pity to leave without seeing somethmg of 
 Marchenland, so I hope you will remain for at least 
 a night, as a favour to me. I see no one of any real 
 distinction tww ! And as for clothes, I can lend you 
 all you require. You wiU excuse their being out of 
 the fashion — we don't get the latest Paris models here." 
 
 " You're very kind," said the Duchess. " Then I 
 wiU accept your hospitalitj^ for the present." 
 
 " So wall I — er — your Majesty, thanks," said Lady 
 Muscombe. " It will be something to tell Muscombe 
 — when we're on speaking terms again." 
 
 " So very nice and friendly of you both ! " said 
 Queen Selina as she escorted them across the hall to 
 the foot of the immense staircase. " I must apologise
 
 224 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 for asking you to come up all these steps, but there's 
 no such thing as a lift here. The Astrologer Royal 
 offered to try and procure us a flying carpet — ^but, of 
 course, I wouldn't hear of that." 
 
 " Well," said the Duchess, as she toiled up, " this 
 is certainly a wonderful Palace you live in — I have 
 never seen one so splendid in my life ! " 
 
 " Ah, my dear Duchess, it's much too large to be 
 really comfortable, and all the arrangements, too, so 
 unlike our English ways ! I'm afraid I shall never 
 get things done here according to my ideas. . . . 
 This is your room, dear Duchess, and yours is next, 
 Marchioness. I will send some of my waiting-women 
 to you with everything necessary. You will find us 
 assembled in the Throne Room before lunch. . . . 
 Oh, and there's just one thing. My Court have got an 
 impression — I'm sure I don't know why — that we're 
 quite old friends. If you wouldn't mind — er — address- 
 ing me as ' Selina ' now and then. . . . Not at all, I 
 assure you, I should consider it a compliment — from 
 you. . . . Then I shall hope to see you later on in 
 the Throne Room. . . . It's in the left wing, down 
 the great corridor ; you can't miss it because of the 
 trumpeters at the doors." 
 
 After an interval the two visitors made their appear- 
 ance in the Throne Room, arrayed in magnificent but 
 rather fantastic robes of velvet and brocade with long 
 hanging sleeves lined with ermine — a costume which 
 suited Lady Muscombe better than the Duchess. 
 
 Queen SeUna advanced to welcome them effusively. 
 " So you've found your way here ! " she said. " How 
 very well you both look in those dresses ! Most 
 becoming, I assure you. By the bye, my dear Duchess, 
 did you ever recover that tiara you lost in the train ? "
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 225 
 
 " I never did lose it," replied the Duchess, " I believe 
 some story got into the papers, but it was a down- 
 right He." 
 
 " So glad ! I must tell you that I don't as a rule 
 wear my crown at lunch, but I thought, to-day being 
 a gala occasion — " 
 
 "Quite right!" said the Duchess. "And quite 
 regal ! " 
 
 " I could lend both of you tiaras, if it would make 
 you feel more at your ease." 
 
 " I feel perfectly at ease as I am, thank you," 
 rephed the Duchess shortly. 
 
 " Nibbles gave me one of the family fenders," said 
 the Marchioness, " but I never wear it — it gives me 
 such a headache." 
 
 " Ah, dear Lady Muscombe, I can sympathise with 
 you — but I have to put up mth my headaches. I 
 want you to come and shake hands with my husband 
 — His Majesty, you know." 
 
 "Charmed," said the Duchess. "Is that His 
 Majesty with the — er — auburn whiskers and mous- 
 tache ? I thought it must be. . . . How d'you do, 
 sir?" 
 
 " Thank you, your Grace, I'm very tolerably well," 
 said King Sidney, who was not entirely at his ease 
 in welcoming such distinguished guests — especially 
 as he was far from clear as to how and why they 
 came to be there. " Glad you found time to — er — 
 look us up. Hardly had time to settle down here 
 ourselves yet — so you must take us as you find 
 us." 
 
 " I never expected to find you all so magnificent, 
 I can assure you," replied the Duchess. 
 
 "Oh, weU," he said, " my wife likes living in style 
 
 P
 
 226 IN HKTEF AITHOHITY 
 
 And of couFHO when you are Koyultiw, ho to 
 you've got to do the thing wtll." 
 
 "That is my oldest daugliter. Kdna. Duchewj, the 
 Princess Royal . . . yes, over there, with the eye- 
 glasses. Kdna, Miy love, come and tell lier tiraoe 
 how dcUghted you are to bcc her, and Lady MuMomb© 
 
 too." 
 
 " How do you do, my <ii'ar i \uu ru 1cm. king well," 
 said the complaisant oM lady, preparing to embrace 
 her hostess's daughter. . . . " Uh, if y<iU prefer me 
 to kiss your hand, ma'am " 
 
 "You shouldn t he so formal, Edna!" 8aid her 
 mother. "Not with such an old friend as the 
 Duchess. This. Duche.ss, is my eon. the Crown Trince 
 Clarence, and here is my youngest daughter, Prin- 
 cess Ruby," 
 
 " I must tell you about Edna, my dear Duche*8," 
 said Queen Selina, drawing her apart after thee© 
 presentations had been effected. " She has only just 
 become engaged — to a neighbour of ours, young 
 Count von KubenfresM?r. Erom a merely worldly 
 point of view she might have done much better. In 
 fact, Prince Mirlirtor of Clairdelune came here to 
 propose to her, but she rejected him. Wouldn't hear 
 of anyone but the Count ! So as His Majei»ty and I 
 do not approve of forcing our children's hearts, we 
 have let her have her own way." 
 
 " It seems quite a romance," observed the Duchees. 
 
 " Quite. And of course the Count comes of a very 
 old family. I forget what the original title was, but 
 they ve had Castle Drachenstolz for centuries. Such 
 a picturesque old place ! And — actually, Duchess ! — 
 Count Ruprecht has a pet dragon there — it's the only 
 one left in Marchenland now, and as it's rather a
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 227 
 
 curiosity in its way, and quite inoffensive, we see no 
 objection to his keeping it. You will probably meet 
 the Count to-day, he generally drives over to luncheon 
 now — so devoted to dear Edna ! And such a height, 
 too ! " 
 
 " I shall be interested to meet him," said the 
 Duchess. " He must be rather a remarkable person." 
 
 Meanwhile Clarence was engaged in making himself 
 agreeable to Lady Muscombe. " Funny thing, Mar- 
 chioness," he remarked, " but I seem to know your 
 face quite well." 
 
 " Perhaps you've seem me on picture-postcards," 
 she said, " or else at the Vivacity. Before I married 
 I was Verity Stilton, you know." 
 
 " Oh," he stammered in confusion, " I — I wasn't 
 aware — or else — of course. Sorry ! " 
 
 " Why on earth should you be ? You don't suppose 
 I'm ashamed of having been on the stage ? I should 
 soon have got to the front if I had staj^ed. I 
 was offered one of the best parts in ' The Girl from 
 Greenland,' and I threw it up to marry Muscombe. 
 His people know perfectlj' well that I sacrificed my 
 career for his sake." (It might be added that if they 
 did not, it was no fault of Lady Muscombe's.) 
 
 " I remember you," he said. " I used to go to the 
 Vivacity before the Mater came to the throne." 
 
 " Ah, you haven't been a Royalty long, have you ? 
 Weren't you a Wobbly-something or other before 
 that ? " 
 
 " Wibberley-Stimpson was the family name," he 
 corrected. 
 
 *' I knew it was something like that. And when 
 you were — one of those, what did you do with your- 
 self ? "
 
 228 IN BRIEF AUTIIOIMTV 
 
 *' I was ill Finance," he replied Urgely. ' In the 
 City, don't you know, what ? " 
 
 " lleally ? " she drawlc-d. " That accountB for my 
 not remembering you. Somehow, at the Vivacity, we 
 didn't know any City men. All thiw must bo rather a 
 change for you, inn't it ? " 
 
 " It was a bit, at first, but we Boon got into it. 
 Except the (Juv'nor, who's never taken very kindly to 
 it — hasn't had the training, what ? " 
 
 " And you have ? I see. And what does a Fairy 
 Crown Prince have to do ? " 
 
 " Well," he said. " I do a lot of riding and hunting. 
 Mostly boar about here. The Guv'nor don't ride, nor 
 does Edna. Can't induce them to get on a horse. So 
 / have to represent the family."' 
 
 " I expect you're no end of a nut here," she said. 
 
 " Oh. really, IVIarchioness. you're pulling my leg ! " 
 
 " Am I ? I've never pulled a Fairy Prince's leg 
 before, so it's quite a new exjjcrience for me. But one 
 expects new experiences in Fairyland — if this really is 
 Fairyland, which I can't quite believe ! " 
 
 " Oh, it's Fairyland right enough, though, mind you, 
 it isn't the place it was. Nothing like the magic that 
 there used to be. Most of it died out. StiU, we've got 
 a sort of old Fairy Godmother, as part of the Palace 
 fixtures — goes about in a car dra^^T^ by doves — give 
 you my word she does ! She has another old turn-out, 
 with storks. We came here in that^ — and I expect you 
 did." 
 
 " Yes, and I see the old gentleman over there who 
 carried me off by main force. He doesn't look as if he 
 was such a good hand at abductions ! " 
 
 " He looks pretty much the blithering old idiot he 
 is," said Clarence. " If I'd only known he was going
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 229 
 
 to London I'd have told him to get me a few thousand 
 cigarettes — they've none here of com"se. But I expect 
 he'd only have brought ' Woodbines,' or the wrong 
 sort anyhow ! " 
 
 " Does he always bring the wrong sort ? " inquired 
 Lady Muscombe. 
 
 " Well," said Clarence, crudely enough, " he didn't 
 make much mistake about you, Marchioness ! " 
 
 " That's exactly what I expected from you ! " she 
 said. " By the way, what has become of the lovely 
 person who was with the Duchess and me when we first 
 woke up ? I think your mother called her Hermitage. 
 I don't see her anywhere here." 
 
 " Heritage — Lady Daphne, as we call her now. She 
 used to be my kiddie-sister's governess." 
 
 " Oh ? Well, she's quite the sweetest thmg I've 
 seen — don't you think she is, yourself ? " 
 
 " Not since you came ! " was his gallant reply. 
 
 " It's lucky Muscombe can't hear you paying me 
 compliments of that sort," she said. " If he did he'd 
 want your blood. And why isn't that Lady Daphne 
 here ? I'm dying to see her again. Duchess," she 
 added, as the elder lady, having escaped from her host- 
 ess, came towards them, " I've been asking the Prince 
 why that charming little Heritage creature isn't here. 
 You would like to see her, wouldn't you ? " 
 
 " Certainly," said the Duchess. " Where is she ? " 
 
 " We'll ask the Coiu-t Godmother," said Clarence 
 (it had ah-eady struck him that it might give Daphne 
 a higher opinion of him if she could see the terms 
 he was on with a real English Marchioness). " She'll 
 know." But the Fairy could only say that she 
 supposed Lady Daphne was remainmg in her own 
 rooms for some reason.
 
 230 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I wish you'd get her to come down, Court God- 
 mothtT," said Clarence. " Thes(^ ladies would like to 
 see her." 
 
 "I will go and fetcii her my. sell, si»id the Fuiry, 
 who was plcasfd. in spite of herself, that lier unacknow- 
 ledged god-(luii;^hter should be in buch re([uest. 
 
 She found Daphne engaged m sewing the great 
 pierced jewels in an intricate pattern on the skirt of 
 the royal robo. 
 
 " Why. how's this ? " cxchiimod she. " At work ! 
 When they will bo sitting down to table directly ! 
 The Prince and our two noble guests have asked me 
 to come and see what is keeping you." 
 
 '* This," said Daphne, touching the skirt on her 
 knco. " Her Majesty has sent me up to finish it, and 
 forbidden mo to come do^\Tl till it's done." 
 
 " Then," said the Faiiy, " she ought to be ashamed 
 of herself ! " 
 
 " Oh, I don't mind a bit, Court Godmother. They'll 
 bring me something to eat presently, and I'd much 
 rather be here than have to meet that odious Count 
 Ruprecht ! Court Godmother," she added, with a 
 little anxious line on her forehead, " I'd better tell 
 you, though I dare say you'll think it siUy — but I'm 
 rather worried by a conversation I overheard just now 
 between two pigeons on the roof." 
 
 " You shouldn't pay any attention to anything 
 pigeons say — it's generally love-talk ; and very foolish 
 at that." 
 
 " Tliey weren't making love. They were talking 
 about the Count. The first pigeon said, * The 
 Count has come here again. I have just seen his big 
 coach in the courty^ard,' and the second pigeon said, 
 ' There is nothing in that.' "
 
 WHAT THE PIGEON SAID 231 
 
 " Well, one of them had some sense, anyway !" re- 
 marked the Fairy. 
 
 "Ah, but wait. ' Indeed there is something,' said 
 the other bird. ' There is a big sack in the coach, 
 and I know what is inside the sack, too.' * And what 
 may that be ? ' the second one asked. ' All I can tell 
 you,' said the first, ' is that, if the Princess only knew 
 as much about it as I do, there wouldn't be any mar- 
 riage ! ' They flew away after that, but I've been 
 wondering ever since whether he mayn't have mur- 
 dered somebody." 
 
 " If he had," said the Fau-y, " he wouldn't be very 
 likely to bring the body out to lunch with him. You 
 shouldn't be so uncharitable, my child. And, as for 
 birds, I should have thought you knew what busy- 
 bodies they are, and what scandals they make out of 
 nothmg at aU." 
 
 "Then you think it's all right?" said Daphne, 
 relieved. " But all the same, I can't trust the Count." 
 
 "Nobody asks you to. I don't trust him myself, 
 if it comes to that. But, whatever he may or may not 
 be is no affair of yours or mine. Princess Edna will 
 find out in time what a mistake she has made." 
 
 " If only she doesn't find it out too late ! " said 
 Daphne. 
 
 " She'll have herself to thank, whatever happens. 
 / shan't interfere again. I'm tired of trying to help 
 anyone. I never get anything but ingratitude for it."
 
 CHAPTEK XIV 
 
 BAG AND BAGOAGK 
 
 The Court Godmother returned to the Throne-room. 
 She had not attached much importance to what 
 Daphne had told her, but. even if she had, she would 
 have belittled it in her extreme desire to avoid any 
 action that might entail inconvenience to herf^elf. 
 
 In the 'I'hrone-ruom, Count P.ubcnfrcsscr had just 
 been announced. 
 
 " Yes, Duchess," said Queen Selina, in answer to an 
 astonished inquiry. " That is dear Edna's fiance. 
 A fine young man. is he not ? " 
 
 " Heavens! I should think he teas.' I should call 
 him a giant myself,'" replied the Duchess bluntly. 
 
 " I told you he was rather tall. I think he's growTi 
 since his engagement. How do you do, my dear 
 Ruprecht ? Come and be introduced to my old 
 friend the Duchess of Gleneagles, who is so very 
 anxious to make your acquaintance." 
 
 " I don't much care about knowing old women," 
 said the Count, who had no great love for his future 
 mother-in-law, and had become much less deferential 
 of late. 
 
 " But this one's a Duchess, Ruprecht ! " whispered 
 the agonised Queen. " Edna, my love, perhaps you 
 
 had better " and eventually he submitted with a 
 
 slight scowl to be led up and presented by his fiancee. 
 
 " I hear I am to congratulate you— er— Count 
 
 232
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 233 
 
 Fresser," said the Duchess. " You are certainly a 
 fortunate man to have won a Princess." 
 
 "Not more fortunate than she," he replied. "She 
 wanted a Superman, as she calls it. I am doing all 
 I can to Ixjcome one." 
 
 " If she isn't satisfied with you as you are, she must 
 be hard to please." 
 
 ''She is satisfied enough," he said. " Now it is for 
 her to f lease me. She knows that by this time— 
 don't you, Edna ? " 
 
 " Yes, Ruprecht dear, yes," said Edna, hastily. 
 " Of course I do. This is how he's taken to bullying 
 me. Duchess," she added lightly. " Don't you think 
 it's too bad of him ? " 
 
 " It seems a little early to begin. You shouldn't 
 allow it." 
 
 " Oh, but I like him to ! " said Edna, pressing the 
 Count's great arm. 
 
 "In that case, my dear," said the Duchess, "you 
 have every prospect of a happy future ! " 
 
 A blast from the silver trumpets here proclaimed 
 that luncheon was served. 
 
 " Lunch, at last, eh ? " said King Sidney, bustling 
 up to the Duchess. " Permit me to offer your Grace 
 my arm. Clarence, my boy, you take in her ladyship 
 here. Sehna, my love, if you will lead the way with 
 the Marshal." 
 
 The Count followed with Edna, and the Fairy 
 Vogelflug arrived in time to bring up the rear with 
 Princess Ruby. 
 
 " It's a most extraordinary thing," said the King, 
 after they had sat down to lunch in the hall with 
 the malachite columns, " a most extraordinary thing, 
 that, when we have company like this, there should
 
 234 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 be no raoro than six piigos to wait on us ! Wc pr^ne- 
 rally have at least a dozen. Wliat'H become (f all 
 the rest of you ? " he asked a page. 
 
 "I cannot say, Hire," answered the boy. "They 
 were waitinj^' in the courtyard to receive His Excel- 
 lency tlie Count, but liave not yet returnwl. 
 
 King Sidney told the Court Chamberlain to send for 
 them at once, but the mes.scnger returned with tlie 
 information that the missing pages were nowhere 
 to bo seen. 
 
 "Must have run of! before I arrived," said the 
 Count, lau^diing boLsterou.sly. " Played truant, the 
 young rascals ! " 
 
 The Fairy, however, recollected Daphne's story of 
 the sack, and was seized with suspicion. Was it 
 possible that the royal pages— ? If so. she felt 
 something ought to be done— though not by her. 
 She was too cautious an old person to take unnecessary 
 risks, and decided to employ a deputy. 
 
 " Ruby, my child," she whispered to the little 
 Princess, who was sitting next to her, " I believe the 
 Comit has brought a present for you. It's in a sack 
 in his coach. Ask him what it is." 
 
 " I don't want to know," objected Ruby, " 1 wouldn't 
 take any present from him — except Tiitzi, perhaps." 
 
 " I may be wrong," said the Court Godmother, 
 " perhaps it isn't for you after all. But I'm sure it 
 would make him very uncomfortable if you asked him, 
 before everybody, what he happens to have in that 
 sack of his." 
 
 " If I was sure of that," said Ruby, " I'd ask him 
 like a shot ! " 
 
 " You may depend on it. And more than that, 
 Lady Daphne is particularly anxious to know."
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 235 
 
 "Oh, if Miss Heritage wants me to, all right ! " 
 said Ruby. " I say, Count Rubenfresser," she called 
 across the table, " I want to ask you something." 
 
 " If it's a riddle, little Princess," replied the Count, 
 with his mouth full, " I give it up beforehand." 
 
 " It isn't a riddle. It's this : What have you got 
 inside that sack ? " 
 
 " Sack ? " said the Count blankly. " I don't under- 
 stand. I have no sack here." 
 
 " I don't mean here. I mean the sack that's inside 
 youi coach." 
 
 *' Ruby, my dear," interposed her mother, " you 
 mustn't be so inquisitive. It's very rude." 
 
 " I know he has got a sack there, Mummy," in- 
 sisted Ruby, " and I do want to know what he's 
 got in it." 
 
 " Hear me rag my precious brother-in-law," said 
 Clarence aside to Lady Muscombe. " A sack, eh ? " 
 he said aloud. " What do you bring a sack out to 
 lunch for — scraps ? " 
 
 " For shame, Clarence ! " cried Edna. 
 
 " It's not a sack, as it happens," said the Count 
 sulkily. "It's a long bag — and what I use it for is 
 entirely my own business." 
 
 " I don't know so much about that," retorted 
 Clarence. " With such a lot of plate in the Palace ! " 
 
 " Clarence ! " cried Edna again. " This is too out- 
 rageous of you ! " 
 
 " Much ! " put in Lady Muscombe. " As if the 
 Count couldn't bring his clubs with him if he's going 
 on to golf somewhere ! " she said to Clarence in an 
 undertone. " And of course he'd want a very long 
 case for them ! You really must behave more de- 
 cently!
 
 236 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I mean having this out with the beggar," he 
 replied. " Count, lier hulynliip BUggestH that you may 
 have golf clubs in tiiat bug of yours. Ih that no V 
 
 " And if I have," siiid the C(nint. " Wiiy HJiouidn't 
 I ? " 
 
 " Because you don't play golf. No one docs here — 
 now, and I'll lak».' my oatli you can't tell a brassey 
 from a putter. You never owned a set of clubs in 
 your life ! " 
 
 " Really, my boy ! " said King Sidney nervously. 
 " A scene like this ! Before our guests ! It won't 
 do, you know. Drop it ! " 
 
 " Yes," said Lady Muscombe, laying her pretty but 
 slightly over-manicured fingers on Clarence's sleeve. 
 " Y'ou're only making evcrj^body uncomfortable. 
 Talk to me instead ! " 
 
 " Presently," he said. " If you really have got 
 golf clubs, Count, I should like to have a look at 
 them after lunch." 
 
 " I never said I had got those things," replied the 
 Comit, with a wonderful command over his temper. 
 " And if you want to know what is in the bag, I don't 
 mind telUiig you — only a few^ pumpkins from my own 
 gardens." 
 
 " You mean to say you make such pets of j'our bally 
 pumpkins that you take 'em out driving \nth you ? 
 That's such a likely story ! " 
 
 " Clarence," said the Queen, " I will not have poor 
 Ruprecht badgered like this. If he chooses to carry 
 pumpkins with him — ^as we do gold sometimes — and 
 distribute them to deserving persons, it is so much 
 the more to his credit." 
 
 " He'd get 'em buzzed back at his head pretty soon, 
 if he did ! " replied the impenitent Clarence. " He's
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 237 
 
 not exactly the object of general adoration in these 
 parts, as he jolly well knows. . . . Anything upset 
 you, Marchioness ? " he inquired of Lady Muscombe, 
 who was giggling with a quite un-peeress-like lack of 
 restraint. 
 
 "Nothing," she said faintly. "Only the— the 
 pumpkins. You really are rather a funny Royal 
 Family, you know ! " 
 
 " I'm sorry to make myself unpleasant. Mater," 
 said Clarence, returning to the charge. " But I can't 
 swallow those pumpkins. I want the sack brought in 
 so that we can satisfy ourselves what there is in it." 
 The Court Chamberlain, in the hope that the contents, 
 whatever they might be, would at least serve to 
 compromise the Count, instantly despatched one of 
 the pages to fetch the bag. 
 
 " Baron," said the Queen angrily, "it is for Us to 
 give orders — not you ! " 
 
 " Your Majesty must pardon my presumption," he 
 said, as the pages had already obeyed him, " I was 
 merely carrying out the wishes of His Royal Highness 
 the Crown Prince." 
 
 " I shall die if this goes on much longer ! I know 
 I shall ! " gasped Lady Muscombe. 
 
 " Ha ! " cried Clarence, as the pages staggered in 
 with a huge distended sack. " Leave it alone, I'll 
 open it myself." 
 
 " Surely not without askmg the owner's permission? " 
 said the Duchess, who had hitherto witnessed the scene 
 in silent and dignified amazement. 
 
 " You can open it if you like ! " said the Count, 
 with a confident smile. " And then you will see 
 what a fuss you have made about nothing." 
 
 Clarence cut the cord and opened the sack. The
 
 238 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 moment ho did so his jaw foil. " I own up," he said. 
 *' I was wrong. They are pumpkins ! " 
 
 " And if you are a gentleman, Clarence," cried 
 Edna, " you will apologise to Ruprecht at ono* 1 " 
 
 "There may he something else underneath," he 
 said, lifting a pumpkin suspiciously in both hands. 
 •' Hullo ! My hat ! What's this I've got hold of ? " 
 he exclaimed, as the vegetable suddenly developed, 
 the moment it was clwir of the sack, into one of the 
 chubbiest of the royal pages. " Very odd ! " he re- 
 marked, as he set the boy down. " Let's have the lot 
 out." He tilted the sack, and as each pumpkin rolled 
 out upon the sardonyx pavement, a bewUdered page 
 sprang up in its stead. 
 
 " Quite a clever trick ! " said I^dy Muscombe. 
 " Even Maskelyne and Dcvant couldn't beat 
 that ! " 
 
 " After all. it wasn't so very much of a change ! " 
 was Ruby's comment. 
 
 " What do you boys me^n by plajnng at being 
 pumpkins in this way ? " demanded King Sidney. 
 " I must have an explanation of this. Speak out, 
 one of you ! " 
 
 "If it please you, sire," said the first page, sinking 
 on one knee, "When HLs Excellency the Count ar- 
 rived he invited us to get inside the sack, at the bottom 
 of which he told us we should find sweetmeats. And 
 we crawled in — and I don't remember any more till 
 I fell out just now." 
 
 " Just count these boys, Baron, will you ? " said 
 the King. " The whole dozen correct ? Good. And 
 now, sir," he added, turning to the Count, " I 
 should like to hear what you have got to say." 
 
 " AUow me, sire," interrupted Marshal Federhelm,
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 239 
 
 as Count Ruprecht seemed content to smile blandly. 
 " His Excellency no doubt intended to afford your 
 Majesties a little harmless diversion/' 
 
 " That was all/' said the Count. " This is a magic 
 sack which has the property of turning anything in- 
 side it into whatever its owner wishes. I thought it 
 might amuse you/' 
 
 " Liar ! " struck in Clarence. " You wouldn't have 
 said a word about it but for Ruby ! You meant to 
 take those pumpkins — I mean fages — away mth you. 
 You knoic you did ! I don't know what the Guv 'nor 
 and Mater think of it — but I consider mj^self it was a 
 confounded liberty ! " 
 
 " Well, well/' said the King, " it was a mistake no 
 doubt. But there's been no harm done, so perhaps 
 we'd better leave it at that — for the present, you 
 know, for the present." 
 
 But the Court Chamberlain could not allow such 
 an opportunity to escape him. "Forgive me, sire," 
 he said eagerly, " but your Majesties are evidently 
 unacquainted with his Excellency's family history. 
 The motive for his indiscretion will perhaps be better 
 understood when I mention that his parents' title 
 was formerly Bubenfresser, and that they were exe- 
 cuted by command of the late King as being notorious 
 ogres." 
 
 " So that was his game, was it ? " cried Clarence. 
 " Bagged our pages, meaning to gobble 'em up when 
 he got 'em home ! Am I to have an Ogre for a 
 brother-in-law ? " 
 
 At this there was a general cry of horror. 
 
 " Marshal," said the King, " you must have known 
 all about this — and you gave that fellow an excellent 
 character ! "
 
 210 TX BRIEF AUTirOKlTV 
 
 " 1 liad no reawon to believe otherwise, Bire," replied 
 the ex- Regent nmoothly. "He had been brought up 
 as a strict vegetarian, and I cannot think that, if he 
 had not acquired a taste for meat at your MajoBty's 
 table, he would over have developed these— or— 
 heretlitary proclivitieH." 
 
 " Ho hasn't developed them ! " declared Edna. 
 " It's false ! Ruprecht, deny it ! Tell them you arc 
 no Ogre ! " 
 
 ■' Really, ma'am," said the Duche.'is to Queen SeUna, 
 " I must ask your permission to leave the table. I 
 don't feel as if I ought to be present at a family dis- 
 pute of this intimate nature." 
 
 "Pray don't go, my dear Duchess!" the Queen 
 implored her. " Not till you've heard what the Count 
 
 has to say." 
 
 The Count rose and folded his arms in proud de- 
 fiance. "I'm not an Ogre." he said sulkily. 
 
 " I knew it— 1 knew it ! " cried Edna. " Appear- 
 ances were against him, that's all ! " 
 
 " Not an Ogre yet," went on the T'ount. " But I 
 hope to be one as soon as I get the chance." 
 
 "No, no, Ruprecht!" protested Edna. "You 
 don't mean it — you knou- you don't ! '" 
 
 " What ! " said the Count, scowling at her. " Are 
 you going to turn round on me like this, after en- 
 com-aging me as you did ? " 
 
 "You will not find it easy to persuade me," said 
 the Duchess, " that the Princess would ever have 
 urged you to become an Ogre." 
 
 " Urged him, indeed ! " cried Edna wildly. " I had 
 no suspicion — I never said a single word that could 
 possibly " 
 
 " Didn't you say I was to follow the teachings of
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 241 
 
 your great master with the name I never can pro- 
 nounce ? " he demanded. " Didn't you tell me to 
 make my own morality and obey my own instincts, 
 T^ithout caring what people thought or what suffering 
 I inflicted ? You know you did ! And that's all 
 I've done. My instincts told me that those pages 
 were my natural provender. I had a perfect right to 
 take them if I could. The only people who would 
 condemn me would be just those average conventional 
 persons for whom you have such a contempt. I 
 expected better things from ijoil ! " 
 
 " I cannot sit here another moment," declared the 
 Duchess, rising. " It is making me positively ill ! " 
 
 " And me ! " added Lady Muscombe. ** I've been on 
 the point of fainting several times. I must say," she 
 told Clarence, " this is quite the weirdest lunch I ever 
 sat through ! " 
 
 " We will all leave, Duchess," said the Queen. " I 
 assure you I entirely share your sentiments, and per- 
 haps by this time even Edna " 
 
 " I loathe him, Mother ! " she said, shuddering ; "I 
 only hope I shall never see his face again ! " 
 
 " You hear that, sir ? " said King Sidney, with more 
 firmness than he usually showed. " And, as the Prin- 
 cess Edna — er — voices the general feeling, perhaps 
 you'll see the propriety of getting out of this at 
 once ? " 
 
 " It seems to me," said the Count, " that you are 
 all making a great fuss about nothing. If I'd eaten 
 any of your pages I could understand it. But I haven't 
 — I never got the chance." 
 
 " Thanks to Clarence ! " put in Queen SeUna. " He 
 saved the poor boys ! " 
 
 " It was Miss Heritage, really, Mummy ! " corrected 
 
 Q
 
 242 JX BRIEF AlTTTfOHTTY 
 
 Riihy jealously. " She wanted to know about the sack, 
 or J Hhoultln't have asked." 
 
 *' Miss Heritage ! " muttered Edna. ' Ah ! 1 niijrht 
 have knoxcn it ! " 
 
 " Now just you be of! to that castle of yours," said 
 the Kin^. aildressing the discomfited but quite un- 
 repentant Ogre. " And mind you keep inside it for 
 the future. You will see that he dois that, Marshal ? 
 I don't want any scandal about this business, but if 
 I have any more troubli- from you, I shall be forced — 
 well, to take some very strong measures." 
 
 " I'm just going. ' said the Ogre ciilnily. " May I 
 have my bag ? " 
 
 " Confound your impudence, no ! " returned the 
 King, " I shall have the beastly tiling destroyed." 
 
 " Tlien I thuik you ought to give me back some of 
 the money I paid for it. " said the Ogre. '* I bought it 
 from ^hister Xuriel. and I know you get two-thirds 
 the price of any article he sells. He told rae so." 
 
 " You — you infamous scoundrel ! " cried King 
 Sidney, turning extremely red. perhaps with anger. 
 ** AL'irshal, see this rufiian otT the premises — and look 
 here, just send for that rascally astrologer, will you ? 
 1 11 make short work of him ! " 
 
 " Farewell, then, to your Majesties," said the Ogre, 
 with a jaunty wave of his big hand. " And farewell 
 to you, Princess Edna. If I have not been as much 
 of a Superman as I could wish, you may still find that 
 I have profited by your teachings." 
 
 The old Court Chamberlain's chest gave a loud 
 crack as the Count swaggered out. 
 
 " Thank goodness he's gone ! " said Queen SeUna. 
 " ReaUy, my dear Duchess, and you. dear Lady 
 Muscombe, I simply can't say how distressed I am
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 243 
 
 that anything so unpleasant should have occurred 
 while you were under our roof. I do hope you won't 
 blame me. I always disHked the Count myself — but 
 I should never have dreamed of asking him to meet 
 you if I had kno^vn the sort of person he really was ! " 
 
 " Indeed, IVIa'am," said the Duchess, " I can quite 
 believe that'" 
 
 " And, after all," said Lady Muscombe languidly, 
 " I dare say there are lots of people in toA\ii — m houses 
 where they don't keep a page, I mean — who'd be glad 
 enough to get him to come and dine. Society is so 
 much less exclusive than it used to be." 
 
 " That," remarked the Duchess, " entirely depends 
 on what you mean by ' Society,' And now, Ma'am," 
 she continued to her hostess, " as the birds — I think 
 you mentioned that they were storks — which brought 
 us here should be rested by this time, I shall be 
 obliged if you will order the car to take me back as 
 soon as I have changed my dress." 
 
 " And me, too, if you don't mind," said Lady Mus- 
 combe. " I must get home before Nibbles does." 
 
 " Oh, but you mustn't leave us so soon ! " protested 
 Queen Selina in dismay. " To come all this way for 
 such a miserable little visit ! " 
 
 " A flying visit, let us call it," said the Duchess. 
 " But, candidly, this country of yours doesn't suit me. 
 I don't feel safe with characters such as Ogres and 
 Giants and Dragons about." 
 
 " But I assure your Grace there are very very few 
 — hardly any, in fact ! " 
 
 " There are more than my nerves can stand," said 
 the Duchess, firmly, and Queen Selina, though deeply 
 mortified by her guests' eagerness to go, found that 
 she could no longer detain them.
 
 2M IX luuKb' Arnminrv 
 
 The Ojiirt Chainbcrlain ami hin attoiuliiiitH brought 
 the stork car to the pahice door hy the time the vwitors 
 had nsmiicd their former eoHtuim-H. 
 
 " (Jood-hye, dear I)u< hesH ! " uai*! the QuwMi. ■ So 
 ehivrmcd to have seen you. even for bo whort a time. 
 I ho|)<' some day you will come again." 
 
 " I think it irniirobahlc," was the grim n-jily. " And 
 if you'll allow me to si^y so. Ma'am, when I do Htay 
 anywhere, I prefer a houtH' where I can be Kuro of the 
 sort of pet»i)le I am likely to meet." 
 
 ** I Bay, Marchioness," erii-d Clarence, as he joined 
 them on the steps, " you're not really going, are you ? 
 I wish you'd stay on a bit. We were getting on thun- 
 dering well togetlier, you and I ! " 
 
 " Very sad. isn't it ? " she answered, with a charm- 
 ing but slightly mocking grimace. " But Nibbles 
 wouldn't like me to stop here jihilandering with Fairy 
 Princes — even if they aren't quite the real thing. 
 Good-bye, Mi\'am," she added, with a gay little nod, 
 as she stepped into the car, where the Duchess was 
 already seated. " Thanks so much for having me ! 
 It's a wonderful house to stay in — and a most inter- 
 esting experience." 
 
 "I have an impression," said the Duchess drowsily, 
 " that I sliall wake up presently and find all this has 
 been a dream. I trust so, but, if not, would you mind 
 telling this elderly gentleman to set me down in some 
 unfrequented part — not Stratford Place, where I 
 should attract more attention than is at all desirable." 
 
 " That's a good idea. Duchess ! " said Lady Mus- 
 combe. " He can drop us on Clapham Common, and 
 we can share a taxi home." 
 
 Queen Selina kissed her hand affectionately to them 
 both as the storks spread their great wings and the
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 245 
 
 car slowly rose. But her salute was not returned — 
 principaUy for the reason that both ladies had already 
 closed their eyes in slumber. 
 
 " And we might have made those two women our 
 friends for life ! " she lamented, as she went indoors. 
 " I hope, Edna, my love, you see now what comes of 
 getting your own way ? " 
 
 " If I have been mistaken for once," said Edna, in 
 a spiritless tone, " you needn't rub it in. Mother. I 
 can't imagine now what I could ever have seen in 
 that detestable creature." 
 
 " Nor I — especially as you could see nothmg in 
 Prince Mirliflor, who really icas — no, my dear, I'm 
 only speaking for your good. If I was sure you re- 
 gretted your treatment of him, I might perhaps find 
 some way " 
 
 " I dare say I should act differently if he asked me 
 agam. But he won't. This dreadful story is sure to 
 get round to him somehow. Of course I'm glad 
 Ruprecht has been found out in time. But he need 
 not have been exposed so publicly ! I do resent that. 
 And you heard what Ruby said ? ]\Iiss Heritage was 
 at the bottom of it. She deliberately planned this to 
 humiliate me ! And if you have the smallest con- 
 sideration for me. Mother, you will forbid her to appear 
 at Court after this." 
 
 " I'm afraid she is a designmg young person," 
 admitted the Queen, " and I have thought more than 
 once lately of sending her home to England." 
 
 " Then do it, Mother. If you don't, I shall simply 
 refuse to appear in public mj'Self, sooner than meet 
 her." 
 
 " She shall go, my dear. I'll see the Court God- 
 mother about it at once. And don't let yourself get
 
 24G IN BRIEF AUTirOIUTY 
 
 too downhearted over the other affair- Prince Mirli- 
 flor, I mean. I've great hopes we can put that right." 
 " I've just left poor (hirhng Ivhia," she began, as 
 soon as she found the Fairy alone ; " all this has been 
 a terrible shock to her, as you may imagine. Hut it 
 seems I was right in thinking she never really care<J for 
 that unspeakable man. He terrified her into accepting 
 him. And, between ourselves. Godmother, I fancy 
 that, if you could induce Prince Mirliflor to come 
 forward again, he would not be sent away a second 
 time." 
 
 " So I should imagine, myself," said the Fairy drily. 
 " But, as it happens, owing to the result of my pre- 
 vious eflorts, 1 have lost all influence with Mirliflor. 
 He and I have fallen out." 
 
 " But you could easily make it up with him. You 
 might say she was really in love with him from the 
 first, only she wished to put him to the proof — some- 
 thing of that sort. Tell him how delighted we should 
 all be to see him again. There's another little matter 
 I wished to speak to you about. Edna has taken the 
 strongest dislike to that Miss Heritage, who I must 
 say has acted most unwarrantably. 1 have made up 
 my mind to part with her. and I thought, if 5'ou would 
 arrange to have her taken back to England as soon 
 
 as the car returns to-morrow " 
 
 "Stop," said the Fairy, "I must have time to 
 think over that." She had, it is true, renounced all 
 further interference in anybody's affairs, but habit 
 was too strong for her. Her old brain was busying 
 itself once more with the scheme she had abandoned 
 — a scheme that would certainly not be assisted by 
 Daphne's expulsion from Marchenland. So she tem- 
 porised.
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 247 
 
 " Yes," she said at last, " I quite see from what 
 you tell me, that Lady Daphne camiot remain at 
 Court any longer. The difficulty is that I can't send 
 her back to England just yet. My storks will not be 
 fit for so long a flight again for a fortnight at the very 
 least. I'm not going to have them killed on her 
 account. I could do this for you. I could establish 
 her in a little pavilion in a distant part of the palace 
 grounds and keep her there, under my own eyes, till 
 the storks are ready for another journey. It's a very 
 secluded place — almost a wilderness — and none of the 
 Court ever go near it." 
 
 " That seems an excellent plan," said the Queen. 
 " But I shouldn't care for them to know that she is 
 a prisoner. They had better be told that she has 
 resigned her situation and left the Palace. And — 
 you won't forget my little hint — about Prince IMirli- 
 flor, you know ? " 
 
 " I will bear it in mind. In fact, if you can spare 
 me for a day or two, I thought of going over to 
 Clairdelune in the dove-chariot to-morrow and having 
 a little chat with him." 
 
 " Oh, by all means do ! " said the Queen gratefully. 
 " So kind of you to take so much trouble ! " 
 
 " It's more on his account than yours," replied the 
 Fairy, with a candour that might have been intended 
 as compUmentary. "But I don't guarantee that 
 anything will come of it — at all events for a consider- 
 able time." 
 
 " Indeed I quite understand that— that his wound 
 can hardly be expected to heal just yet." 
 
 The Fairy lost no time in conveying Daphne to the 
 secret pavilion without the knowledge of any of the 
 Court. It was quite fit for occupation, and supplied
 
 248 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 with iill that was necessary for conif(»it ; the Court 
 Godinotlier provided her with an att<*ndant, and even 
 procured some ancient volumes of Miirchenland liis- 
 tory with wliich Daphne could beguile her solitude. 
 
 That night the Court (lodmothcr summoned up all 
 her energies to send Mirlitlor another vision of JJaphne, 
 It was the best vision she had ever transmitted, but 
 it was terribly exhausting work, and she grumbled 
 bitterly to herself that the scheme she had in hand 
 should demand these excessive exertions. 
 
 But it was one of the good old-fashioned schemes 
 which have always been beloved V)y romantic but 
 didactic Fairy Godmothers. It would test the char- 
 acters of Mirlitlor and Daj)hne. and be valuable moral 
 discipline for both, while, if they came through it 
 triumphantly, they would be amply compensated for 
 any temporary inconvenience. She had not engaged 
 in an affair of this kind for at least a century and a 
 quarter, and she was looking forward to a highly 
 interesting and enjoyable experience. First she must 
 regain her influence over Mirlitlor, but she thought 
 she would not find much difficulty in doing that. 
 
 The Astrologer Royal had been duly summoned 
 before the King to explain his dealings with the Ogre- 
 Count. But he not unwisely preferred to disappear 
 instead, taking ^^-ith him his books of spells and other 
 apparatus. It was reported that he had found refuge 
 at Drachenstolz. 
 
 " Gone there, has he ? " said King Sidney to the 
 Marshal. " Better send someone to arrest him." 
 
 "It would need an army, sire," said the Marshal, 
 " and a long siege, to enter the Castle." 
 
 "Oh, is that so? " said the King. "Well, then, 
 have guards posted all round to see that they don't
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 249 
 
 get out. After all, so long as we keep them boxed 
 up there, they can't do any mischief." And the guards 
 were posted accordingly. 
 
 Poor Ruby was almost broken-hearted on hearing 
 from her mother that her beloved Miss Heritage had 
 gone back to England without so much as a word of 
 farewell. The Court received the news with murmurs, 
 and a strong suspicion that she had not left of her own 
 free will. 
 
 Clarence was in the deepest dejection. It was true 
 that he had made no advance of late in his pursuit 
 of her, but so long as she remained there had always 
 been hope. Now that she was gone for ever, even his 
 riding and hunting became uninteresting and pur- 
 poseless. What was the use of excelling in them when 
 she was not there to hear of his prowess ? 
 
 Early that afternoon he returned from the forest, 
 and, after spending a few minutes ui his own apart- 
 ments, came down to his father's private cabinet 
 with a gloomy and slightly startled expression. He 
 found King Sidney alone and in better spirits than 
 usual. 
 
 " Back from your hunting already, my boy ? " 
 he said. 
 
 " Had enough of it," said Clarence. *' Felt a bit off 
 it to-day, somehow." 
 
 " Ah, your mother and I are just in from a drive. 
 There's no doubt this — er — rupture with that disgust- 
 ing fellow has brought about an enormous improve- 
 ment in the pubUc feeling. We were cheered, my 
 boy, actually cheered! " 
 
 " It may be some time before you're cheered again, 
 Guv'nor," said Clarence. " I mean, you made a grand 
 mistake in letting that little perisher Xuricl sell those
 
 250 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 tables of his ' Under Royal patronage,' and 7'm 
 afraid you'll hear of it before long." 
 
 " Eh, why, what's urong with them ? They seemed 
 to give perfect satisfaction. Have there been any 
 complaints ? " 
 
 " There'll be lots if they all go like mine has. When 
 I came in just now I was feeling a bit peckish, bo I 
 got out my table. It laid itself right enough, only the 
 wine was stifT with wriggly tilings like tadpoles — and, 
 when I lifted the dlsli-cover, I'm hanged if there 
 weren't a couple of great fat snakes under it, hissing 
 like tea-kettles ! And I paid the beggar a sack and 
 a half of ducats for that table ! " 
 
 *' Most untradesmanlike ! " said King Sidney indig- 
 nantly. " Of course you can make him return the 
 money ! No, you can't, though, I forgot — the fellow's 
 bolted ! " 
 
 " I wasn't tlnnking .so much of that," said Clarence, 
 " but suppose all the other johnnies who've bought 
 tables find they're wrong 'uns, and want their money 
 back — from vs ? " 
 
 " Tliey wouldn't have a leg to stand on, my boy. 
 It's a clear case of ' Caveat emptor.' But, after all, 
 there's no reason at present to suppose the other 
 tables are — ^hem — in a similar condition to yours." 
 
 " It's to be hoped not," said Clarence. " There'll be 
 the devil's own row if they are." 
 
 Unfortunately it soon appeared that they were, 
 and the numerous persons in Eswareinmal who had 
 purchased them felt their grievance so strongly that 
 they sent a large and somewhat turbulent deputation 
 to demand an audience from His Majesty. 
 
 King Sidney received them, indeed he could not 
 very well avoid doing so, as they forced their way to
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 251 
 
 his presence. He did his best to reason with them, 
 pointing out the undeniable fact that no guarantee 
 had been given that the tables would last for ever, 
 and that it was scarcely surprising if, after being in 
 constant use, they should begin to show symptoms of 
 w^ear and tear — a phrase which had the effect of 
 infuriating them almost to madness. Nor were they 
 pacified w^hen he quoted his maxim of " Caveat emptor," 
 and pointed out that, if people would invest in magic 
 tables, some degree of trickery was only to be expected. 
 His arguments were lost on them. They had dis- 
 covered somehow that the greater part of then' pur- 
 chase money had gone to swell the Royal revenues, 
 and they clamoured for instant restitution. 
 
 So finally the King had recourse to his usual ex- 
 pedient. " Don't let us have a row about this little 
 matter, gentlemen," he said. ** I'm anxious to meet 
 you if I can, and I tell you what I'll do. I'll have 
 the Council summoned at once. You can lay your 
 claims before them, and if they can see their way to 
 granting you any compensation, we shall be as good 
 friends as ever again." 
 
 King Sidney's idea had been that the Council, if 
 they decreed any compensation at all, would do so 
 from fimds belongmg to the State. It appeared, 
 however, that they did not consider this to be within 
 their powers. They decided that, as the Sovereign 
 had enjoyed the greater part of the profit on the 
 sales of the self-supplying tables, he was bound to 
 refund the money, proportionate deductions being 
 made for the period during which each table had been 
 in proper order. This required elaborate calculations, 
 but the Lord Treasurer had a wonderful head for 
 figures, and worked them out to such effect that there
 
 252 IN HHIEF AUTHOIUTY 
 
 was only moderate grumbling on the part of the 
 creditors, all of wiioin reeeive<l ratJKT more than tlieir 
 due, while a good many had never bought a table at 
 all. 
 
 So, on the wliole, the decision Batisfied all except 
 the Royal Fiunily. 
 
 "It's easy to be generous wit hot her ])eople's money!" 
 said the King. " But this business has nearly cleAred 
 us out. That confounded Treasurer hasn't left ua 
 more than a dozen sacks or so to go on with. He's 
 suggested that I might try to get a loan from the 
 King of Goldenbcrgenland. I'm told he's wwdthy, so 
 perhaps he'd be willing to oblige a fellow-monarch, 
 if I gave him the mine as security." 
 
 "That mine ? " said Clarence. " Why, it doc-sn't 
 cover its working expenses — and never will, with the 
 wages we pay those mincr-johnnies ! " 
 
 "Most exorbitant," said the King; "I've been 
 thinking of — hem — l)ringing back those* yellow gnomes. 
 They wouldn't want wages — and the mine would be 
 healthier for them than those marshes they're drain- 
 ing." 
 
 " It might,"' agreed Clarence. " if there were any 
 of the poor little beggars left . But I believe the climate 
 has been too much for 'em." 
 
 " Has it, though ? I'm afraid thej' mu.st have 
 neglected to take proper precautions. Very un- 
 grateful, after all I've done for them ! But it's no use 
 trying to benefit that class of persons. I see that 
 now." 
 
 Clarence still wore his pendant, though he rode less 
 and less frequently. The Marshal told him that there 
 w-as excellent carp-fishing to be had on the Crj^stal 
 Lake a few miles from Eswarc^inmal. and he took
 
 BAG AND BAGGAGE 253 
 
 up this sport, making solitary expeditions to the lake, 
 from which he returned in better spirits for a time. 
 But even this occupation soon palled, and the whole 
 Court were struck by his increasing dejection, which, 
 rightly or wrongly, they attributed to the absence 
 of Lady Daphne.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 " RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR " 
 
 After a few hours' fli^lit the Fairy Vogelflug's team of 
 doves had safely deposited her at the entrance to the 
 ]'ahvce of King Tournesol. She ascertained that 
 Prince Midillor was within and went at once to hia 
 apartments. He received her with his usual respect, 
 but there was a reserve in his manner which showed 
 that the memory of his late fiasco was still rankling. 
 His reserve increased percej)til)ly after she had ex- 
 plained the purpose of her visit. He altogether de- 
 clined to consider a second matrimonial venture on 
 her recommendation, hinting as politely as possible 
 that her idea of a suitable consort for him was too 
 unlikely to correspond with hifi o\^'n. " You mean 
 with the ideal of your visions ? " she said. " And you 
 saw her again last night. Now didn't you, MirHllor ? " 
 " I did," he said ; " but how did you know that ? " 
 " How did I know ? Because I sent you the vision, 
 of course. I sent you the former one, too, though 
 there were reasons why I couldn't tell you so till 
 now." 
 
 " And why do you tantalise me by making me dream 
 of an unattainable perfection ? " he asked hotly. 
 " Can you suppose that anything short of it will ever 
 content me now ? Since I cannot hope to find so sweet 
 and fair a Princess in all the world. I am only the more 
 resolved to live and die unmarried ! " 
 
 254
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 255 
 
 " She exists, or I could not have shown her to you 
 in a vision. You have only to do exactly as I tell 
 you, Mirliflor, and you shall see her, and win her, if 
 you can/' 
 
 " You said all that about the other one, Godmother 
 Voldoiseau," he replied. " No, it's no good. I really 
 can't trust you again." 
 
 " Don't be obstinate, RlirUflor, or you'll put me in 
 a passion, and that's dangerous at my age. I grant 
 you I was wrong about Princess Edna. But I'm not 
 wrong now. I assure you that, if you saw this girl, 
 you would own that she was no less fair than she 
 appeared in your visions." 
 
 " But if there indeed lives so lovely a Princess," he 
 said, " how comes it that I have never heard of her 
 existence ? " 
 
 " She is no Princess, Mirliflor. Merely a poor 
 friendless girl I have chosen to protect." 
 
 " So much the better," he said. " She is the less 
 likely to refuse me." 
 
 " Because you are a Prince ? Just so — but I don't 
 intend that she shall accept you for any such reason. 
 I shall not allow you to see her at all unless you pro- 
 mise not to reveal your rank, or even your real name, 
 to her until I give you leave to do so." 
 
 " You have my word, Godmother," he replied. 
 " After aU, it may be that, even without rank or title, 
 I shall succeed in obtaining favour in her eyes." 
 
 " You trust to your good looks — but those, too, you 
 must consent to sacrifice. Love that is based on mere 
 outward appearance soon passes. I have to be very 
 careful now how I exercise any magic power whatever 
 — each time it takes more and more out of me, and 
 even sending you these visions taxed me most
 
 250 IN liKlKF Al rifOKlTV 
 
 severely. Still, 1 will make another eflcjrt aii<l change 
 you into a less comely form." 
 
 "I suppose you are proposing to turn me into a 
 beast of some kind ? " he said. "If so, I cry off. I 
 know it succeeded with an ancestor of ours — but that 
 was centuries ago, and I'm not inclined to undertake 
 the risk myself." 
 
 "I'm not asking you to undertake it. 'Jhc form you 
 would assume would be human, and not in the least 
 repulsive. In strict fairness I ought to transform the 
 girl as well, but as I know very well that, if I did, you 
 would never so much as look at her, I must leave her 
 as she is. Only if you don't consent to be transformed 
 yourself, you will never see her at all." 
 
 " But what if I let my.self be transformed and find 
 out when I see her that she doesn't resemble my 
 vision ? " 
 
 " You need not fear that. But if, when you see her, 
 you wish to withdraw, I will bring you back here and 
 restore you to your own shape again, and thus you 
 will be none the worse." 
 
 " Well," he said, " on those terms I agree." Upon 
 which the Fairy began her incantations, and, after 
 one or two failures, succeeded in remembering the 
 precise formula and accomplishing the metamorphosis. 
 
 "I knew it would come back to me in time," she 
 remarked, exhausted but gratified. " I shall suffer 
 for it later — but it's certainly a highly successful piece 
 of work — as you will see if you go and look at yourself 
 in that mirror." 
 
 When he looked it was a complete stranger that 
 he saw reflected. A young man of his own height and 
 figure, but with features that, without being absolutely 
 plain, were quite ordinary. His own curling brown
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 257 
 
 locks were replaced by short black hair, and his com- 
 plexion had deepened from its original slight bronze 
 to a swarthy hue. Even his silk and velvet suit had 
 suffered a change and was now a coarse leather jerkin 
 with hose and sleeves of russet cloth. 
 
 " You might just as well have made a beast of me 
 outright ! " he said bitterly. " I should have been as 
 likely to win the heart of any maiden as I am now." 
 
 " My dear Mirliflor," retorted the Fairy, " if, as you 
 are now, you cannot win this girl by your own worth, 
 it will either be because she is not worth winning or 
 you have not sufficient worth to deserve her." 
 
 " And how," he asked, " am I to set about winning 
 her ? " 
 
 " You will start at once for Eswareinmal — on horse- 
 back if you like, provided your horse and his trappings 
 are not too fine. You will leave him outside the City, 
 and find your way to one of the side entrances of the 
 Palace, where you will ask an attendant to inform me 
 that * Girofle ' — as you will henceforth call yourself — 
 has arrived in obedience to my summons. I will 
 arrange that you shall see this girl, and it will then be 
 for you to say whether you will go any further or not 
 in this enterprise. You had better leave the Palace 
 without seeing the King, your father, and I will ex- 
 plain to him that there were good and sufficient reasons 
 for your secret departure." 
 
 However, when she did obtain an audience from 
 King Tournesol, she saw that he was not in a mood 
 that promised a favourable reception to any further 
 matrimonial project on INIirUflor's behalf — at all events 
 from her. So she merely informed him that Mirhflor 
 had left Clairdelune to seek a bride for himself, and 
 that he might be absent for some time. She did not 
 
 R
 
 258 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 mention his transformation, and was disingonuoufl 
 enough to agree with the King that the Prince had 
 behaved most unfiHally in dejjarting without pc^r- 
 mission. But King Tourncsol was too glad that his 
 son's tiioughts liad again turned to niarriiige to be 
 very seriously angry, and the Fairy left him in toler- 
 able good humour, and got back to Eswareinmal long 
 before Mirliflor, who readied the Palace at last, after 
 a journey of entirely unfamiliar discomfort and a 
 total lack of the deference and attention he had 
 always hitherto received as of right. He made his way 
 in an aggrieved and ratlier relxllious frame of mind 
 to a side entrance and, on inquiring for the Court God- 
 mother, was taken at once to her apartments. After 
 hearing his tale of hardships, which she merely said 
 were extremely good for him, she led him down by a 
 private staircase to the gardens at the back of the 
 Palace, and through them, by a postern gate of which 
 she had the key, to an uncultivated region of glades 
 and groves. Here she ordered him to conceal himself 
 behind a thicket at the edge of a clearing, and to re- 
 main there till she gave him leave to come out. He 
 waited for what seemed an interminable time — and 
 then his patience was rewarded. The Fairy returned 
 with the very lady of his visions. This time at least 
 his Grodmother had not deceived him — the living 
 reality was even more radiantly beautiful than his 
 dream ! They passed and repassed him several times, 
 and, if he had not seen Daphne, the mere sound of 
 her gay sweet voice would have been enough to enslave 
 him. But he could see her perfectly well, and note 
 the animation of her every gesture, the easy grace 
 with which she moved, and her pretty tenderness for 
 the old woman who was leaning on her strong young
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOURS' 259 
 
 arm. When would the Fairy see fit to call him forth 
 and present him to this adorable being ? And yet, 
 inconsistently enough, he was dreading the moment. 
 How could he hope, changed as he was now, that 
 those bright eyes would regard him with any interest 
 whatever ? But, as it happened, they did not regard 
 him at all on this occasion, for, after a few more turns 
 up and down the clearing, the Fairy retired with her 
 proUg^e, and presently reappeared alone. 
 
 " Well," she said, as Muliflor came forward at her 
 summons, " now you have seen her, what is your 
 decision ? " 
 
 "I stay here," he rephed, "and will submit to any- 
 thing as long as there is a chance of gaining her." 
 
 " I expected as much," she said. " And I have ar- 
 ranged that you shaU be employed here as one of the 
 Royal under-gardeners." 
 
 " An under -gardener ! " he exclaimed. " Really, 
 Godmother, that is not giving me a fair chance ! 
 And I've never done any gardening in my life ! " 
 
 " Then it is high time you began," she said calmly. 
 " It will not only give you a greater respect for manual 
 labour, but subdue your pride." 
 
 " You have left me nothing I can be proud of. 
 And what opportunity shall I have of even seeing 
 her ? " 
 
 " You will be given the key which will admit you to 
 the grounds, and the pavilion in which she lives is 
 not far from here. As to opportunities of meeting her, 
 you must make them for yourself. Those are my 
 conditions," said the despotic old Fairy, " and if you 
 don't choose to accept them, you may as well return 
 to Clairdelune at once, for I shall take care that you 
 never see her again."
 
 260 IN BRIEF AUTOORITY 
 
 " Oh, I accept," he said. " I can't hcl|> myself. 
 Only, it does seem to me, Godmother, that if you're 
 really anxious that I should succeed, you might make 
 it easier for me than this ! " 
 
 " No doubt," she said. " But if it was easy there 
 would be no merit in success. I am putting her 
 to the test, remember, as well as you, and until I see 
 how you both come through it. I cannot be certain 
 that you arc really fitted for one another." 
 
 iSlie had, as a matter of fact, quite made up her mind 
 that they should marry, but she could not resist such 
 an opening for one of the practiwil moral lessons which, 
 as a Fairy Grodmother of the fine old didactic type, 
 she had often brought to an effectively instructive 
 dAnoupient. 
 
 But if she was enjojnng herself over the probation, 
 it is more than can be said for the unhappy Mirliflor. 
 It is true that, owing to the Court Godmother's pro- 
 tection, he was treated by the Head Gardener with 
 some indulgence, but, nevertheless, he had to work 
 much harder and longer than he liked. Sometimes, 
 however, he was sent to the outlying part of the gardens, 
 where he was under no supervision, and then it was 
 easy to slip away to the postern gate, which his key 
 enabled him to enter, and he was not long in discovering 
 the pavilion which sheltered his divinity. He wore a 
 big apron and carried a pair of garden shears with 
 which he lopped and trimmed a shrub now and then 
 by way of accounting for his intrusion, and some- 
 times he was rewarded by a glimpse of her. But that 
 was all, for, with a diffidence he had never known 
 before, he did not venture near enough to speak. 
 The fact was that he was morbidly self-conscious 
 about his altered appearance. If the Fairy had only
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 261 
 
 let him retain his own form, he thought, he would not 
 have hesitated a moment, but her disdain was more 
 than he could bring himseK to face, and so he watched 
 from afar, and when she wandered out would follow at 
 a distance, keeping her in view, while remaining 
 miseen himself. It was, as he felt, not precisely the 
 way to conduct a courtship, and he despised himself 
 for his want of courage. But he always hoped that 
 something might happen to bring them together, 
 though it seemed less and less likely that anything 
 would. 
 
 Daphne, meanwhile, was growing resigned to her 
 exclusion from the Palace, which she chiefly regretted 
 because she could see nothing of Ruby, the one 
 member of the Royal Family for whom she could feel 
 any real affection. She expected to hear at any 
 moment that the car was ready to take her back to 
 England, where she would have to find employment 
 if she could. 
 
 The Queen had certainly furnished her with a 
 character; "Miss Heritage," the reference stated, 
 " has been for some months in the service of Her 
 Majesty Queen Selina of Marchenland as Governess- 
 companion to Her Majesty's younger daughter. Princess 
 Ruby. Her Majesty could not conscientiously recom- 
 mend IVIiss Heritage as a teacher for advanced pupils, 
 but has no doubt that she would be fairly competent 
 to undertake a situation as Nursery Governess." 
 
 That was all — and Daphne did not think it would 
 do much for her. And besides, people might want to 
 know who the Queen of Marchenland was — which 
 would be awkward to explain. But perhaps the Court 
 Godmother would see that she was not sent home 
 without funds enough to support her till she could
 
 202 IN BRIEF AlHTIORITY 
 
 get an ongagemont. She would be rather sorry to 
 leave Marchenland, which, queer country as it was 
 in some ways, she had come to look upon her homo. 
 However, she did not worry much about the future, 
 being content to enjoy her present restful life as long 
 as she might. 
 
 She was comfortable enough in the Pavilion, where 
 she was well looked after by an elderly taciturn 
 attendant, one of the Court Godmother's own waiting- 
 women. 
 
 The old Fairy herself came from time to time to 
 inquire after Daphne's health and bring her news 
 of the Court, and her visits were welcome. When 
 alone Daphne spent much of her time over the ancient 
 Chronicles, which the Fairy had provided for her, 
 and which she found strangely fascinating. Or when 
 she was disinclined to read or embroider, she would 
 explore the grounds about the Pavilion, which were 
 wild and neglected enough to impart a sense of adven- 
 ture to her wanderings. Often, as she walked and 
 worked or read, her thoughts w^ould drift into dreams 
 — the dreams that come to most girls — of a Prince 
 Charming who would discover her in her retreat, and 
 be her champion and deliverer. In a country like 
 this, such a dream was less unlikely to come true than 
 elsewhere, and yet she always ended by laughing at 
 herself for indulging it. 
 
 The Prince (for of course he must be a Prince!) 
 would have to make haste if he was to find her still 
 in Marchenland. But even if he came in time, she 
 thought, it would be useless — his arrival would be 
 reported at once to the Queen. For she had lately 
 become aware that she was being watched by 
 someone who was obviously not the gardener he
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 263 
 
 tried to appear, and whom she had more than 
 once detected in the act of following her in secret. 
 He must be either a spy, or a guard with orders 
 to prevent her escape — as if she were likely to 
 attempt it when there was no place to which she 
 could escape ! She had made no complaint to the 
 Court Godmother, being un willing to trouble the old 
 Fairy with a matter of so little importance. But she 
 took her revenge on the spy by making his task as 
 difficult as she could. If she detected him in time 
 lying in wait in the bushes by the front of the Pavilion, 
 she would sUp out at the back, and reach her favourite 
 haunts by a roundabout path screened by yew hedges, 
 while he imagined her to be still indoors. He was 
 really such an unsuspicious spy that there was hardly 
 any fun in baffling him. She had done so with the 
 usual success one hot afternoon, and was making for 
 a tree under which she often sat. It had great glossy 
 leaves, and gorgeous flowers with a dehcate but pene- 
 trating scent, and the thought of the coolness beneath 
 its spreading branches was particularly attractive just 
 then. After looking round and satisfying herself that 
 she had not been pursued, she sat down and 
 opened the book she had brought— a chronicle of the 
 lives of the Sovereigns of Marchenland. She had 
 read most of it already, and instead of reading any 
 more, she found herself thinking of the contrast be- 
 tween their earlier Kings and Queens and the present 
 occupiers of the throne. The former Sovereigns had 
 had their failings ; some of them had been arbitrary 
 and wrong-headed, one or two cruel and tyrannical. 
 But none had ever been vulgar or ridiculous. She 
 could understand poor ]VIr. Wibberley-Stimpson's 
 being so hopelessly out of his element— but it seemed
 
 L>(}4 IN BRIEF AUTHOHITV 
 
 Htrango thftt Queen Seliiia, who wa« the daughter of 
 a Mtirchenluud Prince, hIiouUI not have inhente<l any 
 trace of loyal dignity. '1 hey were quite incapable 
 of governing tlie people, who, ah Daphne knew, re- 
 garded thcin with Hcarcely dii^guiM'd contempt. And 
 it wa«HUch a J»ity, for the good Miirchenlandern had l)e©n 
 so loyal at tirnt ! They would he loyal htill, if only 
 they had a sovereign for whom they could feel a 
 particle of — . She had got to this point in her 
 meditations when she was startled hy a stealthy 
 rustle in the branches overhead. The 8py had been 
 too clever for her after all ! Well, hhe thought, with 
 malicious amusement, if he chose to take the trouble 
 of climbing a tree to wateh her, she would keep him 
 eni]iloy{'d up there as long as pos*«ible and see wliich 
 woukl lire llrst. He was evidently getting cram|>e<i 
 already, for the branches were cracking quite loudly, 
 but she wouhl not look up or show that she was in the 
 least aware of him. And then suddenly a heavy body 
 fell with a flop on the open book in her lap— and she 
 reahsed with terror that it was no spy she had to deal 
 with, but an infinitely more formidable enemy. It was 
 a huge serpent that had coiled itself swiftly on her 
 knees, which quivered under the intolerable weight, 
 while its tail twisted round her ankles, binding them 
 fast, and it reared its evil flat head, cre.'^ted like a 
 peacock's, to a level with her chin. Its markings, in 
 alternate rings of cream, vermilion, black and orange, 
 were strangely beautiful, but she was in no mood to 
 admire them as she sat there — spell-bound under its 
 cold tawny eyes. 
 
 Presently it spoke words which made her wish that its 
 speech had been unintelligible. "Yes," it said, " you are 
 quite right to be afraid of me. I am here to kill you."
 
 "RI\^N WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 265 
 
 " Then don't talk about it ! " said Daphne, her 
 thioat so parched that she could scarcely speak ; "if 
 yon must kill me, do it at once and get it over." 
 
 "Not yet," it said malignantly. "You have an 
 agony of terror to go through before that. When 
 I see your eyes close I shall know that the time has 
 come, and I shall strike my fangs into that white 
 throat of yours, and you will recover just sense enough 
 to feel what pain it is to die ! " Daphne would very 
 possibly have closed her eyes at once and received the 
 death stroke rather than listen any longer to the 
 creature's threats, but she had just become aware 
 that help was at hand. The person she believed to 
 be a spy was steaUng up, treading noiselessly over 
 the velvet turf, his hands already outstretched with 
 the evident purpose of seizing the reptile from be- 
 hind. If she could only engage it in conversation 
 for a minute or two, there was still a chance for 
 her. 
 
 " I have done you no harm," she said, after moisten- 
 ing her dry lips. " Why should you hate me like 
 this ? " 
 
 " Ask Xuricl, my master," replied the serpent, " who 
 called me into being for no other purpose than to put 
 you to death." 
 
 " But I have done Xuricl no injury." 
 
 " Then it may be you are an enemy of the Count, 
 whose servant he is. I know not — nor is it any matter. 
 AU I know is that I have been sent here to — " and 
 here it broke off m a dreadful strangled scream as a 
 pair of strong hands clutched it firmly by the throat 
 and dragged it writhing into the open. Daphne sat 
 helplessly looking on as her rescuer struggled with the 
 thing, which had wound its coils round his waist and
 
 266 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 leg, and was trying hard to fn'C it« head and stri^. 
 He hold the venomous head at arm's-length, gripping 
 its throat tight, \\hile the foam shivered from it* 
 distended jaws, but it was stronger than he, and, as 
 he recognised this, he urged Daphne to save herself 
 while there was time. 
 
 She had already risen, as she had got over any ten- 
 dency to faint, but ahe had no intention of leaving 
 him to his iate. She had just seen in a j>ocket of his 
 leather apron thostj big garden-shears which she had 
 noticed him plying with such marked incompetence, 
 and it occurred to her suddenly that they might be 
 of some real service now. She ran up and, watching 
 her opportunity, succeeded in whipping them out. 
 Then she stepped behind the serpent, and forced the 
 blades together just below the part of its neck that 
 was in her champion's grasp. There was a highly 
 unpleasant scrunch and jar as they closed, but she 
 pressed with all her strength, until the reptile's spine 
 was cut through and its body uncoiled itself from the 
 young man and went writhing and rolling blindly 
 through the grass. 
 
 Daphne dropped the shears and got out of its way 
 in sudden panic. "It's not dead ! I'm sure it isn't ! " 
 she cried to the stranger, whom she had somehow 
 ceased to think of as a spy. 
 
 *' It is harmless enough now. fair lady," he said as 
 he tossed its crested head into the undergrowth, 
 " thanks to your courage." 
 
 " I never killed anjiihing before," she said. " I 
 hated doing it, and — it seems such a silly way to kiU 
 a snake ! " 
 
 " It succeeded," he said, wondering how those small 
 slim hands could have had the strength. " I could
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 267 
 
 not have held it much longer. You have saved my 
 life." 
 
 " I couldn't have," she said, " if you hadn't saved 
 mine first. I know now that you have only been 
 watching and following me about as you have to see 
 that I didn't get into any danger ? " 
 
 " So you were aware that I watched you ? " he said. 
 
 Daphne laughed. " How could I help behag ? " 
 she replied. " And of course I guessed at once that 
 you weren't a real gardener." 
 
 " What makes you suppose that ? " he said. 
 
 " Well," she said, laughing again, " I happen to have 
 seen you at work, you know." 
 
 " I may have little skill," he said, " nevertheless, I 
 have obtained employment here as a gardener." 
 
 " I mustn't ask you questions," she said, " but I'm 
 quite sure that, before you came here, you were in a 
 very different position from any labourer's." She 
 had noticed a refinement in his speech and manner, 
 and also the shapeliness of his hands, which the Fairy 
 had been considerate or forgetful enough to leave 
 unaltered. 
 
 But Daphne's words gave him a sudden hope. Had 
 she detected that he was a Prince ? If so, he was 
 released from his promise of silence ! 
 
 " All I may tell you," he said, " is that there were 
 reasons which obUged me to leave my own country 
 and five here where I am unknown. But I think 
 you have guessed more than that already ! " 
 
 " I will tell you what I think," she said. "I be- 
 lieve you are really a student, and, whatever you had 
 to leave your country for, it was nothing you've any 
 cause to be ashamed of. I expect you were accused 
 of plotting against your Government — ^and I don't
 
 208 IN RRTEF AlTrilORITV 
 
 care if you ditl, Ix'caumi you wouldn't have if they'd 
 governed proix-rly. Anyway, you eHc«jx-d, and 
 thou<,'ht you'd Ix' safe if you could get a post in the 
 Koyal (iardenn. There ! it in only a guess, of eourse, 
 and you lu^edn't t<Il inc whether I'm right or not." 
 
 He allowtd her to think she wan. aH it was a far 
 more er((lital)le explanation than any he cmild have 
 invented for hirns«lf. 
 
 " It was rather clivcr of me to gucHs all that," sho 
 said. " But it would have be<*n eleven-r of you to 
 choose something you knew a little more about than 
 gardening, wouldn't it ? And wo can't be strangers 
 after this. That thing there," and she indicated the 
 headles.s serpent, which had now ceased to writhe, 
 and lay limp in the grass, with all its brilliant colour 
 faded to dingy grey, " introduced us, but it carelessly 
 forgot to mention our names." 
 
 "Perhaps." he said, quite seriously, "it did not 
 know them." 
 
 "That tiY)uM account for it. certainly," agreed 
 Daphne, with equal gravity, though her eyes danced. 
 " Then I'd better explain that I was Prin< «.ss Ruby's 
 governess before we came her. Since then I've been 
 a sort of lady-in-waiting — and now I'm nothing at all. 
 111! in disgrace, like j'ou. My name is Daphne 
 Heritage. Now, tell me yours . . . Girofle ? . . . Well, 
 I am going back to the Pavilion now. I don't feel 
 safe anywhere else. . . . Yes, you can see me out of 
 this dreadful place — just in case there should be an- 
 other snake about." she conceded, for her nerves were 
 beginning to feel a reaction, and she was glad of his 
 protection. 
 
 So he walked humbly by her side, saying little for 
 fear of saying too much, till they came within sight of
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 269 
 
 the Pavilion and then she dismissed him. " We will 
 say good-bye here," she said ; " and you mustn't 
 keep at a distance any more — it would be too absurd, 
 now — you must come and speak to me, of course. 
 Though I may be sent back to England at a moment's 
 notice, and then you won't see me again. But if you 
 don't, I shall never forget how bravely you risked 
 your life for me." 
 
 She gave him her hand ; he held its cool silken 
 softness for a moment and would have raised it to 
 his Ups but for this new humiUty of his. Then, with 
 a friendly but almost careless little nod, she was gone, 
 leaving him with the conviction that it was indifferent 
 to her whether they ever met again or not. 
 
 He felt that the Fates had not been as propitious 
 as they might. They had permitted him to rescue 
 her — but then he had been rescued by her immediately 
 afterwards — a most humiliating anti-cUmax ! There 
 was one service he could still do her, he thought, and, 
 cutting himself a stout stick, he made a thorough 
 search of the groves, where however, rather to his 
 disappointment, he discovered no serpents of any 
 kind. But, in his anxiety for Daphne, he insisted on 
 seeing the Court Grodmother at once and warning her 
 of the dangers to which she was exposing her protegee. 
 
 The old Fairy was secretly disconcerted, though 
 she did not of course admit that there had been any 
 neglect on her part. " I am not at all surprised, 
 Mirliflor. In fact, I fully expected something of this 
 sort to happen," she said unblushingly. " But I 
 knew very well that there was no danger while you 
 were there to look after her." 
 
 "But it may happen again," he urged. "That 
 accursed Xuriel may create another serpent, and the
 
 270 TN BRIEF AlTTnORITY 
 
 next time I mayn't be at hand — unless yon can get 
 me excuKcd altogetlicr from working in the gardens." 
 
 " I shall not do that, Mirliflor," naid the inflexible 
 old Fairy. " And what you fear will not hapj)en 
 again. To begin with, that serpent wae never created 
 by Xuriel." 
 
 " But I heard it say that he had called it into 
 being! " 
 
 " And have you ever known a serpent tell the truth ? 
 No, no, Mirlitlor. Mtwtcr Xuriel is clever enough in 
 his way, but he couldn't make a serpent of that size. 
 From what you tell me. it was evidently a Crested 
 Serpent which he had got hold of and trained, and I 
 happen to know it was the last existing. . . . fiut I 
 will have a rope of fine silk, woven with a certain spell, 
 laid round the Pavilion, and no snake, magic or other- 
 wise, will be able to cross that. It's quite unnecessary, 
 and will be extremely exhausting to me, still I'll do 
 it, just to set your mind at ea.se. And I'll tell her not 
 to go about alone in future. . . . But I can't have you 
 going in there whenever you choose in future. The 
 Head Gardener was complaining to me that you are 
 neglecting your work, and it won't do to excite his 
 suspicion. You mu.st not attempt to see her tiU the 
 close of the day, which ^vill leave you ample time for 
 your lovemaking. . . . No, she is not going to be 
 sent back to England. / shall take care of that. So 
 you can keep a good heart, Mirliflor. I consider you 
 have made an excellent beginning ! " 
 
 He was far from sure of it himself, but at least 
 Daphne would be better protected henceforth, and 
 even if he could no longer look after her by day, which 
 he fully intended to do when he found an opportunity, 
 he could at least see her every evening. It was some
 
 "RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOUR" 271 
 
 comfort, too, to feel that he could rely on her remain- 
 ing in Marchenland. 
 
 On her next visit to the Pavilion the Court God- 
 mother heard Daphne's version of the meeting with 
 Girofle. " I take an interest in the young man," she 
 said. " Indeed I got him his place here. He seems 
 to have behaved very creditably — for a mere gar- 
 dener. Though I dare say you think him beneath 
 your notice." 
 
 " Aiter he had saved my life ! " said Daphne in- 
 dignantly. "As if I could — whoever he was ! But, 
 as you take an interest in him, Court Godmother, 
 you must know as well as I do that he isn't really a 
 gardener at all." 
 
 " Oh, indeed," said the Fairy suspiciously. " And 
 how did you find that out ? From him ? " 
 
 *' No, I guessed. And then he had to admit it." ^ 
 
 '* And what did he admit ? " 
 
 " Well, that he is a student and has had to go into 
 hiding because he was suspected of being mixed up 
 in some plot or other. He didn't tell me any more 
 than that." 
 
 " Ah," said the Fairy, concealing her rehef, " he 
 told you more than was prudent as it was. But I 
 suppose he thought he could trust you with his secret." 
 
 " And don't you. Court Godmother ? " flashed 
 Daphne. 
 
 " Oh, I don't think you would betray him. You 
 mustn't go and lose your heart to him, though. That 
 would never do ! " 
 
 Daphne laughed. " Court Godmother ! " she said, 
 " you're not really afraid of my falling in love with 
 him, are you ? " 
 
 " Well, no, my dear. Fortunately he's not good-
 
 272 IN BRIEF AlTirORlTY 
 
 looking enough to make me very unonsy about tliat. 
 I flhould 1)0 much more afraid that he might fall in 
 love with you." 
 
 " Oh, 1 hope ho won't do that, poor follow," said 
 Daphne with a sudden and unoAsy recollection of 
 how ho had followed her in secret. " But I'm going 
 homo 80 soon that 1 mayn't even see him again." 
 
 " You may have to stay here some time longer," 
 said the Fairy, " so it's quite posHihlc that he will try 
 to see more of you. However, it will he eaHy for you 
 to tell him ])lainly that you don't want to have any- 
 thing to do with him." 
 
 " But I don't mind his speaking to me," said Daphne. 
 " I told him he might. I should hate hurting him 
 like that. And, after all, Court Godmother, if he 
 should show any signs of— of what you're afraid of, 
 he will soon sec that it's no use, and be sensible 
 about it." 
 
 " I dare say you're right, my dear, I dare say you're 
 right," agreed the Court Godmother. " And anyhow, 
 it will be time enough to trouble about that when it 
 happens — which very likeh' it never will." 
 
 But in her heart she was more convinced than ever 
 that Mirlitlor had made a very good beginning.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 " A CLOUD that's DRAGONISH '* 
 
 At the first opportunity Mirliflor had returned to the 
 pavilion groves, where he need no longer worship from 
 a distance. Daphne had received him graciously 
 enough, but somehow he went away with a feeling 
 that he had lost gromid. He saw her every day after 
 that, occasionally in the daytime, whenever he could 
 evade the Head Gardener's eye, and always in the 
 evening. She would talk to him from her window, 
 or sometimes she would consent to come out and stroll 
 with him in the golden dusk along grass-grown paths 
 bordered with high and ragged walls of yew. And 
 yet he parted from her with a sorer heart every even- 
 ing. She had been as enchanting as ever, but quite 
 as indifferent. It was useless to tell her how he loved 
 her ; whenever he had tried she had made him under- 
 stand that, if he said any more, he would spoil the 
 friendship between them. So he said no more. 
 
 Sometimes she had made him angry. Unfortun- 
 ately he could never quite forget his rank, and he re- 
 sented the airy way in which she treated him as a 
 person of no particular importance. She would even 
 laugh at his efforts to assert his dignity — and he was 
 unused to being laughed at, especially as he often did 
 not even understand why she laughed. For Fairy 
 Princes have never been noted for their sense of 
 humour, and poor Mirliflor was certainly no excep- 
 
 273 g
 
 274 IN BRIEF AUTIIOUITY 
 
 tion. Once, when she had innocently permitted 
 herself to remark that nho thought Prince Mirlillor 
 had shown very little spirit or determination in his 
 wooing of Princess Edna, he lost his temper bo com- 
 pletely as to tell her that she would be wiser not to 
 pass judgment on matters of which she knew so little. 
 Daphne's silence showed how deeply he had ofTended, 
 but he was too proud to conciliate her, and so his even- 
 ing came to an abrupt end in mutual coolness. On 
 his way back he cursed himself for his folly. He had 
 done for himself now— she would never forgive him, 
 never speak to him again ! How could he have been 
 so mad when his only happiness was being near her ? 
 But when he ventured back the next evening, pre- 
 pared for final dismissal, he found her as frank and 
 friendly as ever ; she seemed to have forgotten that 
 they had ever fallen out at all. Unfortunately this 
 was rather humiliating than gratifying, since it only 
 showed how utterly insignificant he was in her eyes. 
 
 But Daphne did not actually consider him insig- 
 nificant at all. She was rather interested in this 
 plain, ordmary-looking youth with a lofty manner 
 and an air of authority that seemed so incongruous, 
 and yet, even while she laughed at him for them, 
 impressed her in spite of herself. He was not quick 
 at seeing a joke — especially against himself — and she 
 enjoyed teasing and provoking him as she would not 
 have done in the case of anj'one she disliked. 
 
 She knew he was absolutely devoted to her, and 
 although she had made him understand that he must 
 avoid any approach to sentiment, she was touched 
 by his devotion, and sorry that she could make him 
 no better return. 
 
 " But it's no use," she thought remorsefully, " I
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 275 
 
 simply couldn't care in that way for any man who 
 hadn't some good looks. I can't be more than a friend 
 to Giro fie — and, luckily, I beUeve he's beginning to 
 see that at last ! " 
 
 Mirliflor had certainly begun to see that he was too 
 severely handicapped to have a chance of success, 
 and he paid a secret visit to his Godmother's apart- 
 ments to tell her so. But she was deaf to all his pro- 
 tests, and declined to restore him to his ovm form until 
 he had either won Daphne or been refused by her. He 
 came away furious, regretting that he had ever been 
 such a fool as to put himself at the mercy of this 
 obstinate old Fairy's whims. If he had not, he would 
 not have met Daphne — but better a thousand times 
 that he had never seen her if she was not to be his ! 
 
 His visit had one result. Old Baron von Eisen- 
 banden happened to observe him leaving the tower, 
 and it struck him as suspicious that so august a 
 personage as the Court Godmother should have any 
 dealings with an under -gardener. She must be using 
 the fellow as her agent in some intrigue or other, he 
 concluded, and, as she had not chosen to confide in 
 him, it was clearly his duty to his Sovereigns to 
 discover what she was about. 
 
 His cap of darkness might be of service to him here, 
 but since the fiasco of the self-suppljing tables he had 
 been distrustful of any article supplied by the As- 
 trologer Royal. However, it seemed as though the 
 sudden decay of the tables had been due less to any 
 malicious revenge on Xuriel's part than to some im- 
 perfection in his magic — for the cap proved to be as 
 efficient as ever. So, after satisfying himself of this, 
 the worthy Baron put it on and prowled unseen about 
 the Court Godmother's tower. For some days his
 
 270 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 vigilance was unrewarded, but at length he saw Girofl6 
 hurrying down a gallery that led to the Fairy's door, 
 and ininu'diately gave chase. Unfortunately he ar- 
 rived too lute to slip in In-hind him, and the thickness 
 of the door nmde it impossible to overhear anything 
 of the conversiition till the verj' end of the interview. 
 Then, as the door was ojK-n and the (Vjurt Godmother 
 had accompanied (Jirolle to the threshold, their parting 
 words were perfectly audible. 
 
 " You are setting me an impossible task, Godmother 
 Voldoiseau ! " he heard the mysterious young under- 
 gardener declare. " I am no nearer her than when I 
 came. And I never shall be till you restore me to my 
 proper self ! " 
 
 " I shall do that when I see fit, Mirlillor," the Fairy 
 replied, " and not a moment before. Y'ou have only 
 to be patient a little longer and all will be well. 1 
 know her better than you can, remember, and, believe 
 me, you have no cau;^ to despair." 
 
 " So you have told me before ! " he said bitterly. 
 " But I cant and won't endure this much longer, 
 and if you refuse to make it easier for me, I shall give 
 up and go back to Clairdelune ! " 
 
 " My dear Mirliflor," she retorted, " you won't be 
 such a fool ! " 
 
 He left her at that without another word, but the 
 Court Cliamberlain had heard enough to surprise him 
 considerably. So this yoimg gardener, it seemed, 
 was really Prince Mirliiior transformed ! The Baron 
 knew that such a transformation was within the 
 Fairy's powers, so, in spite of the total dissimilarity 
 between the Prince and the Gardener, he never for a 
 moment doubted that they were one and the same. 
 
 But why the Court Gk)dmother should have chosen
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 277 
 
 to act in this arbitrary manner, and how she supposed 
 it could promote Prince Mirliflor's object, was in- 
 comprehensible. 
 
 It was only natural that he should rebel against her, 
 and the Court Chamberlain felt so much sympathy 
 for the ill-used young prince that he resolved to follow 
 him to the gardens and offer his advice and assistance. 
 
 Mirliflor had already begun to rake a flower-bed 
 with vindictive energy, when he heard himself ad- 
 dressed from behind, and turned to recognise the 
 elderly official he had good cause to remember. 
 
 " Hard at work, I see," began the Baron, with a 
 casual air intended for any witnesses of the interview. 
 " Work," he added, cautiously lowering his voice, 
 " which, if I may be allowed to say so, Sire, can hardly 
 be other than distasteful to his Royal Highness Prince 
 Mirliflor of Clairdelune." 
 
 Mirliflor noticed the purple cap which was still in 
 the other's hand, and knew it would be useless to 
 deny his identity. "So, Baron," he said, " you 
 have been eavesdropping again, have you ? Well, 
 if you were in the Court Godmother's chamber just 
 now, as I suppose you were, you know how I come to 
 be in this position." 
 
 " I am aware, Sire," he said, " that your Royal 
 Highness has been induced to accept it in the hope 
 of obtaining the hand of — of a certain person whom 
 it would perhaps be inadvisable to name." 
 
 *' Certainly we will not name her," said Mirliflor, 
 " nor need we discuss a matter that so entirely con- 
 cerns myself." 
 
 " I should not permit myself the indiscretion. Sire, 
 if I did not so ardently desire that your Royal 
 Highness's suit may prosper. But, so long as you
 
 27S IN inUKF AITHOKITY 
 
 ninaiii m in ilic form you have dcMKt»c«i to asBunuj, 
 1 ( iuiiiot think you will approach your Prinnpss with 
 tho least clmiict* of huccx-sm ! " 
 
 " I a^rco, liaroii, but as tho C'xiurt Godmother 
 happens to think otherwi^, I'm powcrlesH, you see." 
 
 " Sho iH a moKt gracious and venerable lady," said 
 the Huron ; " but, though her will in as Htrong as over, 
 her mind is evidently weakening. If your Royal 
 Highness would Ix) guided by mo, I will venture to say 
 that you would find it more to your adviintnge." 
 
 " Well, liaron. and what is your sii^r^restion ? " 
 
 " I h;ivo but to inform her Majesty of the facts," 
 he said. " and nhe will at once order the Court God- 
 mother Vogelflug to restore your Royal Highne«j to 
 your own form, in which, beUevo mo, Sire, you need 
 have no fear of refusal." 
 
 • Listen to me, Baron ! " said Mirlillor, who knew 
 very well how his old CJodmother would treat such an 
 order. " You will say nothing whatever to her 
 Majesty of my being here— and I 11 tell you trhy you 
 will not. If you do, she will necessarily have to hear 
 of your method of acquiring the information. And 
 it's not a very creditable method, Baron I " 
 
 " I have done nothing I am ashamed of, " he said 
 doggedly; " her Majesty will recognise that 1 have 
 acted solely from devotion to her interests." 
 
 " rossibiy— but I fancy she will also recognise that 
 a Court Chamberlain who uses a cap of darkness to 
 overhear private conversations is an official whose 
 devotion might be occasionally inconvenient. I really 
 don't think I should mention it, Baron, if I were you." 
 
 Even he appeared to see the force of this. " Since 
 your Royal Highness desires your presence here to 
 remain unkno^vn, I will observe the greatest discretion,"
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 279 
 
 he said stiffly ; " I have the honour to leave your Royal 
 Highness to pursue his occupation." And with this 
 he withdrew, with very obvious affront. He left 
 Mirliflor even more disturbed than before. The Baron, 
 having been present unseen at his interview with his 
 Godmother, evidently knew all about his hopes with 
 regard to Daphne, and seemed — for some reason that 
 Mirliflor could not fathom — anxious for his success. 
 But, though the Court Chamberlain had promised 
 discretion, Mirhflor doubted whether he would be able 
 to keep such a secret long. He was quite capable of 
 thmking that, in Mirhflor 's own interests, he was 
 justified in disclosing it. And then — Mirliflor pictured 
 himself summoned in his present form before the whole 
 Court^ — where he had last appeared as Princess Edna's 
 suitor, the difficulty of explaining his recent behaviour 
 — the general indignity and humihation he would be 
 exposed to — even if the Fairy did not repudiate all 
 knowledge of him, wliich she was quite capable of 
 doing ! No, he could not stay to face all that — he 
 must leave the Palace that very night, and without 
 a word to his Godmother. Why should he see her 
 when nothing he could urge would have the slightest 
 effect ? Perhaps, when she heard he was back at 
 Clairdelune, it would bring her to her senses. 
 
 Nor would he go through any parting scene with 
 Daphne— what was it to her whether he went or 
 stayed ? If he saw her, he might be tempted to tell 
 her how passionately and hopelessly he loved her — and 
 she would only laugh at him. In self-respect he would 
 spare himself that. 
 
 He adhered to this resolution till long past their 
 usual hour for meeting, and he had made all his pre- 
 parations for departure, when he was suddenly seized
 
 280 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 with an uncontrollable longing to see her once more 
 — whatever pain it might cost him afterwards. So, 
 with some scorn of his own weakness, he let himself 
 through the postern gate and went in search of her. 
 At the end of one of the yew walks was a rusty 
 astrolabe on a moss-grown marble j)edestal, and by 
 this he fouiul her. Her back was towards him as 
 she faced the western horizon, where clouds of rose 
 and gold were sailing in a sky of warm apjilo-green 
 which toned above them to a luminous silvery blue. 
 On the edge of the nlope in the foreground some 
 cypresses were silhouetted in purj)lish bronze. She 
 turned as she heard his footsteps, her face so wondrously 
 fair in the half light that his heart ached afresh at 
 the sight of her. " id quite given up expecting you, 
 Girotie," she said, with a nonchalance that concealed 
 her 'pique at his unusual tardiness — for it must be 
 owned that she had become a trifle exacting of late, 
 " It's 80 late now that I shall have to go in very 
 soon." 
 
 "' I shall not keep you long, Da])hne,' he replied, 
 determined to show himself no less indiflerent than 
 was she. " I had to prepare for my journey, as I 
 am leaving Eswareinmal to-night, and I have only 
 come to say good-bye." 
 
 She was not only startled but deeply hurt . If he had 
 really been so devoted as he had seemed, she thought, 
 he could never have spoken of leaving her in this 
 casual tone — but she would not let him see how he 
 had wounded her. "To-night," she repeated, "I'd 
 no idea you meant to go so soon as this. But I dare 
 say you are only too glad to get away." 
 
 " Is one ever sorry," he said, in spite of himself, 
 " to get away from a place where one has suffered ? "
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 281 
 
 She had turned to the astrolabe again, and was idly 
 tracing out the incisions in one of its hoops with her 
 supple forefinger, when she next spoke. " Of course 
 I know it must have been hard for you, Girofle," she 
 said, " still, I hoped— it was very foolish and con- 
 ceited of me, I know— but I hoped that perhaps my 
 being here made it more bearable." 
 
 " If you had not been here, I should never have 
 come at all," he said ; " you did not know that, Daphne, 
 but I may tell you now. And at first, it is true, that 
 just to see and be near you now and then, was hap- 
 piness enough— but of late the hours I have spent 
 here have brought me little but the misery of longing 
 for what must ever be denied ! " 
 
 She could no longer misunderstand. So far from 
 his devotion having abated, it was stronger than she 
 had ever imagined, and the discovery made her sonier 
 for him than ever. " Girofi6 ! " she cried remorse- 
 fully, " I never knew you felt it like that— I thought 
 you understood, and were content with— with all that 
 I could give you. Oh, why can't you be ? " 
 
 " And what have you given me. Daphne ? What 
 am I to you ? Nothing ! Nothing ! " 
 
 " You are my friend— the dearest friend I have 
 ever had. Is that nothing, Girofle ? " 
 
 "Nothing compared with what I once hoped to 
 be! Hoped— while, even then, I knew how im- 
 possible any hope was. And yet— and yet— what 
 adds to my torment is that I know— yes. Daphne, 
 I jtnow— that— if— if by an evil fate I had not been 
 what I am, I could have made you love me. I am very 
 sure of that / " 
 
 She was looking at him as she spoke— and somehow 
 she ceased to think him plain. And suddenly she
 
 282 IN BRIEF AUTirORITV 
 
 knew tliat he had become ncccHsary lo her — so neces- 
 sary that the thought of losing him was unendurable. 
 
 " And why," she said, " are you so sure that it iB 
 impossible now, (j!Lroll6 ? " 
 
 " Daphne," he cried incrtdulouhly, " do you mean 
 that you can love me — even as 1 am ? " 
 
 She did not reply in words, but her face as she 
 raised it to his was answer enough ; and then he held 
 her in his arms, into which she nestled with a Uttle 
 sigh of perfect content. He could not understand 
 how so marvellous and unlooked for a thing could have 
 happened to him, and Daphne herself might have been 
 at some loss to account for her sudden surrender. 
 But she did not try— she only knew that she had 
 been quite powerless to help it, and did not regret it. 
 
 " And you will not go away from Eswareiiimal 
 now, Girofl6 ? " she said a httle later, when they were 
 sitting on a stone seat under an ilex, and the gold and 
 silver stars were beginning to come out in the deep 
 violet sky. 
 
 " Not alone, dearest." he repUed. " But it will not 
 be wi.se to stay here long. I was recogni.sed this after- 
 noon by that meddling old imbecile of a Court 
 Chamberlain." 
 
 " Girofl6 ! " she exclaimed, clinging to him in terror, 
 " will he give you up — can they do anythmg to you ? 
 If there's danger, let us escape at once — for of course 
 I shan't let you go alone ! " 
 
 " There's no danger," he said. "If he lets out 
 that I am here, it would be — inconvenient, but no 
 worse. And I think my — the Court Godmother will 
 see me through it now. I will tell her our news to- 
 morrow morning." 
 
 ** I'm afraid," said Daphne, " she won't at all
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 283 
 
 approve of my marrying you — she may even try to 
 prevent it, but she won't succeed ! " 
 
 " She is more likely to be on our side," he said. 
 He refrained, even then, from telling her why ; he 
 might be already released from his promise of silence, 
 but he no longer rebelled against it, nor had he any 
 impatience now to regain his own form. And so 
 they talked on far into the night, discussing their 
 futm-e life together, which Daphne cheerfully assumed 
 would be humble enough for a time — and he said nothing 
 to disabuse her. WTiy should he not enjoy as long 
 as he could the sensation — denied to most princes 
 and miUionaires — of being beloved " for himself 
 alone ? " 
 
 At an early hour the next morning, after carefully 
 ascertaining that the Baron had not yet risen, he 
 waited on the Fairy, who heard what he had to tell 
 with high good-humour and complacency. " Most 
 satisfactory, my dear IMirliflor ! " she said. " And 
 everything has turned out exactly as I always told 
 you it would. I shall visit her this morning and 
 prepare her for the future in store for her. As for you, 
 you must get to your work as usual, and at noon you 
 will find us at the end of the yew walk behind the 
 Pavilion. I shall have to change you back to your- 
 self again, and I'm thankful to say it will be the last 
 time I shall ever be called upon to do anything of 
 that sort. Then I shall take you both in the stork- 
 car to Clairdelune, and we shall hear what your Royal 
 father thinks of the bride you have chosen. He 
 rmiy consider that an ex-lady-in-waiting is not " 
 
 " He has only to see her," declared Mirliilor. " But 
 object as he may, no thmg and no one shall separate 
 us now."
 
 284 IN BRIEF AimroltlTY 
 
 " Well, well, if it eomes to that, 1 dare say I hluill 
 manago to overcome hLs objeclionK," she saiti. She 
 might have been more explicit if she hatl not decided 
 to resei*vo the surpriao of Daphne's royal descent 
 until the final scene at Claiidelune — which would be 
 far more eflective, as well as safer. 
 
 " And don't worry yourself about that foolish old 
 Baron," she concludwl. '* We shall be gone before 
 he can give any trouble. Now be of! with you — I 
 shan't want you till noon, and a few more hours' 
 gardening won't hurt you ! " 
 
 There was no need to hurry, so she did not leave 
 her tower till it was nearly half an hour to mid-day, 
 when she went slowly and by unfrequented ])aths 
 through the gardens and thence to the Pavilion. 
 Daphne, wiio had been anxiously expecting her, saw 
 her from the Pavilion and came to meet her, feeling 
 and looking rather guilty. 
 
 " Have you heard ? " she asked. " But I can see 
 you have. . . . Well, Court Godmother \ " 
 
 " Well," said the Fairy, bent on prolonging the test 
 to the last moment, " this is a pretty thing you have 
 done, upon my word ! You to fall in love with a 
 pemiiless student ! If you had only had the patience 
 to wait," she continued, as she led her towards the 
 yew walk, "I'd have found a handsome young Prince 
 for you. It's not too lat«, even now." 
 
 " I used to think I would onlv marrv a Prince, I 
 don't now," said Daphne. " I wouldn't change 
 Girofle for any Prince in the world. And what am /» 
 after all ? Just a Governess ! " 
 
 " And when you have married your student, what 
 do you suppose you are going to live on ? " 
 
 " Oh, we shall manage somehow,"' said Daphne
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 285 
 
 tranquilly. " We shall be poor, of course, but what 
 does that matter so long as we're together ? " 
 
 " Ah," said the Fairy, " but I can't understand 
 what a beautiful girl hke you can see in such an ugly 
 young fellow ! " 
 
 ** He isn't ugly ! " Daphne declared " And I 
 shouldn't mind a bit if he was ! He'd still be Girofle ! " 
 " All the same," pursued the Fairy, " you wouldn't 
 object to his being handsomer ? " 
 
 " I don't know," replied Daphne, contracting her 
 pretty brows, " I can't imagine him any different." 
 And then she laughed. "It's not a bit of use trying 
 to put me out of conceit with him, Court Godmother — 
 so you may as well give it up ! " 
 
 The Fairy was satisfied at last ; Daphne had stood 
 the test triumphantly, and the time had come for her 
 to be told of the reward that awaited her. " I am far 
 from wishing to lower him in your eyes, my child," 
 she said. " On the contrary, I may now tell you that he 
 possesses advantages you little dream of. And though 
 true love may be inspired without the aid of wealth, 
 rank, or good looks, there was never a maiden yet 
 who— but I perceive," she broke off with offended 
 dignity, " that I am not so fortunate as to have 
 secured your attention ! " 
 
 They had left the yew walk by this time and entered 
 an avenue of ilexes, beyond which lay the valley and 
 distant hills. "I'm so sorry. Court Godmother," 
 said Daphne, whose eyes were fixed on the view, " but 
 —but doesn't Drachenstolz lie over there ? " 
 
 " It does," said the Fairy drily, " though I fail to 
 see why that should interest you just now." 
 
 " I— I can see something flying," explained Daphne. 
 " It may be only a vulture— a large vulture."
 
 286 IN BRIEF AUTHOTaTY 
 
 " A vulture — where ? " ciicd the old Fiiiry. '* Non- 
 sense, It's your fftiicy, child. / boo nothing." 
 
 " It is a dragon ! " faltered Da])hne. " Can't you 
 see it now ? It's coming towards uh ! And oh, I'm 
 afraid the Count has sent it — like that snake — to — 
 to kill me! " 
 
 A dragon was a danger whifh the Fairy, with all 
 her precautions, had somehow omitted to forenee, 
 and for a time phe exhibited about as much calmness 
 and self-possession as a hen at a fox-raid. " Heaven 
 preserve us ! " she wailed. "If we were but safe at 
 Clairdelune ! \\'hnt can we do ? " 
 
 " Hide," said Daphne, trembling. " Quick ! In the 
 undergrowth ! " 
 
 "It would spy us out from above," groaned the 
 Fairy. " No, we must run for the Pavilion and 
 shelter there." 
 
 Daphne seized her hand and they ran together, 
 but they had not gone far before the Court Gotlmother 
 suddenly collapsed. " My old legs fail me ! " she said, 
 " I can go no fiu-ther ! Run on, child, while you can ! " 
 
 " And leave you ! " cried Daphne. " No, I shan't 
 do that ! But oh, can't you do anything to save us ! 
 Think ! " 
 
 The Fairy rose to her feet, shaking all over. " I 
 knew a spell once," she mumbled. " I never tried it 
 — but if I could only remember it now, it might — But 
 I can't — I'm too old — too old I That all my plans 
 should have come to this ! " 
 
 The dragon was forging along at a tremendous pace. 
 It would soon be near enough to single out its prey — 
 and still the old Fairy stood there, racking her memory 
 in vain.
 
 (< 
 
 A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH" 287 
 
 Close upon noon Mirliflor had thrown away his hoe 
 and torn off his apron for ever. In a few minutes 
 more he would be with his love — and yet his heart 
 was oppressed by a certain fear that had been haunting 
 him all the morning. The Fairy would re-transform 
 him — but could he be sure of the effect on Daphne ? 
 What if he lost, as Mirliflor, the love that Girofle had 
 won ? He was so absorbed in these disquieting re- 
 flections, as he alternately hastened and checked his 
 pace down the broad walks, that he scarcely noticed 
 a faint outcry, and sounds as though firearms were 
 being discharged, which seemed to come from the 
 Palace behind him. Perhaps, he thought, a revolt 
 had broken out, but, if so, it did not concern him. His 
 Daphne was in no danger in those grounds beyond 
 the wall. He passed through the gate, and presently 
 came to the astrolabe, and then the stone bench, 
 both hallowed now by the sweetest associations. 
 And yet it might be that those associations would be 
 his last with her ! It was almost a relief, on reaching 
 the yew walk, to find it deserted. He went to the 
 Pavilion, and there he elicited from Daphne's elderly 
 duenna, who was rather hard of hearing, that, as her 
 young mistress was certainly not indoors, he would 
 probably find her in the grounds. 
 
 He searched all the yew walks in vain, and then, 
 with a new and growing uneasiness, turned towards 
 the avenue, but he had got no farther than a small 
 pool in a marble basin when he heard a strange and 
 dreadful noise above him. He glanced upwards, and 
 saw the bulk of a huge dragon saihng high above the 
 tree-tops. It was making swiftly for the valley ; one 
 of its claws held a pendent form in fluttering drapery, 
 and he knew too well that the captive could only be
 
 288 IN BRIEF AITTIIORITY 
 
 Bhe for whom he had been searching. He had saved 
 her once from the mahcc of her enemies— this time he 
 was powerless ! He raved and cursed in impotent rago 
 and despair while a sudden gust swept the pool and 
 Bent it surging over the hrim, and a slender cypress 
 that stood hard by rustled and shivered as though in 
 terror. And as he stood there, he suddenly saw the old 
 Court Chamberlain before him. holding in one hand his 
 silken cap and in the other a sword and belt. 
 
 " Sire. Sire ! " he stammered. " tliat accursed beast ! 
 It is bearing her olT to Dra(hen-t<.l/ ! But you may 
 save her yet ! " 
 
 " Show me how to get there ! " said Mirlitlor fiercely. 
 " If I can't save her 1 can at least die with her. But 
 tho.se two devils shall pay for it first ! " 
 
 " Follow me," said the Baron, giving him the sword 
 and, followed by Mirlitlor. he ran at a very creditable 
 speed for his years in the direction of the Palace, 
 
 A little before noon that morning the Royal Family 
 had collected on one of the terraces. King Sidney 
 was pacing up and down engaged in private and 
 apparently important conversation with the Crown 
 Prince. The Court as usual kept a respectful distance 
 and chattered and gossiped in whispers. The Princess 
 Royal and Princess Ruby were sitting at a jade table 
 plaj-ing the game that resembled Halma, while the 
 Queen wa« confiding her maternal anxieties to the 
 Court Chamberlain's sympathetic ear. 
 
 "To tell you the truth, Baron." she confessed, 
 "I've not been at all happy lately about Princess 
 Edna. She sat/s nothing, but I can see she's fretting 
 over Prince Mirliflor's silence. I hear he hasn't been 
 seen at Clairdelune lately— taken his dismissal so
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 289 
 
 much to heart that he can't appear in public, I 
 suppose. But surely if he meant to try again he 
 would have done so before this ! " 
 
 The worthy Baron was too faithful a servant to 
 refrain from saying something to reassure his Royal 
 mistress, though a salutary recollection of INIii'h- 
 flor's warning made him careful not to say too 
 much. 
 
 " I can assure your Majesty from my own personal 
 knowledge," he rephed, " that his Royal Highness has 
 by no means given up his intention of renewing his 
 addresses to the Princess Edna." 
 
 " Then why doesn't he ? There's nothing to prevent 
 him — now." 
 
 "That, Madam," said the Baron importantly, "I 
 am not at liberty to explain " (as a matter of fact he 
 had no idea why Mirliflor was conducting his courtship 
 in so eccentric a manner), " but I may say I have 
 reason to know that at this very moment he may be 
 nearer the Palace than is generally supposed. 
 
 " Really ? " cried the Queen. " I must go and tell 
 dear Edna that. It will cheer her up." 
 
 " I must beg of your Majesty to treat it as strictly 
 confidential for the present," said the Baron hastily. 
 '■ His Royal Highness prefers to take the Princess by 
 surprise." 
 
 " What a dear romantic person he is ! " said Queen 
 Selina. " Then, of course, he must be humoured and 
 I'll say nothing. But I'm so glad you told me, 
 Baron. It's taken such a load ofE my mind ! " 
 
 " Well," the King was telling Clarence, " those are 
 old Goldenbergenland's terms. If you'll marry his 
 daughter. Princess Popanza, he'll let us have all the 
 gold we want ; if you refuse, he won't even advance
 
 290 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 us a ducat. Couldn't you sec your way to — to moeting 
 him, my boy ? " 
 
 " Nothing doing ! " said Clarence very dec;idedly. 
 " Why, ilanHmeinigel was telling me the other day 
 she's liumpbacked, with a Hquint or something. I 
 couldn't take it on— even if," he added gloomily, 
 " there weren't other reasons to prevent me." 
 
 " Then," tmid liLs father, " I don't know how we're 
 to get a fresh supply of gold — the mine's stopped 
 working, and the conf(junded Council won't do any- 
 thing for us." 
 
 " Wliat's the matter with selling a few jewels 1 " 
 suggested Clarence, as his eye fell on the Halma 
 board in passing, " they must be worth a lot." 
 
 " Not here. Too common. The people think 
 they're of no value except to kings and queens. 
 Nothing but gold will go down in these parts. vSo j'ou 
 see, my boy. that unless you can bring yourself to " 
 
 " I say, Guv'nor," interrupted Clarence, who seemed 
 to welcome a distraction just then. " Look over 
 there. That beggar Rubonfresser has let loose that 
 poisonous dragon of his ! Infernal cheek ! " 
 
 " He was expressly told to keep it under control," 
 said the King. " Most irregular ! " 
 
 ** It's not only loose," said Clarence, " but it's coming 
 straight over here." 
 
 Ruby had seen it too, and sprang up deUghted. 
 " Look ! " she cried, " there's darUng Tiitzi ! He's 
 got away from his horrid master — and now he's coming 
 to Hve with us ! I must get some cake for him ! " 
 and she darted into the Palace. 
 
 " I'll go and tell those sentry-johnnies to take a 
 pot at it," said Clarence, as he went doAi^ii to a lower 
 terrace, where the Palace sentinels were on duty. By
 
 "A CLOUD THAT'S DRAGONISH " 291 
 
 the time he returned with them Tiitzi was almost 
 overhead, his great wings beating with a resonant 
 leathery clang as he flew romid in ever descending 
 circles, stretching his scaled neck and horny head in 
 deliberate quest, until he was so low that the sunlit 
 chalcedony slabs shed a reflected glare on his great 
 burnished belly. " Now blaze away at it, can't you ! " 
 shouted Clarence to the sentinels, who appeared to 
 have some difficulty in loading their antiquated pieces. 
 " You mustn't shoot Tiitzi ! " cried Ruby, running 
 out at that moment with a heavily gilded sHce of 
 gingerhead, "he's only come for some cake ! " 
 
 " Don't encourage the thing ! " said the King, 
 dragging her back. " Get away, you brute ! Go home, 
 Sir!" 
 
 As he spoke the monster made a sudden downward 
 swoop at Edna, and, with a deftness that was quite 
 extraordinary, hooked one of its steely claws in her 
 girdle and soared rapidly aloft with her. It was 
 fortunate that the belt, which was of stout jewel- 
 studded leather, was able to sustain her weight. 
 
 " Stop fii'ing, you fools ! " yelled Clarence, as the 
 sentinels opened a wild fusillade. " You'll only hit 
 her ! " 
 
 And, even if their bullets could have pierced the 
 dragon's plated hide, it was soon out of range. 
 
 "It's carrying her off to that wTetch ! " screamed 
 the distracted Queen. " Is there nothing we can do ? " 
 
 " One thing, your Majesty," said the Baron eagerly. 
 " Offer the Princess in marriage to anyone who will 
 rescue her. It's the usual course ! " 
 
 " To— to anyo7ie ? " repeated Queen Selina in de- 
 spair. "Oh, Baron — nfiust we ? " 
 
 "You can safely do so, Madam," he whispered.
 
 202 IN BRIEF AUTHORTTY 
 
 " Mirlillor will Ix Uk- man — and 1 know wlu-rc to find 
 him." And with ihiH he ruKhcd of! first to his own 
 chaml)or, then to the Crown I'rincre'.s apartments, and 
 finally to the gardens in seareli of Girofl6. 
 
 "Sidney," said the Queen, " t-ell the lieralds to 
 ])roclaiin that wo will give our poor (brling to anyone 
 who suceoeds in delivering her . . . Don't argue 
 about it — do as 1 tell you ! " which King Sidney did. 
 
 As for the Court, they wen- too paralysed by so 
 iniexpeeted a ealamily to be of the least assistance. 
 The ladies-in-wiii(ing were all in floods of tears, dis- 
 tressed, not only by the awful fate that had overtaken 
 '* Princess Four-eyes," but by the painful reflection 
 that any one of them might be the dragon's next 
 victim. 
 
 " This couWn't have happened except in a place 
 like this ! " declared the Queen, now on the verge of 
 hysteria. " And why it should have been j)ermitted 
 to happen to us ! — It wouldn't have. Sidney, if you 
 had only had the sense to insist on that thing being 
 destroyed ! But you didn't^ — and this is the result ! " 
 
 " My love," said the King, " you forget. The poor 
 girl herself insisted on its being spared. It — it's most 
 mifortunate ! " 
 
 And it certainly was.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 
 
 If the Fairy Vogelflug could only have known that it 
 was Edna and not Daphne who was really in danger 
 from the dragon, she would have been comparatively 
 calm. But since she did not know this, she was, as 
 has been already stated, entirely unnerved for a time. 
 Fortunately — or at least she thought it fortunate 
 then, — just before the creature was near enough to 
 detect them, the long-forgotten words that formed 
 the spell recurred to her memory. It was a spell 
 that was admirably adapted to enable any fugitive 
 to escape discovery, but she had ne'^er had occasion 
 to use it before, and to perform it required an amount 
 of mental concentration from which, in ordinary 
 cu-cumstances, she would have shrunk. Now she 
 must act at once or they would both perish, and so 
 she gabbled the necessary incantations, till, though 
 the effort took a great deal out of her, she eventually 
 succeeded in changing Daphne into a tall and slender 
 cypress, and herself into a circular pool in a marble 
 basin — a double transformation which was calculated 
 to deceive the most observant and intelligent dragon. 
 But, changed as she was. Daphne remained perfectly 
 conscious of her own identity and aware of all that 
 was happenmg. At first she was much impressed by 
 the Court Godmother's ingenuity and presence of 
 mind, but as time went on, and the dragon, instead
 
 294 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 of searching for them, seemed to have swerved away 
 towards the Palace, she l)egan to wonder whether there 
 had been any real need ior such excessive precautions. 
 And then Girolle appeared, and she gathered from 
 his despair wliat must have happened to the ill-fated 
 Edna, and that he was under the erroneous impression 
 that she herself was the victim. Surely now the 
 moment had eomo for the Fairy to reverse the spell 
 — but, except that the surface of the pool was becoming 
 violently disturbed, she made no sign. Daphne tried 
 by rustling all her branches to attract his attention 
 and assure him of her safety, but naturally failed. 
 Even when the Court Chamlx-rlain arrived and Giroil^ 
 had rushed away with him, she was forc^ed to stay 
 behind as an apparent cypress, while the F'airy still re- 
 tained the semblance of a more and more agitated pool. 
 Daphne "s uneasiness and anxiety would have been 
 even greater, but for the fact that the reason for this 
 agitation was mercifully hidden from her. The truth 
 was that one of those accidents had happened which 
 are not infrequent with persons who onlj' occasionally 
 practise the Alagic Art. The Fairy had impulsively 
 pronounced the spell that accomplished the trans- 
 formation without waiting to recall the precise formula 
 that was needed to regain her normal appearance, and 
 for several agonising minutes the vitally important 
 words persisted in evading her. To Daphne it seemed 
 an age before the marble rim began to contract and the 
 pool dry up, and presently, to her unspeakable relief, 
 all trace of pool and basin disappeared, and in their 
 place stood the Fairy Godmother in a sadly shaken 
 and exhausted condition. She had strength enough, 
 however, to restore Daphne, which she did with many 
 groans. " I've been trying to do this for the last
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 295 
 
 quarter of an hour, child," she panted. " I was 
 beginning to think I'd forgotten the spell altogether. 
 And now he's gone off on a fool's errand to rescue 
 you ! But I may still be in time to stop him ! " 
 
 " You won't stop Girofle ! " declared Daphne, " He 
 will try to rescue Edna, just as he would me. And if 
 it can be done he'll do it. I can't bear his going, 
 Godmother — and yet I hope I shouldn't prevent him, 
 even if I could ! " 
 
 "He can't do anything!" said the Fairy. "He 
 couldn't even get into the Castle, and he won't be so 
 mad as to attempt it. Go you to the Pavilion, and 
 stay there till I can find out what that old fool of a 
 Baron is about with him." 
 
 Daphne obeyed. She would not deter Girofle, but 
 to encourage him in his desperate errand was more 
 than she was equal to just then. The Court Godmother 
 hitched up her quilted skirts, and went ofE at a hobbling 
 run in the direction of the Palace Gardens. 
 
 The Baron had led iMirliflor through the Gardens, 
 and then round to a Courtyard at the back of the 
 Palace in which stood a massive round tower pierced 
 with many pigeon-holes. Here he brought out a small 
 shell-shaped car on two wheels, and at his whistle a 
 flock of white doves fluttered down from the tower, 
 and permitted him to attach them by collars and 
 traces to the car. "The most gracious the Court 
 Godmother is nowhere to be found," he explained 
 as he did so, "but assuredly she would not grudge 
 lending her car for such a purpose as yours, since by 
 no other means could you hope to get over the walls 
 of Drachenstolz. Once within them you will find the 
 sword of inestimable service, and I doubt not that
 
 20G IN BRIEF AUTHOHITY 
 
 yon will wield it to bottcr eflect than wouM its owner. 
 1 would willingly lend you this, " he added, lingering 
 the cap, " only niayl)e your Royal Highness would 
 not deign to employ means whieh I understood you 
 are j)leased to consi<ler discreditable ? 
 
 "Don't be an ass, Baron! " said Miilillor, seizing 
 the cap and stej)ping into the ear. " Where her life ia 
 at stake I have no scrujUes in using anything whatever. 
 But I've no experience in driving doves — how do I 
 guide them ? " 
 
 "They need no guidance, Sire. You have but to 
 utter the words 'To Drachenstolz,' and they will 
 carry you straight to the Castle and set you do^^'n 
 within its walls. God speed you ! " cried the Court 
 Chamberlain, as the Prince gave the direction, and 
 the birds ascended with the car. " Heaven grant you 
 bring back your Princess unharmed ! " 
 
 "Heaven grant 1 reach her in time!" came the 
 answer from the dove-chariot, which, after making a 
 few preliminary circles, flew away, to all aj)pearance8 
 unoccupied. 
 
 It had scarcely disappeared wlicn the Court God- 
 mother arrived on the scene. " Where is Girofle ? " 
 she demanded breathlessly. 
 
 " His Royal Highness Prince Mirliflor of Clairdelune," 
 replied the Baron, " has just departed for Drachenstolz 
 in the dove-car, which I knew you would wish to be at 
 his disposal." 
 
 " And pray," said the old Fairy, " what made you 
 think I should wish him to throw away his life for 
 Princess Edna ? " 
 
 " He will not fail to rescue her, never fear, Madam. 
 No Prince ever does fail in these enterprises. And if 
 he succeeds — he need no longer hesitate to disclose
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 297 
 
 himself, for you will be gratified to hear that his 
 Majesty has promised the Princess's hand to the 
 person who may accomplish her rescue. At," added 
 the Baron proudly, " my own suggestion." 
 
 "Oh, indeed ? " retorted the Fairy. " Then it is 
 high time you knew what kind of a Royal Family you 
 have given to Marchenland ! " And in a few sharp 
 sentences she let him know the truth about the 
 pendant which he had so rashly accepted as all-suffi- 
 cient proof of Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson's title to the 
 throne. 
 
 The poor Baron was aghast at the information, and 
 still more when he heard who was really entitled to 
 the crown. " The Lady Daphne ! " he cried. " But 
 she has been sent away to that far country— and who 
 knows where she may be now ! " 
 
 " She is here still, and under my protection," said 
 the Court Godmother. "In her own interests I had 
 determined to keep silent as to her claims, and planned 
 that MirUflor should win her under the form I made 
 liim assume. All had fallen out as I expected— I had 
 just arranged to carry them both ofE to Clairdelune, 
 and leave these usurpers in possession for as long as 
 the Country would endure them— when you blunder 
 in, like the meddlesome idiot you are, Baron, and 
 upset everj-thing ! " 
 
 " I have been bUnd indeed ! " he confessed. " A 
 traitor when I thought myself most loyal ! Tell me, 
 most Gracious Court Godmother, how I may best 
 
 repair my error ? " . . r „ 
 
 " You can't repair it without making more mischief, 
 she said. " The only thmg you can do 7iow is to hold 
 your tongue about it, as I shall do myself unless I am 
 obliged to speak out. And now we had better go
 
 298 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 and see what this precious King and Queen of yours 
 are doing, and remember, Jiaron, your own safety 
 will depend on your preserving absolute secrecy as 
 to all the matters 1 have found it necessary to acquaint 
 you with." 
 
 On the terrace meanwhile Queen Selina had im- 
 plored the Marshal to do something — anything — 
 towards the rescue of her elder daughter. Ho was 
 not sanguine ; " We could raise a force, your Majesty," 
 he said, " to ride to Drachenstolz and assault the 
 Castle walls, — but it would be quite impossible to take 
 it by storm, even if that dragon were not among its 
 defenders." 
 
 " We'll have a try anyway," said Clarence gallantly. 
 "Come on, you chaps — get into your fighting kit," 
 he cried to the Courtiers. " And two of you boys," he 
 added to the pages, " just run and fetch me a helmet 
 and breastplate and things — and bring me down a 
 sword you'll find in my room somewhere. I shouldn't 
 mind tackling even a dragon with that sword," he 
 added to his mother, as the Courtiers and pages 
 ran into the Palace. " It goes clean through any- 
 thing." 
 
 But the pages, when they returned with the breast- 
 plate and helmet and riding-boots, reported that the 
 sword was nowhere to be found, so Clarence had to 
 content himself with a more ordinary weapon. At 
 the last moment the Queen tried to detain him. " Xo, 
 Clarence ! " she cried, " you mustn't go. Your life 
 is too valuable to be risked — there are enough 
 going without you ! Stay here — if only to protect 
 us I " 
 
 "Hang it all, Mater ! " he said, " you can't expect
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 209 
 
 me to stay here and have them saying I shirked ! " 
 And he went off to the stables with the Marshal and 
 other members of the Court. 
 
 " It'll be no good ! " groaned King Sidney. " It's as 
 likely as not that beast has eaten the poor girl by this 
 time ! " 
 
 " I can't believe anything quite so horrible as that 
 has happened, Sidney," cried the Queen. " It has 
 only delivered her into that wretch's power — which is 
 quite horrible enough ! But there's hope still. The 
 Baron says Prince MirUflor is quite near here — and 
 he's sending him to rescue her. And a real prince 
 like dear Mirliflor ougJit to be a match for that miserable 
 Rubenfresser and his dragon too ! " 
 
 " If he could get at them he might be," said the 
 King lugubriously ; " but that's just what he can't 
 do!" 
 
 On finding herself borne swiftly through the air by 
 a dragon, Edna had done what was the correct thing 
 to do in the circumstances — she had promptly fainted. 
 She opened her eyes to find that she had been deposited 
 uninjured, on a truss of straw in a Courtyard. On 
 her right was the massive front of Castle Drachenstolz ; 
 before her were its lofty walls and the grim towers 
 that flanked its heavy gate ; to the left were the 
 stables, from the windows of which some of the black 
 carriage horses looked out, their wrmlded lips ex- 
 posing their long yellow teeth in ghastly grins. Some 
 distance away the owner of the Castle was caressing 
 the dragon, which lay with its huge wings compactly 
 folded, giving its unconscious imitation of a tremend- 
 ously powerful dynamo. On perceiving that she had 
 returned to consciousness the Count came towards
 
 300 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 her, followed by the ex-AKtrologer Royal, who was 
 smhking and rubbing his hands. 
 
 " I couldn't do without you," began the Count by 
 way of explanation, "so as I couldn't come myself 
 I sent Tiitzi for you," 
 
 Edna resolved to bear herself with all the dignity 
 of a Queen's daughter. She sat up and felt U)T her 
 pince-nez, and, discovering that it was intact, she 
 adjusted it on her nose. " Considering," she said, 
 " that all is at an end between us, you had no right 
 whatever to send your dragon to bring mo here. It 
 was a thuig that no gentleman would have done I " 
 
 " Wouldn't that great and learned gentleman you 
 told me of — the one whose name I always forget — 
 have done it ? " he inquired. 
 
 " Nietzsche," said Edna, instructively superior 
 even in such a cri.-^is ; " most certainly not. Even if 
 he had owned a dragon ! " 
 
 " You told me he did," he insisted ; "a great 
 meta-something dragon that talked and said, * Thou 
 shalt not,' But if he wouldn't send his dragon for 
 anybody, he would approve of my sending mine for 
 you, becau.se I was domg as he advised, and acting 
 exactly as I thought fit." 
 
 She realised the hopelessness of reasoning with him. 
 " Y"ou thought fit to act most improperly," she said 
 severely, " and j'ou will gain nothing hy it, you know ! " 
 
 " Oh, yes I shall," he said, " or I shouldn't have 
 done it." 
 
 " You arc quite mistaken," she assured him, " if 
 you are imagining I shall ever consent to renew 
 our engagement now I know what you ore." 
 
 " I'm what you wauled me to be," he said, " a 
 Superman."
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 301 
 
 " You're not, you're an — an Ogre. I couldn't 
 possibly bring myself to become an Ogress ! " 
 
 " You wouldn't make much of an Ogress," he said 
 dispassionately. " You haven't the build for it. But 
 I'm not an Ogre even yet. It's not my fault. I 
 meant to begin with those pages of yours — but you 
 all seemed to have some ridiculous objections. Then 
 I've sent Tiitzi out to forage and pick up a small child 
 or two, but the peasants round here are so selfish and 
 unneighbourly that they never give him the chance 
 — actually shutting all the children up indoors ! " 
 
 " What else can you expect ? " she demanded in- 
 dignantly. " Surely your — your better self must see 
 that even to attempt to devour poor helpless children 
 is — is too perfectly disgusting for words ! " 
 
 " It's disgustmg when one doesn't succeed," he 
 admitted ; " I see nothing in it to object to myself. 
 Of course the average man may, but you've taught 
 me what to thmk of his opinions." 
 
 " You entirely misunderstand me," said Edna. 
 " But I've no wish to discuss such subjects with you 
 now — I insist on your allowmg me to go home at 
 
 once." 
 
 " Before I do that," he said, " you must write a 
 letter on my behalf to your parents." 
 
 "I don't mmd asldng them to overlook the way 
 you have treated me, and assuring them that you 
 regret it and will behave yourself properly for the 
 future," conceded Edna, " if you mean that." 
 
 " I don't mean that," he said ; "I don't want to 
 behave properly— what they would call properly. I 
 want to lead a fuller life than I can while I'm cooped 
 up in my own Castle. You see, it's no good having 
 the Will to Power if you're not allowed any oppor-
 
 302 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 tunities of exercising it. And I'm not, with guards 
 stationed all round my walls to see that I don't get 
 out. I might set Tiitzi at them, it's true, but he is 
 the only dragon I've got, and it would be very annoy- 
 ing if they hurt the poor thing. So you must get the 
 King to send me free permission to go wherever I 
 choose and do whatever I like. Then I can make a 
 start as an Ogre. At present I'm hampered at every 
 turn ! " 
 
 " Father and Mother," said Edna, " wouldn't hear 
 of setting you free for such wickedness as that. It 
 would be contrary to all their principles." 
 
 " What I think you called ' Slave-morality,' eh ? " 
 he said. " But you needn't tell them why I want to 
 get out. Besides, I've other reasons. My carriage 
 horses want auing, and I should like to drop in to lunch 
 at the Palace now and then, as I used to. Not as 
 your betrothed, you know — ^that's all over — but just 
 as a friend of the family. I always enjoyed my meals 
 at the Palace." 
 
 " Oh ! " gasped Edna, " I'm sure, quite sure, they 
 would never consent to receive you again. How 
 could ihery ? " 
 
 " They would," he said, " if you told them what 
 would be the consequences if they didn't." 
 
 " And — and — what will the consequences be ? " 
 inquired Edna. 
 
 " Well," he replied darkly, " poor Tiitzi will never 
 reach his full growth on his present diet. I fancy he 
 would rather relish a change." 
 
 " You couldnH see me — me you were once engaged 
 to — devoured by your horrible dragon ! " she cried. 
 
 " Why not ? " he asked cheerfully. " I am great 
 enough now to be able to bear the sight of others'
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 303 
 
 pain, as your learned What's-his-name said I ought 
 to be." 
 
 " Listen," said the unhappy Edna. " If — if ^ I 
 write this letter will you promise me, on your sacred 
 word of honour, to become a vegetarian at once ? " 
 
 " Certainly," he said. " It won't bind me, you 
 know. You might put in the letter that I've promised 
 to. Rather a good touch ! Now go and write it at 
 once, and I'll send Tiitzi over with it. You can say, 
 ' Please send answer by bearer ! ' Xuriel, show the 
 Princess to a chamber and provide her with writing 
 materials." 
 
 " If your Royal Highness will graciously come this 
 way," said the despicable Xuriel, bowing low. Poor 
 Edna had to follow him up a steep outside staircase 
 to a gloomy room where deep -set windows commanded 
 a view of the Courtyard below. He found some 
 sheets of parchment and a reed pen, and lent her the 
 inkhorn from his own girdle. As he was depositing 
 these on a great oaken table, he glanced out of the 
 window and gave a high cackling laugh. 
 
 " I fear my venerable and respected friend the 
 worthy Court Godmother must have met with some 
 mishap," he sniggered. " For see. Princess, her dove- 
 chariot has just descended, without its Gracious occu- 
 pant, on the roof of the bastion ! Hee-hee ! I trust — I 
 sincerely trust that Tiitzi may not so far forget himself 
 as to snap up any of those dear little doves ! " 
 
 And, so saying, he hurried to the Courtyard. Edna 
 was naturally concerned at any possible accident to the 
 Court Godmother or her doves, but her letter had to 
 be written, and it was not at all an easy letter to 
 write. She got as far as : " Dear Father and Mother, 
 — You will be relieved to hear that I am, so far, unhurt.
 
 304 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 But"— and there she stuck. It was really very 
 difficult to find any plausible wording for the Ogre's 
 preposterous terms. 
 
 Xuriel had rejoined his patron, and ))oth were watch- 
 ing Tiitzi with interest. He had already become 
 aware of the doves and reared his head above the 
 level of the bastion roof, where they were strutting 
 about unsuspicious of danger. His hideous lidless 
 eyes regarded them intently, with a view to selecting 
 the plumpest bird. 
 
 '* Those pigeons will be quite a treat for poor Tiitzi," 
 remarked Count Rubenfresser. " But what is that 
 thing flashing there on the roof ? There it is again ! 
 Can't vou see it ? " 
 
 Xuriel looked, and saw a tl^in scintillating ray of 
 light which shifted capriciously from place to place. 
 " It is the blade of a sword ! " he said. " More— it is 
 the blade of the enchanted sword I sold to Prince 
 Clarence." 
 
 " Fool ! " said the Count, " how can any sword be 
 there with no hand to wield it 1 " 
 
 "The Crown Prince is wielding it," replied Xuriel. 
 "He is rendered invisible by the magic cap I made 
 for the Court Chamberlain ! " 
 
 " You had no business to make such things," 
 returned the Count, " they were very properly for- 
 bidden. But Tiitzi mil very soon " 
 
 Before he could say more there was another flash — a 
 sweeping circle of light— and Tutzi's head flew from his 
 neck, which sent up a column of blood. 
 
 " The wretch ! " shrieked the Count, " the cruel, 
 cold-blooded wTetch, he's killed my Tiitzi ! " 
 
 " It will be our turn next ! " cried the little Astro- 
 loger Royal, too terrified to stir.
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 305 
 
 " Help ! " the Count bawled, " we are attacked ! 
 Where are you all? " A few retainers had run out to 
 various doorways at his summons, but when they saw 
 the dragon's great body rolling convulsively round the 
 Courtyard, its hooked wings thrashing up the cobble- 
 stones, while its head bounded independently about, 
 barking and snapping like a mad dog, they very 
 prudently withdrew, 
 
 Xuriel had recovered strength to run, but he had not 
 gone far before the head, probably quite automatically, 
 seized his right calf and brought him down. There 
 was another sharp glint of light — and his body was 
 headless, like the dragon's. What with the endeavour 
 to avoid Tiitzi's head, and Tiitzi's body, and the 
 terrible sword flashes, all at once, the Count was kept 
 pretty busy for the next minute or so. He rushed, 
 leaping and yelling, roaring and dodging, from side 
 to side and corner to corner, and then made a frantic 
 bolt for the outer stakcase, but he had only got half- 
 way up when his head fell with a splash into a water- 
 butt below, while his body slid down to the bottom 
 of the steps, where it lay in a limp crumpled heap. 
 
 The noise of all these proceedings was not exactly 
 conducive to literary composition, and Princess Edna 
 had already been obHged to abandon her letter. In 
 fact she had begun to realise that it would no longer 
 be necessary to finish it. Her brother, she thought, 
 had come to her deliverance with a promptness and 
 energy which she would really have hardly expected 
 of him. She put on her pince-nez again, and went out 
 to the head of the staircase. " Clarence ! " she called, 
 " where are you ? " 
 
 She was immensely surprised to encounter a plain 
 young man in homely costume whom she had certainly 
 
 u
 
 306 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 never seen before. IMirliflor, who liad just removed 
 his cap and was springing up the steps in search of 
 Daphne, was at least equally surprised at finding 
 Edna. 
 
 " You here, Princess ! " he cried breathlessly, " Tell 
 me ! Is — is Daphne safe ? 
 
 " If you refer to Miss Heritage," replied Edna, " I 
 have not seen her for weeks, but I have no reason for 
 believing that she is not safe — in England." 
 
 "Then," he said blankly, "the dragon carried ofi 
 you — not her ? " 
 
 " I should have thought that fairly obvious," said 
 Edna frigidly. " You have evidently rescued me under 
 a misapprehension, though, of course, I am just as 
 much indebted to you. And I shall be glad to know 
 who you are. In answering, kindly address me as 
 ' Your Royal Highness.' It is more correct." 
 
 This was highly embarrassing, he thought, though 
 he felt thankful that his Godmother had not had time 
 to make him recognisable. " My name, your Royal 
 Highness." he replied, " is Girofle. I have the honour 
 to be one of his Majesty's under-gardeners." 
 
 " Oh," said Edna, " one of them ? Really. Well, 
 you have behaved most creditably — very creditably 
 indeed. I really don't know what mightn't have 
 happened if you hadn't arrived just then. I have 
 never been in such a trying situation before. And, 
 even as it is," she added, " there doesn't seem to be 
 any means of getting out of this odious place." 
 
 By this time Tiitzi's death-throes were over ; his 
 body lay extended half across the Courtyard, while the 
 head, after having bitten one or two of the carriage 
 horses rather severel5% had also ceased from troubling. 
 " Perhaps," said IMirliflor, " your Royal Highness will
 
 THE REWARD OP VALOUR 307 
 
 condescend to make use of the dove-car which brought 
 me here ? It will carry you back in safety to the 
 Palace." 
 
 " It looks rather tit-uppy," said Edna, as the doves 
 flew down with it at his call. " And it only holds one. 
 How are you going to get away yourself ? " 
 
 " I shall order some of those varlets to open the 
 gate," he said, " and they will be wise to obey." 
 
 " Clarence's sword is a great help ! " said Edna. 
 " Then — you will be aU right. And you may 
 be sure that his Majesty will pay you a suitable re- 
 ward." 
 
 " The satisfaction of having been of any service to 
 your Royal Highness," he said, '' is reward enough 
 in itself." 
 
 " Oh, but that's such a "pose ! " said Edna. " Of 
 course you expect to be paid for it ! . . . And you 
 will be. Must I tell these birds where to take me ? 
 ... I see. Then— Home, please ! " 
 
 And the doves, glad to escape from such uncongenial 
 surroundings, whirred upwards with the car and, 
 after a few tentative circles, took it clear over the 
 battlements. 
 
 As for the retainers, they waited for no order 
 to unbar the gate for ;MirUflor, being all eagerness to 
 facilitate his departure. He strode unconcernedly 
 out, and, finding a party of the Royal guard outside, 
 he informed them that they would find one or two 
 severed heads within if they cared to collect them, 
 and then, borrowing a charger, he galloped ofi to 
 Eswareinmal, impatient to know what had befallen 
 Daphne. 
 
 On the Palace terrace there had been a period of 
 painful surprise. The Crown Prince was the first of
 
 308 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the rescue party to return. Ho would have mucli 
 preferred to do so by a back way, but, perceiving 
 that ho had been observed, took the manlier course. 
 " Clarence ! " whrickcd the Queen as ho limped up 
 with hi« breastplate and hose covered with mire, a 
 bent sword and badly dinted helmet, " is she saved ? " 
 " Cbuldn't tell you, Mater," he replied heavily. 
 " I've done all 1 could, and so — and so I came back." 
 " He's wounded I " cried Ruby tearfully. " Oh, 
 Cbrence, was it that horrid Tutzi ? " for she was 
 ellectually disillusioned at last. 
 
 " No, Kiddie, no," he said, " Fm all right. Took a 
 bit of a toss, that's all." 
 
 " My poor boy," said his mother, " was it at the 
 Castle ? Did the thing attack you ? " 
 
 " I never got to the Castle," he replied, " only about 
 half-way. It was like this. That bally pendant you 
 made mo wear, Mater, got unfastened somehow, 
 slipped down inside my breastplate and was hurting 
 like the very deuce. So I got of! and unbuckled a 
 bit and pitched it away. When I got on again the 
 horse was all over the shop ^vith me in a jiffy. Couldn't 
 hold him for toffee ! And, before I knew it, I was 
 over the brute's head. I tried to mount again, but 
 he wouldn't let me. I tried some other gees, and 
 none of them would. Somehow I seemed to have lost 
 the Imack all at once. So, after I'd come off once or 
 twice more and was getting a trifle lame, I thought 
 the best thing I could do was to leg it home." 
 
 " Hem ! " said his Father. " Rather unfortunate 
 thing to happen just now, my boy ! " 
 
 " Well, Guv nor," he replied, " I should never have 
 got there in time, walking." 
 
 "You were quite right to come back, Clarence,"
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 309 
 
 said his Mother, " And — oh, look, look ! " she cried 
 suddenly, " our darling is safe after all ! She's coming 
 back in the dove-car ! " 
 
 The car landed shortly after on the terrace, and 
 Edna was frantically embraced and plied with ques- 
 tions. " I am quite all right, thank you," she said 
 as soon as she had an opportunity of speaking. " Of 
 course it was a most disagreeable thing to happen to 
 one, and I don't feel equal to talking about it just 
 yet — but I am very little the worse for it now." 
 
 " But how did you get that awful man to let you 
 go ? " inquired the Queen. 
 
 " He couldn't very well help himself — his head had 
 been cut off. So had the dragon's, and that abomin- 
 able little wretch Xuriel's too." 
 
 By this time not only the Marshal but the Court 
 Godmother and the Chamberlain had jomed the party. 
 " But who was brave enough to do all this ? " 
 asked the Queen. " Though I think I can guess ! " 
 
 " I fancy he said he was one of the under-gardeners 
 here. Of course he couldn't have done it without 
 
 Clarence's sword, but still " 
 
 " I never lent him it," said Clarence. "If Fd 
 had it — ^however, perhaps it's as well he did borrow 
 it. Jolly plucky of the beggar, I call it ! " 
 
 "He behaved extremely well," Edna admitted. 
 " You will have to reward him or somethmg, Father." 
 "His Majesty," said the Marshal, with a certain 
 gusto, "has abeady offered your Royal Highness's 
 hand in marriage to whomsoever should be so fortunate 
 as to effect your deliverance." 
 
 " Without consulting Me ! " cried Edna. " Really, 
 Father, these things aren't done nowadays ! It's too 
 absurd ! "
 
 310 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " My love," said the Quocn with h glance of secret 
 intoUigcnco at the ombaiTunsed Baron, who looked 
 another way, " the circumstances wore exceptional. 
 And a King can't go back on his vxrrd! Besides, 
 this ex-gardener may be not such a common i)erHon 
 as he seeins — may he not. Baron ? " 
 
 " But, dash it, Mater I " said Clarence, while 
 the Baron could only blink, " an under-gardener — 
 what ! " 
 
 " I'm bound to say — " began the King, when the 
 Queen interrupted : 
 
 " You are bound to say that you'll keep your pro- 
 mise, Sidney, and that is enough till the dear fellow 
 comes to claim his reward." 
 
 It was the Marshal whose superfluous zeal led him 
 to order Girofld to bo stopped and brought into the 
 Royal presence as soon as he arrived at the Palace. 
 
 The Royal Family, with the Court Godmother, the 
 Baron, and other members of the Household, had 
 assembled in the Throne Room when the Marshal 
 entered, leading the reluctant Girolle. acutely con- 
 scious of looking his very worst. After him came 
 some men-at-arms, who carried the dragon's still 
 terrific head, with those of the Count and Xuricl, as 
 trophies of the hero's exploit. 
 
 They caused a general but by no means mipleasant 
 shudder to rim through the beholders. 
 
 " Your Majesties," said the ex-Regent, " I have the 
 honour to present the gallant youth who has nobly 
 earned even such a prize as the hand of her Royal 
 Highness." 
 
 " But — ^but," stammered Queen Selina, " this isn't 
 — ^there's not the least reseynbkince f Baron, Baron, 
 what did you mean by telling me that the Prince ? "
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 311 
 
 " I — I must have been misinformed, yom* Majesty," 
 said the Com't Chamberlain, having no better explana- 
 tion to offer. 
 
 " You should be more careful about what you teU 
 Us, Baron," said the Queen, " And, reaUy, there 
 was no need to bring those dreadful heads into our 
 Throne Room, making aU that horrible mess ! It's 
 a piece of bad tast« which, perhaps — in an under 
 gardener — ^please have them removed directly. Well, 
 young man," she continued to the indignant Mirhflor, 
 who, it need not be said, had nothing to do with the 
 gruesome introduction of the heads, " I'm sure we are 
 all very much obliged to you — ^very much obliged 
 indeed. If you hadn't come forward as you did, it's 
 dreadful to think what might have happened. And, 
 though it seems you did take the liberty of borrowing 
 the Crown Pruice's sword without permission, we are 
 the last to blame you for that. We think you are 
 entitled to be very handsomely rewarded. But if 
 you're expecting our daughter, the Princess Edna's 
 hand, I think your own good sense " 
 
 " Yes, yes," said the King ; " mustn't open your 
 mouth too wide, you know. There's a Umit to all 
 things ! And a round sum of money with which you 
 could start in business and marry some nice little 
 woman in your own class of life would be far more 
 useful to you." 
 
 "I ask for no reward," said Girofle. "And the 
 hand of a Princess is an honour to which I do not 
 aspire, since I am already affianced ! " 
 
 " That," repUed the Queen, " is very satisfactory. 
 We shall certainly send the young person a wedding- 
 present. Who is she ? One of the Royal kitchen- 
 maids, I presume ? "
 
 312 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " She was iii your Majesty's service as a lady-in- 
 waiting," he siiid, " and her name is Daphne." 
 
 "Oh," said Queen Selina. " Really ? Miss Heri- 
 tage ? Well, you are to be congratuliited, I'm sure." 
 
 " But, RLiter," said Clarence, " it can't be her ! I 
 thought you'd had her sent home ? " 
 
 " I had made arrangements for her return, Clarence, 
 but it seems to have been postponed for some reason 
 — luckily, as things have turned out. She has been 
 given rooms in a pavilion behind the Palace Gardens, 
 where no doubt she managed to become acquainted 
 with this young man." 
 
 " And he may take it," said the Fairy, " that the 
 Lady Daphne is at liberty to depart with him at 
 once ? " 
 
 " Certainly," said the Queen. "It is hardly, per- 
 haps — but Miss Heritage is no doubt right in ac- 
 cepting the first offer she receives," 
 
 " Quite," said Princess Edna, " though it seems 
 odd — even for a Governess — to think of marrying a 
 gardener ! But I'm sure I wish her every happiness." 
 
 There is no doubt that the Court Godmother should 
 have been content with this, but her anger and disgust 
 were too much for her discretion. She could not 
 resist the temptation to humilLite and confound these 
 upstarts by a sensational stroke, whatever it cost her, 
 
 " Perhaps," she said, " the Lady Daphne has made 
 a wiser choice than any of you may imagine." With 
 this, after muttering an incantation, she touched 
 Girofle with her crutch-handled staff, and in his stead 
 Prince IMirlilior stood revealed in rich and splendid 
 attire before them all. 
 
 The Queen was electrified for a moment, as were 
 Edna and most present. But as soon as the shock
 
 THE REWARD OF VALOUR 313 
 
 had passed she cried : " This is a surprise ! But, 
 my dear Prince Mirlifior, why— w7iy didn't you tell us 
 who you were before ? You see, we couldn't 
 possibly ! " 
 
 " It was really too naughty of you to play us such 
 a trick, Prince ! " said Edna, " when, as you might 
 have known ! " 
 
 " Never mind ! " purred the Queen, " we'll forgive 
 him — won't we, Edna ? " 
 
 " Of course you only said that about Miss Heritage 
 to tease us ? " said Edna, who really believed it was so. 
 
 " I said but the truth. Princess," he replied. " She 
 has promised to be my wife." 
 
 " And the match," put in the triumphant Fairy, 
 addressing Queen Selina, " already has your sanc- 
 tion ! " 
 
 " Oh," said the Queen, " but that was before — I 
 think," she went on with a forced smile of much 
 sweetness — " I thmk you and I, my dear Court God- 
 mother, must have a little talk over this m private 
 before I can make up my mind what I ought to do. 
 Perhaps you will be kind enough to follow me to my 
 Cabinet ? Excuse my deserting you for a little while, 
 my dear IVIirUflor. I shall leave you to Edna, who, 
 I know, is dying to express all the gratitude and 
 admiration she feels." 
 
 And she swept with great stateliness out of the 
 Throne Room towards her Cabinet, the Court God- 
 mother following with a presentiment that her pet 
 scheme was about to encounter some opposition, and 
 no very definite idea how to meet it. 
 
 But that it must and should be overcome somehow 
 Bhe was thoroughly determined. 
 
 It should be mentioned here that, shortly after his
 
 314 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY' 
 
 tranHformation, MirliHor found infiido hm rich doublet 
 Bomothing which proved to l^e the Chamlx-rUiin's cap. 
 He was about to return it, but the Baron showed so 
 little defiirc to receive his property in public that the 
 Prince decided to keep it until a better opportunity 
 presented itself. And then he forgot all about it, 
 for which, as things turned out, both had reason to 
 be thankful afterwards.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 
 
 *' Well, my dear Court Grodmother," began the 
 Queen, as she sank on an ivory and cloth-of-gold 
 settee in her private Cabinet, and cooled her some- 
 what heated face with a jewelled ostrich-feathered 
 fan, " I had better tell you frankly that I think both 
 you and that designing Uttle adventuress have be- 
 haved in a very miderhand way in this business — a 
 way that I naturally resent. IVIirHflor, as you very 
 well know, came here on darling Edna's account, 
 and you dehberately threw that Miss Heritage in his 
 way — I haven't the least doubt you told her who he 
 really was ! " 
 
 " That," said the Fairy, " is just what I did not 
 do. It was part of the test I put to her. She still 
 has no idea that he is more than a student." 
 
 " Well, you egged her on to set her cap at him, and 
 if he cares for her at all it can be no more than a passing 
 fancy. I cannot be a party to letting the poor, dear 
 young fellow be entrapped into a mesalliance to please 
 you, and I shall see that she is sent back to England 
 at once, as, but for you, she would have been long 
 before this." 
 
 " I don't want to lose my temper with you if I can 
 help it," said the Fairy, with an ominous flush on her 
 peaked old nose, " because I've been through a good 
 deal as it is this morning, and I'm feeling very far 
 
 316
 
 31G IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 from well in consequence. But you had better under- 
 stand that Lady Daphne is not going to be sent back 
 to England — she is going witli Mirliflor and me to 
 Clairdelune, and we sliall start immediately." 
 
 " You are at liberty to go where you please, but 
 Miss Heritage will certainly not leave the Palace 
 except to return to her own country." 
 
 " And I tell you I intend to take her to Clairdelune 
 with me, and you are powerless to prevent it." 
 
 " Indeed ? " said the Queen, hi high wrath. " An- 
 swer me this : Am I Queen of Miirchenland, or am I 
 not ? " 
 
 ** You are not ! " retorted the Fairy, before she could 
 prevent herself, for the opening was really too tempting. 
 She had not meant to go so far, but, having started, 
 she proceeded to enlighten the Queen as to her title, 
 and the very slender evidence on which it was 
 based. 
 
 " I don't believe a single word of it ! " declared 
 Queen Selina, as defiantly as if this were the fact. 
 " It's a wicked plot to set up my own governess as a 
 pretender, but there's a very short way of settling 
 that ! I shall send for the Marshal " — and she made 
 a movement towards a handbell of exquisitely en- 
 graved crystal with a sapphire tongue. " I shall tell 
 him what you have dared to say, and have you and 
 that wretched girl arrested as traitors ! '' 
 
 The Fairy shook with mmgle fury and fear, for she 
 saw too late that she had made a wTong move. 
 " Before you do that, listen to me." she said. " All 
 I have said is true, and you know it is true, but it was 
 you who forced me to say it, and I am willing to be 
 silent so long as j'ou permit me to convey Lady 
 Daphne to Clairdelune. As she has no suspicion of
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 317 
 
 her claims to the throne, you need have no fear that 
 she wiU assert them." 
 
 *' I can't trust either of you — you are much too 
 dangerous," said the Queen, and she rang the bell. 
 
 " You had better take my warning," said the Fairy, 
 her wrinkled mouth working with passion. " Old as 
 I am, I have some powers left that you little suspect. 
 Scarce an hour ago I changed myself into a pool and 
 Lady Daphne into a cypress " (she naturally omitted 
 to add how narrowly they had escaped having to 
 remain so indefinitely), " and by aid of the same spell 
 I could transform you to a shape which — which you 
 will discover after I have caused you to assume it. 
 And it is a shape that you will not like ! " 
 
 " Pooh ! " said the Queen, on whom the re-integra- 
 tion of the under-gardener into Mirliflor seemed to 
 have left little impression. " Either you're trying to 
 frighten me or you're crazy. Whichever it is, you 
 ought to be put under restraint — and I shall see to it 
 that you are ! " 
 
 " After that I'll do what I threatened ! " snarled 
 the Court Godmother. " It may kill me— but I don't 
 care — I'll do it ! " And she mouthed words of mystic 
 sound and import, though her jaw trembled so vio- 
 lently that she could scarcely pronounce them. 
 " Now," she concluded, pointing her crutch at the 
 
 Queen's breast, " become — become a ! " 
 
 But what the Queen was to become never trans- 
 pired, for before the infuriated Fairy could manage 
 to name it her features suddenly became contorted, 
 the stick fell from her hand, and she sank down in a 
 heap just as the attendants entered in answer to the 
 Royal summons. 
 
 " I'm afraid," said Queen Selina, " that the Court
 
 318 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Godmother has fainted. I daresay it's nothing HeriouB, 
 stiU one of you had l)etter bring the Royal Apothecary 
 at once. Be careful to keep it from the Court, as I 
 wish to avoid unnecessary alarm," The others en- 
 deavoured to restore the afflicted Fairy, but, though 
 still alive, she was in some kind of cataleptic condition 
 which was beyond the ordinary remedies. The Court 
 Apothecary arrived and applied blisters without 
 result, and finally gave it as his opinion that, while 
 she might survive for some time, she would in all 
 probabihty never speak again. 
 
 So Queen Selina ordered her to be removed to her 
 apartments, and the fact that she was indisposed to 
 be suppressed for the present, after which she left her 
 Cabinet, feeling that Providence had been more than 
 usually judicious. Her next step was to send for the 
 Marshal and instruct him to remove Daphne from the 
 Pavilion to a chamber in one of the Palace towers, 
 where she was to remain a prisoner under his guardian- 
 ship. "It's only for a short time, Marshal." she said. 
 " And of course you will see that Miss Heritage is 
 made thoroughly comfortable." 
 
 And then, the ground having been thus cleared, 
 she returned to the Throne Room. " Just a moment 
 or two, my dear IMirliflor," she said suavely, " if Edna 
 can spare you," and she drew him aside. "Well." 
 she began, " I've been telling the dear old Court 
 Godmother the difficulty I am in. You see, I would 
 willingly recognise this engagement of yours — what- 
 ever I may think about it — if I only could. But 
 reaUy, you know, I can't possibly allow you to take 
 Miss Heritage away until I am satisfied that your 
 dear Father approves of her as a daughter-in-law. 
 As her employer I feel responsible for the poor girl.
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 319 
 
 And, besides, he might think I had encouraged this 
 match, and I can't afford to put myself in such a false 
 position as that ! " 
 
 " But," he objected, " my Godmother is going with 
 us to Clatrdelune, and she will explain all." 
 
 " She has altered her plans," said the Queen, who 
 was developing a quite imsuspected talent for diplo- 
 macy. " To tell you the truth, I fancy she is getting 
 a little nervous about how King Toumesol may take 
 what she has done. She feels — as I am afraid / do — 
 that it is wiser to keep dear Miss Heritage here under 
 her own care till you have broken the news to your 
 Father and obtained his consent." 
 
 " My Father is certain to consent," said the Prince, 
 " and if he did not " 
 
 "Oh, quite so — quite so — but both your Godmother 
 and I consider that we ought to wait till he does consent. 
 Of course, if you can brmg us a letter from him statmg 
 that he approves, all will be well. I'm sure you must 
 quite understand that that is really as far as I can 
 go under the circumstances. And, if you start at once, 
 you will be back here again in a very few days, bring- 
 ing, I hope, a favourable answer. We shall be most 
 pleased to lend you any horse you like in the Royal 
 Stables." 
 
 She was so plausible that poor Mirhflor, who, like 
 most Fairy princes, was not very deeply versed in 
 feminine wiles, was quite taken in. He thought her 
 lacking in distinction for a Queen, but well meaning. 
 And it was so like his Godmother to impose one more 
 test on him. 
 
 ** I will set forth, then," he said, " as soon as I have 
 seen my Daphne and assured her of my speedy 
 return."
 
 320 IN BRIEF AUTTTORITY 
 
 " I'm afraid, my dear Muliflor," said Queen Selina, 
 " I'm afraid you can't sec her before you go." 
 
 " And why not ? " ho asked. 
 
 "Well, you see, the dear Court Godmother — mis- 
 takenly, / think — has tokl her what a great person 
 you really are, and Miss Heritage feels that she has 
 not the right to see you again unless and until she can 
 hear that she will be welcomed at your Father's C5ourt. 
 I said all I could to show her that she need not be 
 so over scrupulous as that, but she is such an ex- 
 tremely sensitive girl, and feels her social inferiority 
 so acutely that nothing would persuade her to alter 
 her resolution. You will only be distressing her by 
 attempting it." 
 
 He pleaded and argued as long as he could, but 
 eventually he was convinced that it was in vain. And 
 so, as he knew that Daphne would be safe under the 
 Fairy's protection, he took his leave, and, choosing 
 the best horse in the Royal stud, set out on his journey 
 to Clairdelune. By so doing, he was only — Uttle as 
 he suspected it — giving his hostess time to consider 
 how she could best deal with the girl who. she no longer 
 doubted, was the rightful possessor of the throne. 
 But then Miss Heritage was not aware of her birth- 
 right, which seemed to suggest more than one way of 
 coping with the situation. 
 
 After Queen Selina and her Royal Consort, with the 
 Crown Prince and the Princess Edna and Ruby, had 
 waved their last adieus to the departing MirUfior, the 
 Marshal approached Clarence. " Allow me, Sire," he 
 said, "to restore this jewel, which was picked up 
 close to the spot where your Royal Highness's steed 
 became so suddenly and unaccountably unmanage- 
 able."
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 321 
 
 Clarence reddened — for there was a covert sneer in 
 the ex-Regent's tone which he did not like, while 
 he was angrily conscious that it was quite undeserved. 
 " Oh thanks, Marshal," he said as he took the pendant. 
 " I say, Mater, no wonder the bally thing slipped down 
 — the clasp's worn out. Whoever you bought it 
 from ought to have put it in proper repair before he 
 sold it. Pity you can't send it back and make him 
 mend it ! " 
 
 " Do I understand," mquired the Marshal of the 
 Queen, " that your Majesty bought this pendant ? " 
 
 " Certainly not," replied the Queen, flushing in her 
 turn. " You're mistaken, Clarence — it — it has been 
 in the family for years ! " 
 
 " You're mixing it up with something else, Mater," 
 he said. " Don't you remember ? You wore it for 
 the first time that evening the Baron came to fetch 
 us. And you told us you'd bought it out of old Uncle 
 Wibber ley's legacy. I'm sure I'm right ! " 
 
 " That was a different ornament altogether," said 
 his mother ; " but it's not worth discussing." Ac- 
 cordingly the subject was dropped, for the time, at all 
 events, though the Marshal did not forget it. His 
 was not a briUiant intellect — briUiant intellects being 
 rare in Marchenland— but he had the faculty of putting 
 two and two together, and inferring that the total 
 was more likely to be about four than any other 
 number. The Astrologer Royal had predicted that 
 the Queen would be discovered m a certain spot in 
 England, and would be identified by being the pos- 
 sessor of Prince Chrysopras's jewel. But the Marshal 
 was now satisfied that she was the possessor by pur- 
 chase only. The original owner— if Xuriel had read 
 the stars correctly— was in the same locality. Was
 
 322 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 it not poRRihlo that Jjidy Dftjjhne might be that owner ? 
 If BO, it would explain the Queen's motive for placing 
 her under arrest. Marshal Federhelm resolved to 
 play a bold stroke. When in the course of his office 
 he had next to visit his prisoner, whom he made a 
 point of treating with all courtesy, she begged him 
 to tell her what fresh offence she had given that slie 
 should have been condemned to solitary imj)risonment. 
 
 " I know but this," said the Marshal, " her Majesty 
 is displeasetl at finding that a certain jewel she pur- 
 chased from you is of less value than she had been led 
 to believe." 
 
 " But, Marshal ! " protest<xI poor Daphne, natur- 
 ally imagining that the Queen had been complaining 
 to him of the transaction, "surely it's worth at least 
 thirtj' pounds ! If it isn't. I'd willingly take it back 
 and return the money. Only I can't — because I used 
 it all to pay my bill. But I always thought that 
 pendant was valuable, and. as it belonged to my father, 
 I would never have sold it at all if I hadn't been 
 obliged. What do you think I ought to do ? " 
 
 " You can do nothing. Lady Daphne." he replied, 
 " save trust that her Majesty's anger will pass away. 
 For whatever price she may have paid for such a jewel, 
 it is assuredly of far greater value than she is pleased 
 to assert." 
 
 *' I'm so glad to hear you s&y that ! " said Daphne. 
 ** It would be hateful to think I had cheated her 
 Majesty — even though I never meant to." 
 
 That was all that passed between them — but the 
 Marshal had Icamt all that he wanted to know, though 
 he made no immediate use of his knowledge. It was 
 enough for him to feel that he had a cardwhich he might 
 play to his own advantage when the opportunity came.
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 323 
 
 The Court Godmother was now generally known to 
 be hors de combat, and as for the old Baron, he could 
 be left for the present in ignorance of his blunder. 
 
 Queen Selina meanwhile had akeady formed her 
 plans. She was not a positively wicked woman, and 
 even still thought herself irreproachable. If she had 
 managed to separate IMirHflor and Daphne by some 
 hard fibbing, it was only what her duty as a Queen 
 and as a Mother demanded of her. She had never 
 liked this Miss Heritage, and firmly befieved that 
 Daphne had alienated Mirhflor's affection from Edna 
 to herself. And now, it seemed, she was the lawful 
 Queen of the country, and Queen Selina had grown 
 too habituated to power and grandeur to give them up 
 to this inexperienced girl. Her first idea had been to 
 carry out her original intention and have Daphne 
 sent home to England without further delay. But 
 this, she began to see, would expose her to considerable 
 criticism at Court, and it occurred to her that there 
 might be a simpler and more satisfactory way out of 
 her difficulties. 
 
 So, full of her latest project, she went in search of 
 Clarence, whom she found lounging with a very moody 
 and disconsolate air in one of the balconies. Clarence 
 was in low spirits just then, and not ^vithout reason. 
 He had entirely lost his nerve for horsemanship, as 
 his mounts had become as refractory as ever ; he could 
 not help perceiving that the courtiers had lost all 
 respect for him, and received his overtures with hardly 
 veiled impertinence ; and, besides all this, there was 
 another matter that had been weighing on his mind 
 for some time past. 
 
 " Why, Clarence, dear boy," she began, " what are 
 you keeping away from everybody like this for ? "
 
 324 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I wasn't * keeping away ' that I know of," he Rai<l. 
 " There are timcH wlien a fellow's glad to got a quiet 
 moment to himself, that's all." 
 
 " Perhaps," she said, " I know the real reason why 
 you've been so mopy lately." 
 
 " Wliat do you mean, Mater ? " he askod. " You 
 haven't ? " 
 
 "My dear Clarence, do you tliink I can't see 
 that you've never got over your fondness for little 
 Miss Heritage ? I can't bear to sec you looking so 
 unhappy, and I've come to think that I may have 
 been wrong in keeping her out of your way. So — 
 and this is what I came to t<^ll you — if you feel that 
 she is necessary to your ha|)pines8, I shall not op- 
 pose you any longer — and I will see that your father 
 doesn't." 
 
 *' I wish you'd said so before, Mater ! " he replied. 
 " The Governor's been at me to propose to old 
 Goldenenbcrgenland's daughter, but I had to tell him 
 I couldn't take it on." 
 
 " Of course not, dear, I'm told she's hideous. While 
 Miss Heritage, at all events " 
 
 ** But she's engaged to Mirliflor ! Lucky chap he 
 is to get her, too. / might have once, perhaps — if I'd 
 had the pluck ! " 
 
 " You may get her still, dear boy," said his fond 
 Mother. " You see, she doesn't know who MirUflor 
 is yet — she thinks he's a student or something, pre- 
 tending to be a gardener. Well, she's much too clever 
 a little person not to get out of such an engagement 
 as that if she knew she could be the Crown Princess." 
 Which was no more than Queen Selina actually 
 believed, " Trust me, Clarence," she concluded, 
 " you've only to ask."
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 325 
 
 " I dare say you're right, Mater," he said, " only 
 the worst of it is I'm not free to ask her." 
 
 " Not free ? What do you mean ? " 
 
 ** I didn't Uke to tell you before," he said, *' but — 
 well, I — I've gone and got engaged to someone else." 
 
 " Engaged ! Who to ? " demanded the Queen, in 
 her own English. " If it's anyone in my Court ! " 
 
 " It's no one you know. Mater. But she's all right, 
 you know. At least, she's a King's daughter of sorts. 
 Her Father's King of the Crystal Lake." 
 
 " The Crystal Lake ! " cried Queen Selma. " You 
 — you wretched boy ! Don't tell me you're engaged 
 to — to a Water-nixie ! " 
 
 " Well, I suppose that's what it amounts to," he 
 said. " I never wanted to be. I met her when I 
 was fishing there. She came up out of the water, 
 and we got talking and that, and I told her who 
 I was. And after that, whenever I got to the lake, 
 she was always popping up. I thought she was 
 rather a jolly sort of girl if she was a trifle on the damp 
 side, and it amused me to talk to her, but I never 
 said a word to her that could — till her old Dad 
 suddenly turned up and insisted on our being regu- 
 larly engaged." 
 
 " And you gave way ? Oh, Clarence, how could 
 you be so weak ? " 
 
 " I told him I'd see him blowed before I said yes, 
 and he pulled me in and threatened to hold my head 
 under water till I promised," said Clarence. " I 
 didn't see any point in being drowned — and so — and 
 so, sooner than have a row about it, I did say yes. 
 What else could I say ? " 
 
 "Well," said the Queen, "no engagement made 
 under such circumstances can be binding, and you
 
 326 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 must break it off at once. Go and tell him that 
 your Father and I refuse to hear of your engage- 
 ment." 
 
 " It'll make him most awful ratty if I do," objected 
 Clarence. 
 
 " What if it does ? Clarence, you miuit get free. 
 I'm extremely anxiouii that you should marry Miss 
 Heritage before Mirlillor returns (if he does return) 
 for her. It's most important, for your Sister's sake. 
 Because, when he finds himself forsiiken, he is sure 
 to turn to Edna again. Now do you see ? " 
 
 " I see," he replied lugubriously, " and I don't 
 mind going to the Lake and trying to get the old boy 
 to let me oil — but 1 bet you he won't." 
 
 " Don't a.sk him anything. Simply inform him 
 that your parents decline to allow such a match, and 
 refer him to ws." 
 
 " Perhaps that icould be the neatest way out of it," 
 he agivcd. " Yes, I'll just tell him UuU — from a safe 
 distance — and he can do what he jolly well pleases. 
 But it won't be a pleasant job. Wliat ? " 
 
 It was some miles to the Crystal Lake, but he went 
 on foot without any member of his suite in attendance, 
 and in a plain cloak and slouched hat, which prevented 
 him from being recognised as he passed through the 
 streets of the Capital. 
 
 Diu-ing his absence his Mother was engaged in long 
 and anxious consultation with the King and Edna. 
 " I'm surprised at Clarence," King Sidney had observed, 
 " thought he knew his way about too well to be drax^Ti 
 into an entanglement of this kind ! " 
 
 " He never would have been," said his mother, "if 
 he hadn't had to choose between that and being held 
 under water. And you can trust Clarence to make
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 327 
 
 it clear that he would not be allowed to keep such a 
 promise, even if he wanted to." 
 
 " If he marries any one," said the King, " it ought 
 to be this Princess of Goldenenbergenland — he'll get 
 money with her, and we want some rather badly." 
 
 " Pardon me, Sidney," said the Queen, " but I 
 intend him to marry IVIiss Heritage." 
 
 " Mother ! " exclaimed Edna, " Miss Heritage ! 
 What can you be thiaking of ? " 
 
 " I know what I am doing, my love. The poor boy 
 is devoted to her and always has been, and, in short, 
 I've decided that he shall have his way. It will be 
 to your advantage that he should." 
 
 On reflection Edna saw this. Mirliflor might feel 
 mortified for a time, but there was at least a chance 
 of catching him on the rebound. 
 
 When Clarence returned later his entrance was 
 haUed with an interrogatory " Well ? " from his family. 
 " Well," he replied, " I interviewed the old King. 
 Told him you couldn't stick my marrying his daughter. 
 He took it very quietly — better than I expected. All 
 he said was that, if you would come to the big fountain 
 in the Palace gardens (it's supplied from the Crystal 
 lake, you know) at sunset, he'd be there and let you 
 know his terms." 
 
 " Wants to blackmail us, does he ? " said the King. 
 " He won't get a farthing out of me f " 
 
 *' It is like his impudence," added the Queen. " Still, 
 it may be as well to see him." 
 
 And just before the sun's final disappearance, the 
 four stood on the margin of a small artificial lake, 
 from the centre of which a great column of water shot 
 up to a colossal height against the crimson and orange 
 sky.
 
 328 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " He doesn't seem to have kept his appointment," 
 said the King. " Thought bettor of it, hoy ? " As he 
 spoke, the tall column sank and resolved itself into a 
 solid grey -green figure of little above the average 
 stature, a long-boarded elderly personage in a flowing 
 mantle which only partially covered his suit of glitter- 
 ing iridescent scales. 
 
 " There is the old blighter ! " whispered Clarence. 
 " Tliis is my Father and Mother, Sir," he added 
 aloud, " and anything you've got to propose must 
 be settled with them." 
 
 " King and Queen of Marehenland ! " said the 
 Lake King, in a voice like the roar of a cataract, 
 "is it true that ye consider a daughter of mine 
 unworthy to wed your son ? " 
 
 ** Without entering into personalities," replied King 
 Sidney, " which are better avoided at all times, I may 
 say that an aUiance with a family whose nature is so 
 — er — amphibious could not be seriously entertained 
 by any civilised monarch." 
 
 " It would be too grotesque ! " said Queen Selina, 
 " even in a country like this ! " 
 
 " I have set my heart on becoming the Father-in- 
 law of a Prince of the Royal blood," said the Lake 
 King, " and I will not be denied." 
 
 *' Now — now — now," protested King Sidney, " what 
 is the good of taking that tone ? If we were in 
 England I should say this was a matter that could be 
 settled in few minutes by our respective solicitors. 
 As it is, you had better tell us how much you'll take 
 to compromise it. I don't admit that your daughter 
 has suffered any material damage — still, if you're 
 reasonable in your ideas of compensation, you'll find 
 us disposed to meet you — as far as we can, you know.
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 329 
 
 as far as we mw," he added hastily, as he remembered 
 his shrunken gold sacks. 
 
 " My terms are these," the Lake King answered. 
 " Unless the betrothal of Prince Clarence to my 
 daughter Forelle be proclaimed throughout the City 
 before nightfall, the waters of the Crystal Lake shall 
 overflow and submerge the whole land to the tops of 
 the highest houses. It is for ye to choose." 
 
 *' That would be an outrageous thing to do, if you 
 could do it," said the Queen, " but you know very 
 well you can't ! " 
 
 " Can I not ? " retorted the Lake King. " Behold 
 if I have boasted vainly or not ! " And he waved 
 his sceptre, which was surmounted by a crystal fish. 
 Instantly the artificial lake came pouring over its 
 marble border, and the Royal Family were ankle-deep 
 in water. " It's no good ! " said King Sidney, as the 
 flood spread and threatened to rise higher still, " we've 
 got to give in." 
 
 " Nothing but the safety of our poor subjects would 
 make me consent," declared the Queen, " but as it is, 
 I must. Stop this horrid flood, and we'll agree to 
 everything ! " 
 
 The water flowed back into the basin at a motion 
 of the Lake King's sceptre. " It is agreed, then," 
 he said, smiling for the first time, " that the betrothal 
 is to be proclaimed before nightfall, and that the 
 nuptials shall take place within eight days ? " 
 
 "Oh, very well," said Queen Selina pettishly, " I 
 can't thmk your daughter will ever settle down or 
 be really happy with us — but that is her affair, and — 
 and I will try my best to be a Mother to her." 
 
 " It is enough," said the King of the Crystal Lake, 
 " I have your word. Should ye retract now, what
 
 330 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 follows will be upon your own luadK ! " And, with 
 those parting wordrt, he merged into u column of 
 water which towered up as before, its spray falliiig 
 like fine bronze duat against the now purple nky. 
 
 *' I don't much think I hhall over get on with Aim," 
 was all Clarence could find to say, as they walked back 
 with wet feet. " But Forello — well, she really isn't 
 at all bad-lookuig — in her way." 
 
 " Has she got the same coloured hair as her father ? " 
 inquired Edna. 
 
 ■ it's green," he confessed, " but a much prettier 
 shade of green — Eau dr nil, I should call it." 
 
 "And 1 suppose all the furniture will have to bo 
 covered in oilskin ? " went on Edna. " One of the 
 delights of having a Nixie for a sister-in-law." 
 
 " You needn't talk ! " he said angrily. " You 
 came jolly near giving me a bally ogre for a brother- 
 in-law — what ? " 
 
 " There is just this difference, Clarence," replied 
 his sister, " I was able to break it off — which you are 
 not," 
 
 " Well, if I'm not, it's not my fault, so you needn't 
 nag," he said savagely, for the thought that all hope 
 of Daphne was now irretrievably lost had just begun 
 to gall him. 
 
 " We shall all have to change our shoes when we 
 get in," was her answer. " And it is lucky if we escape 
 a bad cold in the head. But I dare say," she added 
 sweetly, " that w^hen dear Forelle is one of us we shall 
 soon grow inured to damp." 
 
 " What /'m thinking of," said the King sombrely, 
 " is how the Court and the populace will take this 
 business. It's to be hoped that the Lake King is— 
 er — liked in these parts."
 
 A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT 331 
 
 " Who could help loving him ? " jeered Edna. 
 " No doubt the wedding will excite the greatest en- 
 thusiasm — especially if the bride goes through the 
 ceremony in a tank ! '' 
 
 " Oh, shut up, can't you ! " cried the worried 
 Clarence. " Don't make it out more rotten than it 
 is!" 
 
 Queen Selina was too occupied with her own re- 
 flections to interfere. Her plan for securing the 
 succession to the throne by a union between Clarence 
 and Daphne was clearly no longer practicable. She 
 had been anxious to treat the girl with consideration, 
 and even indulgence — but events had made this im- 
 possible. It was absolutely necessary now to get Miss 
 Heritage safely out of the way as soon as it could be 
 managed. " I must speak to the Marshal about it," 
 she was thinking, " and have her sent back to England 
 in that stork-car. The poor dear Court Godmother 
 is much too ill to be consulted just now. I have 
 just that much to be truly thankful for ! "
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 SERVANTS OP THE QUEEN 
 
 If breaking the news of Edna's engagement to Count 
 von Kubenfrcsser had l)een a matter of some delicacy, 
 to inform the Court and Public of Clarence's betrothal 
 to a Water-nixie was, as his parents felt, infinitely 
 more so. Queen Selina told the Baron first, but, 
 rather to her surprise, he took it calmly and almost 
 apathetically. "I'm afraid, Baron," she said, "you 
 will think it very weak of us to allow it, but, between 
 ourselves, there are — er — State reasons which left us 
 no choice." To which he replied that he would much 
 prefer to be excused from offering any opinion as to 
 the policy their Majesties had chosen to pursue. 
 
 The Marshal, on the other hand, expressed cordial 
 satisfaction. His lizard-like eyes sparkled as he as- 
 sured his Sovereigns that he would see that the heralds 
 proclaimed the betrothal in the City before nightfall, 
 and that he expected it would excite heartfelt en- 
 thusiasm. 
 
 It certainly had not that effect on the Court. The 
 ladies-in-waiting resented the prospect of having to 
 acknowledge a new Royalty the greater part of whose 
 existence had been spent under water. The Courtiers 
 shrugged their shoulders with sardonic resignation. 
 In vain the Crown Prince attempted to carry off his 
 secret uneasiness by clapping them on the back and 
 saying, " You haven't seen Princess Forelle yet, you 
 
 832
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 333 
 
 know, dear boy. When you do, you'll agree that 
 she's a regular little ripper — what ? " They made it 
 sufficiently clear that they had no wish to see the 
 future Crown Princess. In fact, if he had not already 
 lost all the prestige he had ever had, he would 
 have lost it now, and his feelings were not to be 
 envied. 
 
 Marshal Federhelm requested a private audience 
 from the Queen, who received him in her Cabinet. 
 He began by asking permission to absent himself 
 for a few days on a hunting expedition in the Forest, 
 which permission was graciously accorded. 
 
 " If the Crown Prince had not— er— ties to keep 
 him at home," she added, "I'm sure he would be 
 delighted to join you." 
 
 " I doubt it, your Majesty," said the Marshal. 
 " His Royal Highness's ardour for such pursuits has 
 languished much of late. However, he is better em- 
 ployed. And, ere I leave, I must ask your Majesty's 
 wishes in regard to my prisoner, the Lady Daphne." 
 
 "Ah, I was going to talk to you about that. Marshal," 
 said Queen Sehna. " There are many reasons why it 
 is undesirable that Miss Heritage should remain here 
 any longer. After the underhand and ungrateful 
 manner in which she has tried to pervert Prince 
 MirUflor from his attachment to Princess Edna, I 
 feel it my duty to have her removed." 
 
 " I understand, your Majesty," he said, " and it 
 shall be done. But I would recommend, in your 
 Majesty's interests, that the execution should take 
 place in private, and that the Lady Daphne's decease 
 should be supposed to be due to sudden illness. 
 Otherwise there may be trouble with the Court." 
 
 " Execution!" cried Queen Sehna, genuinely horri-
 
 334 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 fied. " Good gracioiip me, Marfihal. you don't Puppof<e 
 I want the jioor girl put to death, do you ? What 
 do you lake me for ? 
 
 " It would bo a prudent course," ho said with 
 meaning. " for any Sovereign to adopt in your 
 Majesty's situation." 
 
 " For a Marchenland Sovereign, perhaps ! But / 
 have been brought up with very different ideas. I 
 should consider it most wicked to give orders for any- 
 body to be killed. That is not at all what 1 meant 
 in saying that [ want Miss Heritage removed." 
 
 " Then 1 fail to understand your Majesty." 
 
 " It's perfectly simple. I merely wish to have her 
 .sent back to England. The Baron can take her in 
 the Court Godmother's stork-car. She "11 never be 
 well enough to know of it now, poor old soul ! And 
 the dear old Baron's so devoted to Us, and has always 
 been so anxious that Edna should marry Mirliflor, 
 that I know I can depend on him." 
 
 "If it should be known." said the Marshal, "that 
 your Majesty had banished Prince Mirliflor's chosen 
 bride, there would be such an outcry that it might 
 cost you your Kingdom." 
 
 "Oh, do you really think that, Marshal? But it 
 is so essential that she should be sent to England ! 
 Surely^ it can be managed somehow without any 
 scandal ? " 
 
 " There is a way, Madam, if your Majesty is pre- 
 pared to take it." 
 
 " I am prepared to do anjihing. Marshal — that is, 
 ahnost anjiihing. "\Miat do you advise ? " 
 
 " Your Majesty should inform the Baron that, the 
 Court Godmother being unhappily too indisposed to 
 act as guardian to Lady Daphne, you desire him to
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 335 
 
 convey her in the stork-car to Clairdelune and place 
 her under the care of Prince Mirliflor." 
 
 " But, my dear good Marshal, that's the very last 
 thing I desire ! " 
 
 " I know. Madam, I know. But it is what he should 
 represent to the Court and Lady Daphne, and he is 
 more likely to do so if he believes it to be the fact. 
 I will give him sealed instructions which he is not to 
 open till after he is started, directing him to take her 
 —not to Oairdelune, but to the land of her bu-th. 
 Your Majesty will be good enough to M^ite such in- 
 structions at once." 
 
 " It seems simple, and yet. Marshal, I'm not quite 
 sure," demurred the Queen. " The Baron is an old 
 dear, but just a bit of a chatterbox. He might let 
 the whole thing out when he gets back ! " 
 
 " He will not get back," said the Marshal. " I 
 know a certain drug that I will administer to the 
 storks before the journey. It is slow to act, and will 
 not affect them until after they have reached the 
 country that you call England, But they will never 
 leave it again. And then it will merely be supposed 
 that he has acted treacherously." 
 
 " I see," said Queen Selina. " Yes, I should be 
 perfectly safe then. If there was any other way, or I 
 didn't feel so strongly that it was really a kindness 
 to Miss Heritage to save her from occupying a position 
 she is so unsuited to, I really don't think I could. 
 But I suppose I must do as you suggest." 
 
 She wrote the order, which she signed and sealed 
 and handed to him. "I shouldn't like her to be 
 left stranded in England without any means of 
 support. Marshal," she said. "That would be a 
 thing I could not reconcile to my conscience. So
 
 33G IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 you will kindly see that she is supplied with a sack of 
 gold." 
 
 " That will bo a truly royal act of generosity," he 
 said, " especially as I understand the number of 
 sacks in your Majesty's treasury is by no means 
 large just now." 
 
 " I was forgetting. On sex3ond thoughts, perhaps 
 you had better make it a purse instead," she amended. 
 " It will keep her while she is looking out for another 
 situation." 
 
 " No doubt. And it would be wise, I think, if your 
 Majesty would speed her departure with your good 
 wishes in presence of the Court." 
 
 But even Queen vSelina shrank from such duplicity 
 as that. " I — I don't think I'll see her again myself," 
 she said. " I — I'd rather not. It's most distasteful 
 to me to have to deceive her at all. Marshal, and I 
 shouldn't if it wasn't absolutely necessary in self- 
 defence." 
 
 " Your Majesty has no need to assure me of that. 
 I entirely understand," he said. " I would recom- 
 mend that you send for the Baron at once, and direct 
 him to convey Lady Daphne to Clairdelune to-morrow. 
 Then, after I have given him the secret order, my 
 part will be done and I shall be free to enjoy my 
 himting." And with that he bowed himself out. 
 
 Queen Selina followed his counsel so well that the 
 old Court Chamberlain was completely deceived. 
 Usurper as he now knew her to be, she was, he 
 thought, still unaware of it, and such magnanimity 
 to her daughter's successful rival gave him a better 
 opinion of her. After all, he could bring himself to 
 continue in her service, now that the Court Godmother's 
 main object was attained. Like her, he had no wish
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 337 
 
 to confess that he had been so mistaken as to saddle 
 the Kingdom with a bogus Sovereign. So he spread 
 the news of Lady Daphne's approaching departure 
 with great satisfaction and the warmest eulogies of 
 the gracious consideration Queen Selma had displayed. 
 But even this could only partially check their disafEec- 
 tion, for they could not forgive her for subjecting 
 them to the indignity of accepting a Water-nixie as 
 their Crown Princess. 
 
 After dismissuig the Baron, the Queen had felt some- 
 what shocked at her own talent for dissimulation. 
 " I little thought at Gablehurst that I should ever fib 
 like this ! " she reflected. " But I wasn't a Queen 
 then ! And I can't afford to be too particular, when 
 it's a question of keeping the Crown in the family ! " 
 
 The Marshal waited until the Baron had concluded 
 his interview with the Queen, and then visited him 
 in his own quarters. The Court Chamberlain men- 
 tioned the instructions he had just received, and spoke 
 in the highest terms of his Royal mistress's be- 
 nevolence. 
 
 " As you say, Baron," said the Marshal, " such con- 
 duct does honour to her Majesty. She has, however, 
 given me further instructions for you with which it is 
 well you should be acquainted at once." And he 
 drew out the secret order, and, after breaking the seal, 
 presented the parchment to the Baron, who read it 
 with honest amazement and indignation. 
 
 " I cannot believe her Majesty can have devised 
 such wickedness ! " he said. " What can be her 
 reason — unless — unless — " and here he checked 
 himself. 
 
 " You were about to say : Unless she knows — as 
 you and I, my dear Baron, know beyond all doubt — 
 
 Y
 
 338 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 that the Lady Daphne is the real C^ueen of Marchen- 
 land ? " 
 
 " So you know that, too ! " cried the Baron, recoil- 
 ing in terror, " I swear to you, my lord, that I myself 
 had no suspicion of it until it was revealed to me by 
 the Court Godmother but two days since ! " 
 
 " I accept your word for it — though whether others 
 will do so is another matter," said the Marshal as 
 he picked up and thrust in his doublet the document 
 which the other had let fall. " But what I should 
 like to know is, which of your orders you intend to 
 execute ? " 
 
 " The first, of course," exclaimcfl the Baron indig- 
 nantly. " Lady Daphne has a higher claim to my 
 fealty than this interloper. I shall do my duty and 
 carry her to Clairdelun'^." 
 
 " You forget that Prince Mirliflor will not be there 
 as yet to receive her. Nor is it seemly that she should 
 quit her Kingdom without making any assertion of 
 her claim. My plan is better than yours. Baron. 
 He^irken : I leave the Palace to-night on the pretext 
 of hunting in the Forest of Schlangcnzweigen. I take 
 with me a company of my own— all tried soldiers on 
 whom I can relj\ To-morrow you will set out in the 
 car, as though to Clairdelune, and Queen Selina will 
 naturally believe that her secret order will be obeyed. 
 But, after having gone a certain distance, you will 
 head your storks for the chapel of St. Morosius in the 
 forest. There we shall be waiting to swear allegiance 
 to our young Queen and escort her in triumph to 
 Eswareinmal. I shall have taken measures before- 
 hand to proclaim her title, and it is certain that the 
 populace will rise in her favour. You cannot fail to 
 see, my dear Baron, that your best — in fact, your only
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 339 
 
 way of escaping the penalty of your folly— to call it 
 by no harsher name — is to aid us in undoing it." 
 
 "Enough, Marshal," said the Baron, "you can 
 count upon me." 
 
 " I am sure of it. Baron, and, as I am leaving the 
 Palace, I will deliver the Lady Daphne into your 
 custody. See that you say nothing to her of our 
 scheme till the fitting moment. For the present she 
 must be told that she is to be taken to Clairdelune. 
 And now I must quit you, for I have much to attend 
 to before I start, which should be within an hoiu". To- 
 morrow at mid-day we shall expect you at the Chapel 
 in the forest, and have a care for your own sake that 
 you fail us not." 
 
 An hour later, having disposed of the business he 
 had attended to and left everything in train for his 
 project, he set out with a chosen band on his alleged 
 hunting expedition. " Whether this will fall out as 
 I calculate, or in some other way, I know not," he told 
 himself, as they clattered out of one of the City gates 
 and took the road to the forest of Schlangenzweigen. 
 " But this I know — whatever happens, I shall shortly 
 be King of Marchenland." 
 
 After he was gone the Baron began to reflect on 
 what he had undertaken, and to feel that he would 
 be glad of an excuse to get out of it, if he could find 
 one. It was hardly credible that Queen Selina could 
 have devised so treacherous a plot ; it seemed far more 
 likely that the Marshal had deceived him. After all, 
 the secret order he had been shown might not be 
 genuine. If it were not, the Queen was innocent, 
 and the Baron was only too willing to leave her in 
 peaceful permission of the throne. Before he com- 
 mitted himself any further he must satisfy himseK
 
 340 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 on this point. His (lifliculty was that he could not 
 ask her directly whether the secret order hati indeed 
 been given by her, as he might betray the Marshal, 
 wiiich might entail unpleasant consequences for him- 
 self. After some thought he hit upon a stratagem 
 that was rather brilliant— for him. He obtained a 
 private interview with the Queen, and begged her 
 to consider whether it was altogether judicious to 
 restore Lady Daphne to a Prince who might otherwise 
 come forward once more as a suitor for Princess Edna. 
 " Would it not be safer, Madam," he suggested, " to 
 send Lady Daphne to her own country, where he 
 would never be able to find her ? " 
 
 Queen Selina was so convinced of his honesty and 
 loyalty that she fell into his little trap without a 
 moment's suspicion. " Now, it's really very curious 
 you should have thought of that, my dear Baron ! " 
 she said, "very curious indeed ! Because — I suppose 
 the Marshal gave you a sealed letter from me before 
 he left ? . . . I thought so, and of course it isn't to 
 be opened till after you've started. Still, I may tell 
 you now that it contains instructions for the very 
 identical course you suggest ! I needn't say you 
 must be careful not to mention it — but it may be a 
 satisfaction to you to know that I've already decided 
 on it." 
 
 " A great satisfaction indeed, your Majesty," he 
 said, " for now^ my duty lies clear before me." 
 
 '* And nobody, I'm sure, my dear Baron, will do it 
 more faithfully ! " was her gracious response. He 
 proceeded to Daphne, who had heard that her Girofle 
 had succeeded in his attempt to rescue Edna, but knew 
 nothing of what had happened to him afterwards. He 
 relieved her anxiety by informing her, not only that
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 341 
 
 she was to rejoin Girofle at Clairdelune next day, but 
 who he actually was, which last piece of information 
 turned all her joy to dismay. Prince or no Prince, 
 she knew that Girofle would be true to her — but 
 what if the King, his father, forbade him to marry 
 anyone so far below his rank ? She would have to 
 undergo the ordeal of being presented to King 
 Tournesol, and the thought made her heart sink with 
 terror. 
 
 " But the Court Godmother will come with me, 
 Baron ? " she asked anxiously, only to hear why this 
 was impossible. " Too ill even to see me ! " said 
 Daphne sadly. " And that is why her Majesty is 
 letting me be sent to Gir — I mean, Mirliflor ? It's 
 really very good of her. I suppose, Baron, I shall be 
 able to see her and thank her before I go ? " 
 
 " Undoubtedly," he said, and, having said as much 
 as he thought prudent, he left his prisoner to her own 
 reflections. 
 
 Most of the Court gathered to see her off the next 
 morning, but the only Royalty present was little 
 Princess Ruby, who held her former Governess in 
 close and tearful embraces. "Darling/" she said, 
 through her sobs, "it's perfectly beastly to think 
 you've been here all this time and I never knew it ! 
 And now you really are going and I mayn't see you 
 for ever so long ! It will be so dull, for of course I 
 wouldn't play with the Gnomes now— even if they 
 weren't all down with mumps. And Edna's so 
 snappy, and Clarence is going to marry a nasty wet 
 Water-nixie— and I wish we'd all stayed at Inglegarth, 
 that I do ! " Daphne had not heard before of 
 Clarence's engagement and, though she naturally 
 made no comment, she could not think he was to be
 
 342 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 congratulated on his choice. She did her best to 
 comfort Ruby, and after taking leave of her nearly 
 as inconsolable fiiends in the Household, she at length 
 found herself seated in the car with the Baron, who 
 had dispensed with the usual attendants. And then 
 the Courtyard, with the mass of upturned faces and 
 waving hands, slowly sank to the rhytlimical beating 
 of the storks' wings as they obeyed the order, "To 
 tiio Palace of Cluirdelune." 
 
 Clarence saw the car pass overhead from the grove 
 in tile Palace CJardens, to which he had betaken him- 
 self in his dull misery. He knew that Dajjhne must 
 be on her way to rejoin her lover, and tried to console 
 himself by the reflection that it didn't matter to him. 
 He was done for, anyhow, whether she went or stayed. 
 But again came the bitter thought that there had 
 been a time when, if he had only gone the right way 
 about it, he might have — " 1 thought she wasn't 
 good enough to marry," he said to himself. " Not 
 good enough! a girl hke her! Now I'm booked to 
 marry a Lord-knows- what with green hair. Serves 
 me damned well right too ! " 
 
 Ecbia also saw the car as she walked with the Queen 
 on the terrace that commanded the City. " There 
 goes Miss Heritage ! " she said. " Delighted to re- 
 capture her Mirliflor, no doubt ! I don't wish to 
 reproach you in any way, Mother, but I can't think 
 you've shown much consideration for my interests in 
 packing her off to liim like this ! " 
 
 It was painful to Queen Selina to be so misunder- 
 stood, but she decided that the injustice must be 
 borne for the present. " My love," she said, " I could 
 not possibly keep her liere. And perhaps," she could 
 could not help adding, " perhaps some day you will
 
 SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN 343 
 
 see that I have been a better mother to you than 
 you imagine ! " 
 
 To which pathetic appeal Princess Edna merely 
 responded by a short sniff, expressive rather of in- 
 credulity than any softer emotion.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 
 
 Both the Queen and Edna that morning had observed 
 an unwonted Htir in the usually quiet and sleepy streets 
 of Eswareinmal as they looked do\\Ti on them from the 
 Terrace parapet. 
 
 The great square was black with citizens, and from 
 it rose a faint but angry drone that was unpleasantly 
 suggestive of the results of pitching a large stone into 
 a hornets' nest. 
 
 " I expect," remarked Queen Sclina, " they're all 
 busy discussing this engagement of Clarence's. If 
 we drive out this afternoon we mustn't forget to take 
 at least two sacks of gold with us." 
 
 " I doubt if we can afford to drive out at all just 
 now," said Edna. 
 
 " Perhaps," agreed her mother, " it wmdd be wi.ser 
 to wait till things have settled down a little. Why 
 they should get so excited about it I can't think. 
 It's most inconsiderate and troublesome of them — ^at 
 a time, too, when, goodness knows, I've enough to 
 worry about ! " 
 
 Just then she was chiefly harassed by a doubt 
 whether she had been wholly wise in accepting the 
 Marshal as a confederate, and especially in commit- 
 ting her secret instructions to writing. What if he 
 knew or guessed her real reasons for getting rid of Miss 
 Heritage ? But, even if that were so, he had probably 
 
 344
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 345 
 
 acted as he had out of goodwill and desu-e to maintam 
 the dynasty. He had never shown the slightest 
 jealousy or chagrin at having been deprived of the 
 Regency. No, on the whole, she thought he could 
 be trusted to be silent — if only because he could not 
 betray her without admitting his o'wti complicity. 
 Still, there was a danger that he might presume on his 
 knowledge — which would be disagreeable enough. If 
 their Majesties were reluctant to show themselves 
 just then to the populace, the populace on the other 
 hand were determined to be both seen and heard. 
 The proclamation of Clarence's betrothal had served 
 as the breaking strain to the attenuated links that 
 still attached them to the Throne. They had mur- 
 mured against the enfranchisement of the Yellow 
 Gnomes ; their deception in the matter of the self- 
 supplying tables had weakened their loyalty seriously 
 for a time ; the projected alhance of the Princess 
 Edna with the surviving member of a race whose 
 scutcheon bore the taint of Ogi'eism had aroused their 
 bitter resentment. But all these grievances had been 
 redressed, and the amiable easygouig Marchenlanders 
 were willing to forgive and forget them. Now they 
 were called upon to put up wdth a humihation beyond 
 all endurance. The prospect of seeing the throne 
 occupied in days to come by a creature who was not 
 only of dubious extraction, but probably did not 
 possess so much as the rudiments of a soul, infuriated 
 them to madness. 
 
 So much so that the Royal Family had scarcely 
 finished lunch when they were startled by news that 
 the people were once more advancing en masse up the 
 road to the Palace, and would soon be battering at the 
 gates for admittance.
 
 346 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 a 
 
 I can't see 'em," said King Sidney peevishly, 
 plucking at his auburn moustache. " What am I to 
 say to them about this engagement ? There's nothing 
 to say except that it's most " 
 
 " If you say that again, Sidney," said the Queen, 
 " I shall throw something at you ! Tell them the 
 truth." 
 
 " I — I'd rather the Council explained it to them, 
 my dear," he said. 
 
 " The Council have been sitting tight with closed 
 doors all the morning," said Clarence, " like a bally 
 lot of broody hens. I don't know, of course, but 
 I've a notion they're discussing a Republic or some- 
 thing." 
 
 " If you won't speak to the people, Sidney," de- 
 clared the Queen, with the courage of despair, " I 
 must order the guards to close the Courtyard gates, 
 and tell the mob that, if they promise to be quiet and 
 behave themselves, I'll come out and talk to them 
 myself." 
 
 " Good egg, Mater ! " cried Clarence, "I'll come with 
 you. It's really my show ! " 
 
 " You'll only make them worse ! Much better 
 keep indoors and take no notice. More dignified," 
 said the King. But as his wife and son paid no atten- 
 tion to him, he followed them out for very shame. 
 
 As they came down the front steps and advanced 
 to within hearing distance of the crowd, which had 
 not attempted as yet to break through the closed 
 gates, they were received with yeUs and howls of 
 execration, frantic shaking of fists and brandishing 
 of improvised weapons. The strength of the gates 
 and the presence of the guards gave the Queen more 
 confidence than she might otherwise have felt.
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 347 
 
 " Now, good people ! " she said in rather a Irenm- 
 lous voice, " it's quite impossible to speak while you're 
 making all this noise ! " 
 
 She had sent up for her cro\vn, and j)erhaj)S this 
 impressed them unconsciously, though she had Ijeeu 
 too nervous to put it on straight. Gradually silence 
 was obtamed. 
 
 " I know why you've come," she began, " and we 
 quite understand your feelings about our son's en- 
 gagement. In fact we share them." This provoked 
 a renewal of the uproar and a vehement desire to know 
 why, if that were so, the union had ever been contracted. 
 
 " If you'll only listen, I'll tell you," said the Queen. 
 " We shouldn't have consented to it at all but for the 
 sake of our beloved people." At this the beloved 
 people very nearly had the gates dowTi. " You don't 
 understand," she shouted. " Even now, if you insist 
 on the marriage being broken off, we are quite wilHng 
 — indeed we shall be only too happy — to put a stop 
 to it." 
 
 Here there were shouts of " We do ! We do insist ! 
 Stop it I No marriage ! " 
 
 " Very well then," said Queen Selma with more 
 assm-ance, "only I am bound to tell you what the 
 consequences will be. The Crystal Lake will over- 
 flow till the whole of Marchenland is under water. 
 At least that's what the Lake King threatens. You 
 know best whether he can do it or not." 
 
 Her hearers knew too well, and the cries and 
 mm-murs took an altered tone at once, though some 
 voices cursed the Prince whose weakness and folly 
 had brought them to such a dilemma. 
 
 " Weakness and folly ! " cried the Queen indig- 
 nantly. " How can you be so \\Tetchedly ungrateful ?
 
 348 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 VVlion my poor, noblo, unselfish lK)y is sacrififing 
 liimself — for you don't suppose he can have any allec- 
 tion for a Wator-nixie ? — bacriiicing himself on — on 
 the altar of his country ! " 
 
 " Mater ! " whispered Clarence in admiration, 
 " you're the limit ! " 
 
 " Aiid all the reward ho gets," the Queen went on, 
 pressing her advantage, " all the reward we get — for 
 providing that you can sleep safe and warm in your 
 bods — instead of being drowned in them — is violence 
 and rude Remarks ! Really, if you have any con- 
 sciences left you ought to be thoroughly ashamed of 
 yourselves ! " 
 
 They undoubtedly were. For a moment or two 
 there was a hush, and then the whole mob broke into 
 tumultuous cheers— for the Queen, the King, and more 
 particularly the CrowTi Prince. Never since their 
 accession had the Royal Family been so popular. 
 
 " There now," said the Queen, when she and her 
 family were weary of bowing their acknowledg- 
 ments, " that will do. Now go quietly away, like 
 respectable loyal persons, and tell all the other 
 citizens what we're doing for them." 
 
 " I must say, my love," observed the King, after 
 the crowd had melted away in a vastly different 
 mood from that in which they had come, " you showed 
 wonderful presence of mind. I quite thought myself 
 we should have been massacred." 
 
 " And so we should have been, Sidney," she replied, 
 " if I'd left it to yoM .^ " 
 
 On re-entering the Palace they heard that the 
 Council was still sitting. " Let "em sit ! " cried 
 Clarence. " This'll be a bit of a suck for them. What 
 price a Republic now, ehV
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 340 
 
 " They simply daren't depose us ! " said the Queen, 
 " now the dear people are with us heart and soul ! " 
 
 Some time later, while they were sitting in the lapis- 
 lazuli Chamber, a page entered to announce that a 
 messenger had just arrived with tidings which he 
 wished to communicate to their Majesties in private. 
 " Tell him to come in," said the Queen. " I do hope 
 it isn't some fresh trouble ! " 
 
 The messenger brought grave news. The Marshal, 
 it appeared, had been killed while hunting in the Forest. 
 Particulars were wanting, but there was no doubt that 
 he was dead. 
 
 " How very very sad ! " exclaimed the Queen. 
 " The poor dear Marshal ! To be cut off like this in 
 the prime of life ! It must have been a wild boar, I 
 suppose — or a bear. But, whichever it was, it is a 
 terrible loss. I don't know exactly how long the 
 Court ought to go into mourning for an ex-Regent — 
 but at least a month ! " 
 
 She was shocked, of course, by the suddenness of 
 it. At the same time she could not help a renewed 
 sense of gratitude to Providence, which had once 
 more gone out of its way to smooth her path. "I've 
 always said hunting these wild animals is a very 
 dangerous sport," said King Sidney. " Glad you've 
 given it up, my boy ! " 
 
 *' Fed up with it, Guv'nor. 'But I dare say I shall go 
 in for it again— some day or other," Clarence replied, 
 while he was thinking that it would have to be a day 
 when he discovered what had become of his irresist- 
 ible sword, and when he could find a horse among his 
 numerous stud that would permit him to get on its 
 
 They were still discussing the Marshal's untimely
 
 350 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 end when an usher came from the Hall of Council 
 with a message that the Councillors had ended their 
 deliberations, and requested their Majesties to honour 
 them by attending to hear their decision. 
 
 " I like their nerve ! " remarked Clarence. " Of 
 course, Guv'nor, you'll tell 'em they've jolly well got 
 to come to us, what ? " 
 
 " No, Sidney," said Queen Selina, flushed with her 
 recent victory, " you will say that we are coming in 
 presently to preside over the Council and give them 
 our advice. I shall know how to put them in their 
 proper places. I shall wear my crown again, and you 
 had better put on yours, and— yes, I should certainly 
 take your sceptre too." 
 
 She kept them waiting as long as her own dignity 
 demanded, and then sailed into the Council Chamber, 
 the King and Crown Prince following in her wake. 
 The whole Council rose and remained standing until 
 the Royal Family had taken their seats under a 
 canopy. 
 
 The President then informed them that the Coun- 
 cillors had resolved to use every means to prevent a 
 union which, if contracted, would infallibly cover 
 the entire Kingdom with contempt. 
 
 " Oh, very well, gentlemen," said the Queen. " / 
 should have thought even that was better than 
 having it covered with water — but if you in your 
 wisdom think otherwise, we bow to your superior 
 judgment." And she explained the situation much 
 as she had done to the mob at the gates, though with 
 less effect, for the President's answer was that, if such 
 were the alternatives, their Majesties would best show 
 their anxiety for their subjects' welfare by abdicating 
 immediately.
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 351 
 
 " I don't see that at all," she retorted. " Why in 
 the world should we ? " 
 
 " Because," was the reply, " when this so-called King 
 of the Crystal Lake learns that your son is no longer 
 a Prince, he will cease to desire him for his daughter." 
 
 " And may I ask, supposing we did abdicate, whom 
 do you propose to put in our place ? " inquired the 
 Queen. 
 
 " We should appoint Marshal Federhelm as Regent 
 once more — or even elect him Sovereign." 
 
 " A very pretty plan ! " replied Queen Selina, 
 " only there's one objection to it, as you would know 
 if you hadn't shut yourselves up here all day. You 
 will be sorry to hear that the poor Marshal was killed 
 this very afternoon while hunting. So you can't get him. 
 And, as there's no one else available, and as my hus- 
 band and I feel that it would be very wrong to desert 
 our dear people when they've just assured us of their 
 perfect loyalty and affection— (anoi/^er fact you seem 
 to be ignorant of!)— I'm afraid, gentlemen, that, 
 whether you like it or not, you will have to put up 
 with us." 
 
 "It is true, Queen ! " the President admitted 
 with a deep groan. " W^e can do naught except pray 
 that Heaven may yet save this most unhappy Country 
 from so deep a degradation ! " And aU the other 
 Members of the Council groaned too, while several 
 beat their breasts or tore their long white beards in 
 senile wrath and despair. 
 
 " They are a cheery complimentary lot of old devils! " 
 commented Clarence. " If I were you, Mater, I'd— 
 what d'ye call it ? —prorogue 'em." 
 
 The Queen was inclined to accept this suggestion, 
 but at that moment a loud rapping was heard at the
 
 352 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 closed doors. " Go and see who it is, somobody," 
 she commanded, " it may be important news." 
 She thought it proljable that an attendant had como 
 to announce the decease of the Fairy Vogelflug, which 
 was hourly expected. 
 
 The doors were partly opened, and then a voice she 
 had never thought to hear again cried in weak and 
 quavering accents : " Let me pass. I claim my right 
 of admis.sion as Court Oodmother." 
 
 The Queen clianged colour, but felt that, inoppor- 
 tune as the demand was, she could not refuse it without 
 laying herself open to suspicion, and perhaps worse. 
 " Oh, let her come in, poor old soul," she said, " and 
 find a seat for her. I'd really no idea she was well 
 enough to get up." 
 
 The Fairy hobbled feebly in, looking incredibly old 
 and shrunken, and like a grim ghost of her former 
 self in her clinging grey night-rail. Her hollow eyes 
 glowed like live coals as she faced the Queen, and stood 
 labouring for breath before she could speak. 
 
 " So glad to see you looking so much better, dear 
 Court Godmother 1 " said Queen Selina. " But was 
 it wise of you to come downstairs so soon ? " 
 
 " I have visited the pavilion and found it un- 
 tenanted," said the Fairy, without troubling to explain 
 how she had contrived to elude her attendants and 
 get there. "Now, answer me, what have you done 
 with Lady Daphne ? " 
 
 " Oh, haven't they told you ? " replied the Queen. 
 " I should have consulted you, of course, if I had 
 known you were conscious ; but, as it was, I did what 
 I thought you would wish and sent her ofi with 
 the Baron in the stork-car this morning— to Clair- 
 delune."
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 353 
 
 " Is this the truth— or are you trying to deceive me 
 by lies ? " 
 
 " Really ! " cried the Queen, " this is most uncalled 
 for ! I don't know what you suppose I've done with 
 the girl ? " 
 
 " You may have imprisoned— murdered her, for 
 all I can tell. It is more likely than that you would 
 permit her to depart so easily." 
 
 " Well," said the Queen, " if you don't believe me, 
 you have only to make inquiries. I was not in time 
 to see her off myself, but I beHeve there are members 
 of the Court who were more fortunate." 
 
 Several Councillors corroborated this by affirming 
 that they themselves had not only been present but 
 had heard the Baron give the order, " To Clair- 
 delune." 
 
 " I daresay you don't think much of us. Ma'am," 
 said Clarence, " but after all we're English, you know, 
 and you might give us credit for playing the game, 
 what ? " 
 
 He spoke with a resentment which convinced his 
 Mother of her wisdom in having played her own 
 game without seeking any co-operation from him. 
 
 The old Fairy's suspicions had been completely 
 quelled. " I perceive," she confessed, " that I have 
 been over ready to think evil, and can but crave your 
 forgiveness. Madam, for having done you so great 
 an injustice." 
 
 " Pray don't mention it ! " returned the Queen. 
 
 " There was some excuse for it, and we willingly forgive 
 
 you, if there's anything to forgive. And now," she 
 
 added, after ordering the attendants to be fetched, 
 
 " you really must take more care of yourself and get 
 
 back to bed at once." 
 
 z
 
 364 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I will return to it," was the reply, " for now that 
 my mind is at ease I am well content to die." 
 
 " Oh, but you mustn't talk like that ! " protested 
 Queen Solina, " when you've just made such a mar- 
 vellous recovery ! Why, you're looking ever so much 
 brighter than any of us could have hoped. All you 
 really need now is a good long sleep." 
 
 " That is all, and I shall have it ere long. You 
 may rest assured," she added, with a significance 
 which the Queen alone understood, "that henceforth 
 your peace shall not be disturbed by any word or deed 
 of mine." 
 
 The attendants entered and she suffered them to 
 lead her away, while King Sidney graciously extended 
 his sceptre for her to kiss in passing, but drew it back 
 shamefacedly on finding this civility ignored. 
 
 " It's evidently the last flicker, poor old thing ! " 
 said the Queen, after the Fairy had retired, " I don't 
 at all expect we shall ever see her alive again ! " 
 
 If she had so expected, her conscience might have 
 troubled her more than it did. As it was, it did not 
 reproach her too severely. It was not nice to deceive 
 a dying person, but it was much nicer than confessing 
 and losing a Kingdom for it. It would have been too 
 ridiculous to begin to be squeamish now. And, after 
 aU, it was her misfortune rather than her fault if the 
 family interests had necessitated a slight temporary 
 lapse from principles she still held as rigidly as ever. 
 
 She dismissed her Council, which broke up in a 
 chastened spirit, and the Royal Family, after a light 
 meal which was the nearest approach to afternoon 
 tea that Marchenland afforded, went out for an airing 
 on their favourite promenade — ^the terrace that over- 
 looked Eswareinmal.
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 355 
 
 The market-place was still thronged, but such 
 sounds as reached them were no longer menacinc', 
 "I do believe they haven't done cheering for us 
 yet ! " said the Queen. " And some of them seem to 
 be waving flags ! I shouldn't be the least surprised, 
 Clarence, if your wedding next week goes off quite 
 weU after all ! " 
 
 " I wish it would go of!," he said, " but there's no 
 chance of that now ! " 
 
 " Well, it's no good being gloomy about it. Er — 
 Forelle may turn out to be charming when we come 
 to know her. Which reminds me, dear boy, you might 
 tell her we should be dehghted if she can come to tea 
 here some afternoon before the ceremony." 
 
 " She could easily sUp up through the fountam," 
 suggested Edna. " I shall be anxious to see how she 
 does her hair. Let me see — didn't you say it was green, 
 Clarence ? " 
 
 " Oh, give her hair a rest ! " he repUed. 
 
 " I saw before we left England," said the Queen 
 tactfully, " that green hair was going to be quite the 
 fashion this season. But, however strange she may 
 be to society, we should remember, Edna, my love, 
 that she will shortly become one of ourselves and 
 treat her with every civihty. We must avoid any- 
 thing that might offend her Father." 
 
 Queen Selina was inclined that afternoon to take 
 a more roseate view of the future. She felt herself 
 once more secure on the throne now that all the dangers 
 which had threatened to overturn it had been averted. 
 The rival Queen would soon be landed in England, 
 where, even if she ever heard of her rights, she would 
 be powerless to claim them. Of the three persons who 
 knew or might discover the truth, the Marshal was
 
 356 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 dead, the Court Godmother might just as well be so 
 for all the harm she could do, and the Baron was on 
 his way to a land from which he would never return. 
 
 As for Mirliflor, it would not be difficult to persuade 
 him that some blunder of the Baron's must have caused 
 the stork-car to go astray, and it was quite possible 
 that when the Prince had abandoned all hope of re- 
 covering Miss Heritage he would return to Edna. 
 
 *' Look at the dear people now ! " she cried, as she 
 looked down on the square, " they're actually forming 
 a procession to march up to the Palace and thank us 
 again ! . . . Yes, they really are ! It's quite wonder- 
 ful the effect Clarence's self-sacrifice has had — it seems 
 to have rallied them all round the Throne. But I 
 knew it would, if it was put to them in the right way. 
 . . , Did you hear that ? " she asked later, when the 
 procession had reached an angle of the zig-zag incline 
 which was directly below. " They're shouting for 
 Me ! I distinctly heard ' We want our Queen ! ' 
 So nice and warm-hearted of them ! " 
 
 The shouts had ceased, but the tramp of thousands 
 of feet grew louder, until the sound was deadened as 
 the demonstrators passed under the wing of the 
 Palace on their way to the central entrance. 
 
 " Sidney, we must go in and show ourselves to them," 
 said the Queen. " If they insist on a speech I wiW 
 make it — you always manage to say the wrong 
 thing ! " 
 
 As they entered the Palace they heard a clamour 
 which appeared to proceed from the great Entrance 
 Hall. " Quite right to have asked them in," remarked 
 the Queen with approval. " I shall order some refresh- 
 ments for them, and then we can go up by a back way 
 and appear at the top of the Grand Staircase." But
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 357 
 
 this part of the programme was not destmed to be 
 carried out. 
 
 On attempting to pass through they were stopped, 
 to the Queen's indignant amazement, in an inner 
 hall by the Captain of her own Guards. " Really ! " 
 she cried, " I never heard of such a thing ! What do 
 you mean by it ? " 
 
 He either could not or would not give any other ex- 
 planation than that he had instructions to detain them. 
 " Prince Hansmeinigel ! " said the Queen, as she saw 
 him approachmg, " can you inform us why his Majesty 
 and I are prevented from addressing our faithful 
 subjects ? " 
 
 " I think, Madam," he replied smoothly, " that 
 you would find none here to address." 
 
 " How dare you tell me that, when you can hear 
 them calling for ' their Queen ' at this very moment ! " 
 
 " But not for you, Madam. The Queen they are 
 demanding is the Lady Daphne." 
 
 " Miss Heritage ! " gasped Queen Sehna. " Why 
 should they want her ? " 
 
 " It seems," he said, " that certam kiformation has 
 reached the Burgomaster and chief citizens which has 
 convinced them of her title to the throne, and they are 
 now in conference with the Council on the matter." 
 
 " So that treacherous old vixen of a Court Godmother 
 had betrayed the secret after all, m spite of her 
 promise ! " concluded Queen Sehna. But the battle was 
 not lost yet by any means. She was not gomg to give 
 in, when she had so many chances in her favour. 
 
 " They might have had the decency to invite us 
 to be present," she said. "Surely we have some 
 right to be consulted \" 
 
 "They will summon you before them presently,
 
 358 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 no doubt," he said, and almost as he spoke an official 
 came towards them and whispered to the Captain of 
 the Guard, who turned to the Queen : 
 
 " My orders are to bring you before the Council," 
 he said, " if you will be good enough to follow me. 
 We will go round by the outer corridor, so that you 
 will be in no danger from the mob." 
 
 " What's all this about, my dear ? " whispered King 
 Sidney, as he walked with his wife and son between a 
 strong guard. " I thought things had quieted down 
 again." 
 
 "Oh, don't ask me, Sidney ! " she returned, " you 
 will know quite soon enough. But you needn't be 
 uneasy. I've brought you through much worse 
 things than this." She entered the Council Hall 
 endeavouring to look as much like Marie Antoinette 
 as she could. That her own Council should arraign 
 her like this was, as she protested, most unconstitu- 
 tional — they had no right whatever to do it. But, 
 however that might be, they were doing it — a fact 
 which even she was compelled to recognise. 
 
 The President began the proceedings by reciting 
 the evidence of Daphne's title, which it now appeared 
 had been put into the hands of the Burgomaster and 
 other notables of Eswareinmal by the Marshal, just 
 before he had gone to meet his sudden end. He then 
 asked, in the name of the whole Tribunal, what the 
 present occupants of the throne had to urge in their 
 own defence. 
 
 If the Queen had possessed the legal mind she would 
 have perceived at once that the evidence was merely 
 hearsay — inferences that the Marshal had dra"«Ti 
 from what Daphne had told him, and as proofs quite 
 worthless. But she had not a legal mind, and besides
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 359 
 
 she knew that the proofs were quite good enough for 
 Marchenland— also that the allegations happened to 
 be true. 
 
 So she did not attempt to deny them. " All I can 
 say is," she declared, " that this is quite new to me. 
 When we were brought here I was given to understand 
 that the Kingdom had descended to me, and of course 
 I accepted the responsibility. If there has been any 
 silly mistake about it, you can't blame me or my hus- 
 band either. We've tried to do our duty— even so 
 far as consenting to our son's making a marriage we 
 could not approve of— for the sake of saving our 
 Country from inundation. It's not every King and 
 Queen w^ho would have done that." 
 
 " That peril," replied the Burgomaster, "is no 
 longer to be feared, since the King of the Crystal 
 Lake, on being notified of the facts in our possession, 
 has withdrawn his demands, sa3dng he desires no 
 union with a family of ignoble and beggarly pre- 
 tenders." 
 
 "That's a let-ofE ! " said Clarence, "though he 
 might have put it a bit more pleasantly, what ? " 
 
 Queen Selina felt that this repudiation had put one 
 of her heaviest guns out of action, but she was still 
 undaunted. " I'm sure," she said, " We have no "^ish 
 to be associated with such a person. And, as for 
 being pretenders, I can only say that if the Marshal 
 had come to me and told me what I now know, I should 
 have been quite ready to resign in Miss Heritage's 
 favour. But how could I, when he never breathed a 
 word to me about it ? " 
 
 " I should like to add," put in I^ng Sidney, " that 
 it has come as a complete surprise to me. I'm anxious 
 to do whatever is right and proper, and if any reason-
 
 360 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 able arrangement can be come to, I won't stand in the 
 way." 
 
 This attitude produced an immediate reaction in 
 their favour, as was visible from the expressions on 
 the faces of the whole Tribunal. 
 
 "Then," the President asked, "is the Council to 
 understand that you are prepared to resign at 
 once ? " 
 
 " Certainly," said the King. " Only too pleased ! " 
 
 "Not at once," said Queen Selina. "We cannot 
 leave the Kingdom without a ruler — that would be 
 very wrong. But as soon as Miss Heritage — or Queen 
 Daphne, if you like to call her so — chooses to come 
 forward to claim the crown we shall be delighted to 
 give it up. Till then we are merely holding it in trust 
 for her." 
 
 " And where is Queen Daphne at present ? " asked 
 the Burgomaster. 
 
 " Well," said Queen Selina, " she ought to be at 
 Clairdelune by this time." 
 
 " She must be sent for without delay," said the 
 President, and the order was given that messengers 
 on swift steeds should be despatched to Clairdelune 
 at once. 
 
 " Well, gentlemen," said the Queen, after this busi- 
 ness had been concluded, " I hope you see that you 
 owe us an apology for daring to put us under arrest 
 and treat us like criminals. Until Lady Daphne 
 arrives we are stUl the King and Queen of Marchenland, 
 and you will be good enough to regard us as such." 
 
 "The Council wishes to express its deepest regret," 
 said the President, " for having exposed your Majesties' 
 persons to undeserved indignity." 
 
 " And now, perhaps," said Queen Selina triumph-
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 3G1 
 
 antly, " we may consider ourselves free to resume our 
 thrones, if only to dissolve the Council ? " 
 
 The guards fell back instinctively, and she and the 
 King were proceeding to their usual seats under the 
 canopy without any protest from the President, who 
 was engaged at the time in deciphering the contents 
 of a packet which had just been brought to him. 
 
 Before they had reached the steps of the dais, he 
 looked up, and ordered them to halt in so peremptory 
 a tone that even Queen SeUna obeyed involuntarily. 
 
 " What's up now ? " inquired Clarence in an under- 
 tone. 
 
 " This packet directed to myself," said the Presi- 
 dent, " was found on the body of the late Marshal. 
 It contains an order under the Royal seal and signa- 
 ture, which I will now read to the Council." And he 
 read the Queen's secret order to the Baron to convey 
 Daphne to England, which provoked general horror 
 and execration. 
 
 The Queen was thunderstruck as she heard this 
 fresh proof of the Marshal's duplicity— she felt more 
 than ever that she had been a fool to trust him— she 
 might have known that he would take some dishonour- 
 able advantage of her confidence ! 
 
 " What have you to answer to this ? " the President 
 was sajdng to her, and she could see that both her 
 husband and son were waiting anxiously for her 
 reply. 
 
 "Is it necessary for me to deny that I ever gave 
 such an order ? " she said, with a virtuous indignation 
 that was really very well done. " Of course it was 
 forged by that wicked Marshal ! " (so fortunate, she 
 thought, that he was dead !) " It is easy to see with 
 what motive."
 
 362 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Clarence and his father breathed again. For a few 
 dreadful minutes they had been haunted by an ugly 
 fear — lest — but they ought to have felt assured that 
 no member of the Wibberley-Stimpson family could 
 be so unworthy of the name. 
 
 " It is possible," said the venerable President doubt- 
 fully, " that the handwriting may be but an imitation." 
 
 " Nay," struck in the sturdy Burgomaster, " it is 
 hers, sure enough. There can be no doubt to my mind 
 that both our unlawful sovereigns and their son have 
 plotted to deport our true Queen, the Lady Daphne, 
 and that their vile design has succeeded but too well ! " 
 
 " You're quite out of it, old cock ! " shouted Clarence, 
 through the roar of assent that greeted the Burgo- 
 master's speech. " Why should we plot against her, 
 when we hadn't an idea she had a right to the throne ? " 
 
 " So you allege," said the Burgomaster. " But this 
 order speaks for itself, and if the Council will take my 
 advice it will order all three of the prisoners to be 
 executed at once in the City Square, in sight of the 
 people they have wronged and deceived." 
 
 This suggestion evidently commended itself to the 
 majority, but the President demurred. " We must 
 not act too hastily," he said, " lest we find too late 
 that we have been misled by appearances. It may 
 be that Queen Daphne has reached Clairdelune in 
 safety, but of that we cannot have sure knowledge 
 until our messengers return. In the meantime our 
 prisoners must not be regarded as though they were 
 proved guilty. I shall order that they be removed to 
 apartments in the North Tower, where they are to be 
 given honourable treatment and every indulgence 
 save their liberty. Should it be found that they are 
 innocent, due reparation shall be made them."
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 363 
 
 " And what if we hear that our Queen is not at 
 Clairdelune ? " asked the Burgomaster. 
 
 " Then they shall receive no mercy," replied the 
 President. " Their heads shall be struck off that 
 same day, in the great square of the Capital." 
 
 " Good ! " said the Burgomaster. " I will have the 
 scaffold put up the moment I return." 
 
 " I just want to say this, Gentlemen," said Clarence 
 before he was led away : " if we were really guilty of 
 trying to get rid of poor little Lady Daphne, we should 
 be such a set of rotters that we should jolly well de- 
 serve losing our heads for it. But you'll find we're 
 not." 
 
 " I can answer for my poor wife as for myself," 
 said KJng Sidney. " She is far too much of a lady to 
 dream of domg anything that isn't strictly correct." 
 
 Queen Selina said nothing — she was not feeling well 
 enough just then. 
 
 " Not half bad ! " remarked Clarence, as he went 
 through the suites of rooms that were to form their 
 prison. " Pleasant look-out from all the windows, and 
 the rooms jolly comfortable, considertag. Wo shall 
 do very well here for a day or two." 
 
 " Don't talk in that Ught way, Garence," said his 
 mother, " or you'll drive me mad ! " 
 
 "Why, there's nothing to be do\Mi in the mouth 
 about, Mater. We may have to stick this longer ,^ of 
 course— depends how long those chaps take gettmg 
 back from Clairdelune. But as soon as they do get 
 back we shaU be let out, and I shouldn't wonder if 
 the Country gave us a thundermg good pension. It's 
 no more than it ought to." 
 
 " You— you mustn't coimt on that. You— we must 
 all of us prepare for the worst, the venj worst."
 
 304 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 '* What skittles, Mater ! What can they do to us, 
 unless, of course, Dai)hne wasn't sent to Clairdelune. 
 But I saw her in the car myself." 
 
 " It — it doesn't follow that — that she got there, 
 Clarence." 
 
 "Why on earth shouldn't she ? " 
 
 " The Baron might — might have missed the way 
 somehow." 
 
 " Not he ! He may be an old foozle, but the storks 
 know their job, anyhow." 
 
 " We mustn't make too sure — of anything," said 
 his mother, who had the best reasons for knowing that 
 Miss Heritage would never be found either in Clair- 
 delune or Marchenland, and that a shameful and 
 probably exceedingly painful death on the scaffold 
 was their inevitable fate. 
 
 It was terrible to think that she, the acknowledged 
 head and master-mind of the family, had brought 
 them to such an end as this — more terrible still to see 
 both her son and husband so utterly unprepared for 
 it. Her nerves were jarred and fretted by King 
 Sidney's apathy and Clarence's Ught-hearted optimism, 
 and the impossibility of arousing them to a proper 
 sense of their position. She could only do that by 
 confessing w^hat she had done — and she shuddered at 
 the mere thought. If it w^ould save them — but no- 
 thing would do that now ! No, she could not lower 
 herself so immeasurably in their esteem ; she would 
 carry her secret with her to the block itself ! 
 
 " Now, Mater," said Clarence, " you mustn't give 
 way to the blues like this. You can take it from me 
 that we're as right as rain. So cheer up, and let's see 
 you smiling again." 
 
 The unhappy Queen made a heroic attempt at a
 
 AT THE END OF HER TETHER 365 
 
 smile, but the result was so extraordinarily ghastly 
 that it disheartened even Clarence. 
 
 " Oh, very well, Mater," he said, " you needn't — 
 if it hurts you as much as all that. But you've been so 
 plucky up to now, I never thought you'd come out as 
 a wet blanket ! " 
 
 Even Marie Antoinette herself, thought Queen 
 Selina bitterly, had never had to bear being called a 
 wet blanket !
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 " WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED, WHOSE GARLANDS DEAD " 
 
 Daphne had taken her seat in the car with somewhat 
 conflicting feelings. She was going to Clairdelune, 
 where she would be reunited to Girofle — an altogether 
 joyous prospect, if she could hope to find the Girofle 
 with whom she had last parted. But he was now the 
 magnificent young Prince IMirliflor, and it was quite 
 uncertam whether she would even be able to recognise 
 him. It would be dreadful if she discovered that she 
 did not care for him any longer ! Perhaps it was 
 anxiety, but still more probably the fact of her Fairy 
 blood that prevented her from being overcome by the 
 somnolence that none of purely British birth seemed 
 able to resist for long after entering that magic car. 
 
 Daphne was not in the least drowsy, and thus was 
 startled, after the Palace and Eswareinmal had van- 
 ished out of sight, by hearing the Baron suddenly 
 order the storks to go to the Chapel in the forest of 
 Schlangenzweigen, and seemg them wheel in a direc- 
 tion she knew was not that of their original destina- 
 tion. " What are you doing, Baron ? " she cried. " I 
 thought you were to take me straight to Clairde- 
 lune ? " 
 
 The Baron put his hand to his heart (which he had 
 once more been obliged to compress by a metal hoop) 
 before he could speak. "It is now time," he began, 
 " that you should be told who you are, Madam, and 
 
 366
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 367 
 
 the glorious future that awaits you." And, with a 
 prolixity that may here be avoided, he informed her 
 of her right to the crown of Marchenland and of the 
 Marshal's arrangements for placing her on the throne. 
 
 " But I don't want to be placed on the throne ! " 
 said Daphne. " Do you really think I should turn 
 out these poor Wibberley-Stimpsons now — when they 
 behaved so decently in letting me go ? It would be 
 too horribly mean of me if I did." 
 
 At this he thought it his duty to enlighten her 
 upon Queen Selina's perfidy, which naturally altered 
 Daphne's opinion, but did not shake her determination. 
 
 " If she is so keen about her crown she may keep 
 it," she said. " All I care for now is to get to Clair- 
 delune and see Girofle — I mean Mirliflor." 
 
 " But," objected the Baron, employing the Marshal's 
 argument, " we should arrive there days before the 
 Prince." 
 
 " Then," said Daphne imperiously, " tell the storks 
 to take us to him— wherever he is." 
 
 "If I did so," he objected, "the Marshal's plan 
 would fall through ! " 
 
 " And what if it does ? How do you know that 
 he's to be trusted ? I always thought myself he had 
 a bad face, and I don't feel at all inclined to put myself 
 in his power. So you will please not be a pig, Baron, 
 
 but do as I say." 
 
 No doubt her diction should have been more on a 
 level with her dignity, but then it must be remembered 
 that she had not been brought up as a prospective 
 
 Fairy Queen. 
 
 " I am convinced," he persisted, " that the Marshal s 
 devotion to your Majesty's cause is beyond suspicion." 
 
 " And I'm quite sure that it isn't," retorted Daphne.
 
 368 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " If, as you tell me, Baron, I am your Queen, it's your 
 duty to obey my orders, and I order you to take me 
 to Mirliflor/' He did not venture to oppose her any 
 longer, so he gave the necessary command, and the 
 great birds wheeled round once more towards Clair- 
 delune. 
 
 Mirliflor had discovered, after accomplishing a third 
 of his journey, that his horse had suddenly gone so 
 lame that it was unable to proceed at any pace but 
 a walk. He had dismounted, and was leading it 
 until he could reach a hostelry and provide himself 
 with a fresh steed, when he heard a loud throbbing in 
 the air behind him. The next moment a large flight 
 of storks passed over his head and descended with a 
 car on a spot some yards in advance of him. He saw 
 at once that one of the occupants was Daphne, and 
 leaving his horse by the wayside he went forward to 
 meet her, not without some constraint and uncer- 
 tainty, however, for his fear that she would love him 
 no longer had not ceased to haunt him. 
 
 She had alighted and was standing still, her face 
 expressing wonder and something of alarm. Could 
 this splendid gallant cavalier really be her homely 
 Girofle ? she was thinking, and if he were, how could 
 he help her to overcome this paralysing sense of his 
 being a stranger ? He came towards her, feeling 
 almost as shy as she. 
 
 " Daphne ! my dearest ! " he said, stretching out 
 his arms, " am I so changed that you can't care for 
 me any more ? " And, as she heard his voice, all her 
 doubts and apprehensions suddenly fled. 
 
 " No," she murmured, placing a fair hand on each 
 of his broad shoulders and looking fearlessly up into
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 300 
 
 his face. " You are just the same, really. My very 
 own Girofle ! And, oh, I'm so glad ! " 
 
 " And you forgive me for deceiving you, dearest ? " 
 he asked when the first rapture of meeting and re- 
 assurance was over. " I was bound in honour to tell 
 you nothing." 
 
 " I know," she said ; " the Court Godmother is to 
 blame for that — not you. And I was prepared to 
 find you changed, Gir — Mirliflor — only— not quite so 
 changed as this." 
 
 " If you would love me better as I was, darling," 
 he said, " tell me so, and I will make her transform 
 me again. I will become Girofle for the rest of my life 
 — rather than lose you ! " 
 
 '' I don't think she is well enough to be asked to do 
 that now," repHed Daphne. " And, besides " — and 
 here she held him from her at arm's length — " besides, 
 now I look at you, you really are rather nice, you know ! 
 No, darling, I won't have you altered again." 
 
 After all, this was only in accordance with Marchen- 
 land's precedents. Did Beauty, for instance, resent 
 her Beast's emergence into a Prince ? All the same, 
 Daphne was a little ashamed of herself for the increas- 
 ing satisfaction she felt in Mirhflor's good looks— it 
 seemed almost an infidelity to Girofle — but she could 
 not help it, and did not even try. 
 
 The Baron had tactfully remained with the storks 
 until, in his opinion, it was time to interrupt the 
 lovers, when he stepped towards them, cracking 
 loudly. 
 
 " Sire," he said, " accept my congratulations on a 
 good fortune that is perchance even greater than you 
 yet know. You have won a lady who is not only 
 lovely, but, as I shall show you, no other than the 
 
 2 A
 
 370 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 daughter of our late Prince Chrysopras, and thus 
 rightfully entitled to the crown of Miirclienland." 
 
 "And you knew this, Daphne?" cried Mirliflor 
 when the Baron had concluded. " Why did you say 
 nothing to me about it ? " 
 
 " I only heard of it myself just now in the car," she 
 said. " And what does it matter ? I don't want to 
 claim the crown— all I want is to live at Clairdelune 
 with you." 
 
 But he told her it was her duty to her Country to 
 assert her just rights, and, on being informed of the 
 appointment with the Marshal, he was in favour of 
 keeping it. "He will be useful," he said, "if he is 
 an honest supporter of your cause." 
 
 " But I'm quite certain he isn't ! " said Daphne. 
 
 "We can only make sure by meeting him," he 
 replied, " and as of course I shall be with you, you 
 will be in no danger." 
 
 He had no weapon but the sword that had served 
 him so well at Drachcnstolz, which he had brought 
 away with him rather as a souvenir than \^ith any 
 idea that he might need it on his journey, but Daphne 
 felt that, so long as MirMor was at her side, she had 
 nothing to fear, and so she readily consented to re- 
 enter the car and be taken to the Chapel in the forest, 
 where the Marshal in all probability was awaiting her 
 arrival. 
 
 As the car neared the borders of the forest, IVIirliflor 
 took out the silk cap which the Baron had lent him. 
 " I meant to have returned this to you, Baron," he 
 said, " but I find I have it still. With your permission, 
 I wdU keep it a little longer, as I fancy it may be useful. 
 Don't be alarmed, darling," he added to Daphne, 
 " if you don't see me when I put this on. Remember
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 371 
 
 that, though I shall be invisible, I shall be near you all 
 the time." 
 
 " I'll try to remember, MirHflor," said Daphne. 
 " But — but don't stay invisible longer than you can 
 possibly help." 
 
 The Chapel stood in a clearing in the very middle 
 of the forest, and the storks calculated their descent 
 with such nicety that they brought the car up in front 
 of the door. 
 
 The Marshal, in his plumed helmet, golden cuirass, 
 and high boots of gilded leather, was waiting, and now 
 came forward to help Daphne to alight. His vizor 
 was raised, but the company of knights with him 
 wore theirs down, so that it was impossible for her to 
 know who they were or whether they intended her 
 good or ill. 
 
 " We expected you long ere this, Lady Daphne," 
 said the Marshal as he handed her out. 
 
 " Did you. Marshal ? " she said, trying to appear 
 unconcerned. "We went a little out of our way." 
 She noticed that, either by accident or design, several 
 of the knights had interposed themselves between 
 herself and the Baron. 
 
 " We have the less time at our disposal," said the 
 Marshal, " so I will come to the point at once. You 
 have no doubt been aheady uiformed of your rights, 
 and that I and my companions are here to place 
 you on the throne, provided you accept my con- 
 ditions ? " J -r. u 
 
 « I_I was not told of any conditions," said Daphne. 
 
 " There is but one," he said, and at this the Chapel 
 door was thrown open and a priest of extremely 
 disreputable exterior appeared on the threshold, with
 
 372 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 the lighted altar as his background. " Wed me— and 
 you shall be Queen of Marchenland." 
 
 " I've no wish to be that," she replied, " and, as 
 you Imow, Marshal, I have already promised to marry 
 Prince Mirlillor." 
 
 " You may dismiss all thought of that," he 
 said blandly, " for if you refuse my hand, botli you 
 and the Baron will meet with instant death, the car 
 and birds will also be destroyed and buried, and I 
 have so arranged that it will be believed that her 
 Majesty Queen Selina has had you removed to the 
 distant land from which you came." 
 
 " Marshal," pleaded Daphne, trying hard to re- 
 member that Mirliflor was really by her side, " I must 
 have time— time to think over your— your pro- 
 posal." 
 
 " It may help you to decide. Lady Daphne," he said, 
 " if you reflect that, in any case, you will never again 
 behold Prince Mii'hflor of Clairdelune." 
 
 " And why not, Marshal ? " said Mirliflor, as he flung 
 away the cap of darkness and stepped in front of his 
 beloved. 
 
 The Marshal knew at once that his fate was sealed. 
 He stood no chance whatever against a Prince who had 
 slam a dragon singlehanded. The Imights also seemed 
 to recognise this, or else their sympathy had veered 
 to Daphne's side, for they stood back in a circle without 
 attempting to interfere, while the priest, who perhaps 
 had not till then understood that the marriage cere- 
 mony was to be compulsory, promptly re-entered the 
 little Chapel and blew out all the candles. 
 
 The combat was over in a second or two — as any 
 combat would necessarily be in which one of the an- 
 tagonists was equipped with an irresistible sword.
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 373 
 
 Mirliflor, to be sure, did not know that he possessed 
 this somewhat unsportsmanUke advantage, and had 
 disdained to shelter himself, as he might have done, 
 under the cap. But it is more than possible that if 
 he had known more about the sword, he would have 
 stretched the pomt of honour in this particular case. 
 As has already been seen, he had occasional lapses from 
 the ideals the Fairy had bestowed on him at his bap- 
 tism, and he was quite incapable of troubling himself 
 about them when Daphne's life was at stake. Perhaps 
 he ought to have been more consistently punctilious, 
 but he was not — which was fortunate for both of 
 them. 
 
 As soon as the knights saw the Marshal fall, they 
 hastened to protest their loyalty to their young Queen 
 and offer their congratulations, which Daphne thought 
 it politic to accept at their face value. Horses were 
 found for her and Mirliflor, who decided to make, 
 with a picked body of the knights, for a village a 
 league from Eswareinmal and await developments 
 there. Of the rest of the party, some were instructed 
 to go back to the Palace and report the Marshal's 
 death while huntmg, the rest remamed to bury his 
 body, and it was one of these who found the packet, 
 and, most unluckily for Queen Selina, thought it neces- 
 sary to deliver it in hot haste to its addressee. 
 
 The Baron was directed to go on in the car to Clair- 
 delune and inform King Tournesol that his son had 
 found a bride at last. 
 
 On reaching the village near Eswareinmal, JMirliflor 
 had sent on two of his escort into the city to ascertain 
 the state of feeling there. They brought back the 
 unexpected news that all the citizens now knew that 
 the Lady Daphne was entitled to the C!ro\^'n and wore
 
 374 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 demanding her ; that Queen Selina, with her husband 
 and son, had been imprisoned on suspicion of having 
 made away with her, and, if she were not forthcoming 
 by an early date, would be executed publicly without 
 fail. 
 
 In the heat of his resentment at the treachery which 
 had so nearly succeeded in parting him from Daphne 
 for ever, Mirliflor declared that they should be left 
 to the doom which they would certainly meet if 
 Daphne's return were kept secret for a few days. 
 
 " Mirliflor said that— not Girofle," she told him. 
 " Girofl6 would never be so horribly cold-blooded. 
 But even Mirliflor didn't really mean it ! Of course 
 we can't let these Stimpson people be executed. Be- 
 sides, I knoio — I can't say how, but I do know — that 
 Mr. Stimpson and Clarence, at any rate, haven't been 
 parties to any plot to get rid of me. And as for Mrs. 
 Stimpson, I dislike her, and I want to go on disliking 
 her — which I couldn't possibly do after she had her 
 head cut ofE ! So we'll go into Eswareinmal at once, 
 ]\Iirliflor, and do what we can for the poor things." 
 
 " I spoke in haste, dearest," said Mirliflor. " I 
 was wi'ong, and you are right as usual." 
 
 " And now we're both going to be right, darling ! " 
 said Daphne. 
 
 " I wish," Clarence remarked later the same day, 
 " I wish these windows looked out on the front. We 
 might see her coming back in that blessed stork-car. 
 She'll be sure to come the quickest way when she 
 hears we're in the soup like this— don't you think so, 
 Mater ? " 
 
 " I'm sui-e / don't know ! " said the tortured Queen 
 Selina. " She mayn't come back at all. I mean, she
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 375 
 
 may keep the messengers and leave us to perish. It is 
 only what I should expect of her ! " 
 
 " No, dash it all, Mater, she's too much of a sport 
 for that," he said. " She'll either turn up or send 
 word that she's all right." 
 
 " Don't deceive yourself, Clarence ! " said his 
 mother. " I know better than you can, and I tell 
 you that she will do neither." 
 
 " Not when it's to save our lives ? " he replied. 
 ** She's bound to — unless — unless anything has hap- 
 pened to her. I'm a bit worried about that, because 
 — well, time's getting on, you know — what ? " 
 
 " I trust, my boy," said his father, " we shaU not 
 be brought to the — er — scaffold by any mistake of that 
 kind. If that occurred, it would be most un — " he 
 caught his wife's eye and substituted " unsatisfactory. 
 I'm not sure," he added, " but I fancy I hear shout- 
 ing. Seems to come from below." 
 
 " It certainly is shouting," said Clarence, " and it's 
 getting louder. They're coming this way. I — I hope 
 I'm wrong — but I've a strong impression that we're 
 going to get it in the neck after all ! " 
 
 " Sidney ! Clarence ! " cried Queen Sehna, as she 
 sank on her knees, unable to bear her guilty burden 
 any longer. " I — I can't die without asking you to 
 forgive me for — for what I have brought on you ! " 
 
 " It's no fault of yours. Mater," said Clarence. 
 " Just the family luck, that's all ! " 
 
 " Ah, but listen— Hsten ! " implored his Mother ; 
 but, before she could proceed, the door was suddenly 
 unlocked, and Prince Tapfer von Schneiderleinheimer 
 entered with every sign of respect. 
 
 " I am charged by her Majesty Queen Daphne to 
 desire your attendance in the Throne Room/' he said,
 
 376 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " and to convey her and Prince Mirliflor's regret that 
 you should liave been subjected to any inconvenience 
 by having permitted her departure to Clairdelune." 
 
 Queen Sehna — or rather Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 as she was now once more — hastily rose from her 
 knees. So the Baron had disobeyed his orders, and 
 Miss Heritage did not even know that they had been 
 given ! This was indeed an unhoped-for deliverance. 
 What a mercy, she thought, that it had come just 
 before she had spoken words she could never have 
 recalled ! " Kindly assure — your Mistress," she said, 
 with all the dignity of fallen grandeur, " that while 
 we cannot but feel that we have been most unjustly 
 suspected, we are willing to make every allowance for 
 the circumstances, and shall have much pleasure in 
 coming down to offer our congratulations presently. 
 But first I want to see the Princess Royal and Princess 
 Ruby if they are well enough to leave their dun- 
 geons." 
 
 " Your daughters, Madam, have merely been re- 
 quired to remain in their own apartments, and are 
 in perfect health," he replied ; "I will have them 
 conducted to you immediately." 
 
 " Oh, Mummy ! " exclaimed Ruby a little later, as 
 she ran to her Mother's arms, "is it really true ? 
 Aren't you and Daddy King and Queen any more ? " 
 
 " No, my darling," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 " it seems the people would rather have Miss Heritage." 
 
 " Oh, I don't mind so much if it's Daphne. And will 
 Prince Mirliflor be King ? " 
 
 " I really can't say how they will arrange it — nor 
 does it interest me what they may do." 
 
 " It does me," said Ruby. " I hope they'll let us 
 stay here with them."
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 377 
 
 " I consider it most unlikely— even if I were willing 
 to be a guest in my own Palace. But I've no doubt 
 they will make some suitable provision for us." 
 
 "Speaking for myself, Mother," said Edna, "I 
 should be far happier leading a simple life in retire- 
 ment than ever I've been in this pretentious place. 
 And, though I never cared much about being a 
 Princess, we can scarcely be treated as commoners 
 after what we have been." 
 
 " I shaU settle all these matters myself with Miss 
 Herit— Queen Daphne, I suppose I ought to call her, 
 but it's so difficult to get into just at once. And now 
 I think we will all go down to the Throne Room. 
 Remember on no account to show the slightest ill- 
 feeling. Let her see that, if we have lost everything 
 else, we still retain our manners." 
 
 She was herself so far from betrajang any ill-feeling 
 when she entered the Throne Room that she was 
 almost overwhelmingly affectionate . 
 
 " My dear child ! " she said, advancing to Daphne, 
 who was standing in the centre of the room with 
 Mirliflor, " so pleased to see you both back ! but 
 we're all of us that ! And, as I was saying to His — 
 to my husband — only a few minutes ago, ' I'm sure, 
 Sidney,' I said, ' there's no person in the world I 
 would give up my crown to so willingly as I would 
 to dear Miss Heritage ! ' " 
 
 '• Most happy," said her husband. " We've abdi- 
 cated already, your— your Majesty— both of us— as 
 soon as we knew the facts." 
 
 " I— I'm most awfully glad to see your Majesty 
 back again," said Clarence, noting the flush on her 
 cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes as she glanced at 
 Mirhflor, whom he envied more than ever. " I was
 
 378 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 beginning to think I — er — shouldn't — you ran things 
 a trifle close." 
 
 "Perhaps 1 did," said Daphne, "but you see, I 
 thought it was wiser to try to find Mirliflor, before 
 being taken to — to Clairdelune." She said this quite 
 simply, for she could see that, as she had been sure 
 of from the first, both Clarence and his father were no 
 parties to Mrs. Stimpson's design, and she was anxious 
 to spare them all knowledge of it if she could. 
 
 Her words only confirmed Mrs. Wibbcrley-Stimp- 
 Bon's sense of security ; Daphne evidently suspected 
 nothing, probably because the false Marshal had never 
 handed the Baron his secret instructions. " Much 
 the best plan, I'm sure, your Majesty ! " she agreed, 
 "though it was fortunate for us that you found dear 
 Prince INIirliflor so soon. However, it has all ended 
 happily, so we will say no more about it. And now I 
 want to beg that you mustn't consider Us. If you 
 would like to have possession of the Palace at once, 
 you have only to say so. Or if I could be of any use 
 to you by staying on for a little, just to show you 
 how things ought to be done ? " 
 
 Daphne forced herself to be civil to her for her 
 family's sake, not her own. 
 
 " It is very good of you," she said. " but I'm afraid 
 it won't be possible for you to stay here." 
 
 " WeU," said Mis. Wibberley-Stimpson, " we shall 
 be perfectly satisfied with any residence — if it's only 
 quite a moderate-sized castle — that your Majesty is 
 good enough to put at our disposal. Not too far from 
 here, or poor Ruby " — here she glanced at her younger 
 daughter, who had taken possession of one of Daphne's 
 hands, which she was kissing and fondling — " would 
 be quite inconsolable at losing her dearest friend ! "
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 379 
 
 But her remarks were lost on Daphne, for just then, 
 to Mrs. Stimpson's surprise and secret dismay, the 
 entrance was formally announced of the Court God- 
 mother, whom she had imagined to be at least mori- 
 bund, if not dead. She came in, looking frail and 
 feeble, but still with much of the energy and vitality 
 that had seemed to have departed for ever. 
 
 " Really," thought the disgusted Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson, " Mother Hubbard's dog is a fool to 
 her ! " 
 
 Daphne had already gone to greet her and lead her 
 to a seat. " I'm much better, my child — in fact 
 almost as well as ever. A day or two ago I thought I 
 was dying — but a little rest and the good news of your 
 return have quite set me up again. I begin to think 
 I shall see my second century out yet ! " 
 
 " It is indeed a marvellous recovery, my dear Court 
 Godmother ! " chimed in Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. 
 " We've all been so anxious ! We should have sent 
 to inquire, only we couldn't — ^because — well, you'll 
 hardly believe it, but we've been imprisoned (and very 
 nearly executed, too !) on a ridiculous charge of having 
 made away with our dear young Queen here ! When, 
 as you know, I had actually gone out of my way to 
 have her sent to Clairdelune as soon as I found you 
 were too ill to see to it yourself." 
 
 " And well for you that you did so ! " said the grim 
 old Fairy, "for if you had played— or even sought 
 to play — ^her false, I would have seen to it— old and 
 ailing as I am— that such treason did not go un- 
 punished ! " 
 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson shivered inwardly under 
 the implacable old eyes; she knew well that she 
 could expect no mercy if the Fairy discovered that
 
 380 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 these secret orders had ever been handed to the Baron. 
 Only, as the Baron had never received them, he could 
 tell her nothmg, and as the Council now believed 
 them to be a forgery of the Marshal's, Mis. Stimpson 
 felt herseK fairly safe. 
 
 " Yes, dear Court Godmother," she said sweetly ; 
 " but you see, I haven't — so we needn't discuss that 
 now, need we ? When you came in just now, I was just 
 tellmg her Majesty that we had no desire to stay on 
 at the Palace longer than is unavoidable, but that, 
 naturally, we were anxious to know where accommoda- 
 tion would be found for us — nothing grand, of course, 
 any fairly large chdteau would suit us." 
 
 " I'm sorry," said Daphne, after stooping to kiss 
 Ruby, " but that is quite impossible." 
 
 " Impossible ? " cried Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. 
 " I can't beUeve that your Majesty would turn us out 
 of our own Palace, without a home to go to ! " 
 
 " You have ' Inglegarth,' " said Daphne, " and as 
 soon as the Baron returns with the car he shall take 
 you there." 
 
 " I am much obliged to your Majesty," returned 
 ]\Irs. Wibberley-Stimpson, her complexion deepening 
 to a rich purple, "very much obliged for such truly 
 generous treatment ! Some people might think that, 
 considering that you wouldn't be Queen at all but for 
 our kindness in taking you with us, when we were 
 brought here — by no seeking of ours — to reign over 
 this ridiculous country — I say, some people might call 
 this rather shabby and ungrateful. Especially when 
 we gave way the moment we were told there had been 
 a mistake — sooner than make any fuss or trouble — as 
 few Sovereigns in our position would have done ! 
 And now it seems we're to be rewarded by being
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 381 
 
 bundled back to a suburban residence which, what- 
 ever else may be said for it, is absurdly inadequate 
 for any retired Royalties ! But you will find we are 
 not to be got rid of quite so easily, I absoliitfly 
 decline to go back to Gablehurst to be an ordinary 
 nobody after what I have been. Nothing in the world 
 shall induce me to ! " 
 
 " My love," said her husband, " we can't stay here 
 if we're not wanted." 
 
 " No, Mater," said Clarence, " we've got to clear." 
 
 " I shall be thankful to get away myself," added 
 Edna. " What is Marchenland, after all ? — just a 
 petty little Kingdom that nobody even knows is ui 
 existence ! " 
 
 " You may go if you please," Mrs. Stimpson de- 
 clared. " / shall stay — if I have to sit and starve to 
 death at the Palace Gates ! And a pretty scandal 
 that will be ! " 
 
 " If you were allowed to starve," said the Fairy 
 Vogelflug — " which you wouldn't be, you'd get food 
 enough — but no sympathy. So I should advise you 
 myself to return to your own Country, where you are 
 probably held in more esteem than you are hero. 
 And now," she added to Daphne, " I must ask your 
 Majesty's leave to withdraw to my own apartments. 
 I shall be obliged if you would send the Baron to me 
 as soon as he arrives from Clairdelune." And with 
 this, and a stiff but stately curtesy to the young Queen, 
 she hobbled out of the Throne Room. 
 
 "I shall maintain to my dying breath," declared 
 Mrs Stimpson vehemently, "that, after governing 
 this Country as we have done, we have earned the right 
 to stay in it. I consider we are not only entitled to 
 that, but to a suitable establishment and pension.
 
 382 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Your Majesty can surely spare us Bomcthing out of 
 all wo have giveu up ! " 
 
 Daphne uilimated that she wished to reply to ilrs. 
 Stimpson in private, whereupon the others withdrew 
 out of hearing and left them together, 
 
 " I hate havmg to say it," sho began in a 
 low voice, *' but you really can't stay here on 
 any terms, IVIi's. Stimpson — I think I needn't tell you 
 why." 
 
 " Your Majesty surely doesn't suspect me of 
 any ? " 
 
 " I don't suspect," said Daphne, ** I k?ww how you 
 tried to part me from Prince Mirliflor for ever — and 
 how nearly you succeeded. He knows, too. . . . Oh, 
 you arc in no danger from us — we shall say nothing. 
 But there is someone else who might." 
 
 " Not — not the Baron ? " cried Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson, so thrown off her guard that she failed to 
 see how completely the question gave her away. 
 
 " Yes," said Daphne gravely, " the Baron. You 
 heard what the Court Godmother said about seeing 
 him as soon as he returns ? We have forbidden him 
 to speak — but it's quite possible that she will get the 
 truth out of him — and that might be rather disagree- 
 able for you, mightn't it ? " 
 
 " Very," agreed the trembling Mrs. Stimpson. 
 " She'd have no mercy on me — on any of us ! " 
 
 "I'm afraid not," said Daphne, "and she might 
 not listen even to me. So — don't you think it would 
 be wiser to change your mind about stapng and go 
 back to Gablehurst before she docs see him ? " 
 
 " Much," said IMis. Wibberley-Stimpson in a half- 
 choked voice — " much ! if — if it can be arranged." y 
 
 "I think it can. The journey to Clairdelune and
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 383 
 
 back won't tire the storks— they will be quite able 
 to take you over to England as soon as you are ready 
 to start." 
 
 " We'll go and get ready at once," said Mrs. Stimp- 
 son, '' so as not to keep the car waiting." 
 
 " You have plenty of time. It can't be here for 
 some hours yet." 
 
 "Oh, I hope the Baron will make haste— and— 
 and if your Majesty could only prevent him from seeing 
 the Court Godmother till after we are gone ! " 
 
 " She wdU probably be asleep," said Daphne, " but 
 in any case he shaU have instructions to take you 
 home the very moment he arrives at the Palace. I 
 think," she added, " that is all we had to say to one 
 another." 
 
 "Except," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, "that 
 your Majesty really must allow me to express my deep 
 sense of the very handsome " 
 
 " No, please/" said Daphne, turning away, for she 
 felt that she had had as much of Mrs. Stimpson as 
 she could stand just then. 
 
 That good lady, having partially recovered her 
 equanimity, retreated to her husband and family. 
 
 " I've been talking it over with her Majesty, 
 Sidney," she announced, " and she has quite brought me 
 to see that, under the circumstances, we shall really 
 be more comfortable in dear old England. So she 
 has kindly arranged for us to be taken home in the 
 car directly it gets back from Clairdelune." 
 
 " Glad to hear it, my love," said the ex-Monarch. 
 " Personally, I much prefer ' Inglegarth ' to this sort 
 of thing." 
 
 " But I say," Clarence put in, glancing down at his 
 fantastic attii^e, " I don't quite see myself going back
 
 384 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 to Cablehiirst in this get up. \\ ibh 1 knew what had 
 become of the kit we came in ! " 
 
 It was now the hour when the Court was accustomed 
 to go up and change their costumes heiore dinner, 
 and Daphne felt a difficulty as to the proper course 
 to pursue with the Wibberley-Stimpsons, Could she 
 without indelicacy invite them to sit as guests at what 
 had lately been their own table ? And yet it seemed 
 hardly human to leave them out. She decided that 
 the former course was on the whole less open to 
 objection. 
 
 " I hope," she said to Mrs. Stimpson, with a touch 
 of shyness, " that you will all give me the pleasure 
 of dining with us this evening ? You see, you must 
 have something to eat before such a long journey." 
 
 " Your Majesty is most kind," said Mrs. Stimpson 
 in a great flurry, " but, if you will excuse us from 
 accepting w^hat — no one knows better than I — is really 
 a command, I — I really don't think we should have 
 time to sit through a long dinner. We — we might 
 miss the car — and besides, there's the question of 
 dressing. If we could have a few sandwiches and a 
 little wine in one of the vestibules while we are waiting 
 for the car, that will be all we shall require ! " 
 
 " You shall do exactly as you please about it," 
 replied Daphne. She was greatly relieved, as one 
 reason for her hesitation in asking them had been the 
 dread that Mr. Stimpson might think himself called 
 upon to make an after-dinner speech. 
 
 Her ladies-in-waiting were already in her Tiring- 
 Chamber, highly delighted by the prospect of arraying 
 a Queen whom, even when she had been nominally 
 one of themselves, they had always not merely ad- 
 mired but adored.
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED " 385 
 
 It had suddenly occurred to Daphne that the 
 Stimpson family might find themselves on their return 
 to Gablehurst in certain difficulties against which she 
 felt bound to do what she could to protect them. 
 
 She thought over the best means of doing this, 
 which took so much time to carry out that the busi- 
 ness of arraying her for her first banquet as a Royal 
 Hostess had to be got through more hurriedly than her 
 ladies of the Bedchamber thought at all decorous. 
 
 But she knew that Mirliflor would be well content 
 with her, however she looked — and as a matter of fact 
 he not only was, but had every reason to be so. 
 
 The Wibberley-Stimpsons had already ascertained 
 that the clothes they had worn on their arrival in 
 Marchenland had been carefully laid up in one of the 
 Royal wardrobes, from which they were brought at 
 their earnest request. They put them on in frantic 
 haste, and, in deadly fear of being surprised by the 
 Royal Household, they stole down the great Staircase 
 to an antechamber by the Entrance Hall. There 
 they found a table set with every description of 
 tempting food, to which all did justice but Mrs. 
 Stimpson, the state of whose nerves had entu-ely 
 taken away her appetite. She was continually start- 
 ing up and saying, " Listen ! I'm sure I hear these 
 
 storks ! " 
 
 "You'd better eat something, Mater," Clarence 
 said. "It's the last dinner we shall ever have in 
 Marchenland." 
 
 " I can't," she replied, " I don't know how any of 
 you can. . . . There go the silver trumpets ! She's 
 going into the Banqueting Hall now. On Prince 
 Mirliflor 's arm, most likely ! How she can have the 
 heart when she mtist know we are still here ! " 
 
 2 B
 
 386 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " She did ask us to dinner, my love," Mr. Stimpson 
 mildly reminded her. 
 
 " She had the execrable taste to do that, Sidney," 
 replied his wife, " and I think the manner in which I 
 declined must have been a lesson to her. . . . Dear 
 me, is that car never coming ? " 
 
 She said that many times during the evening, as 
 they sat on in the ebony and ivory chamber, while the 
 strains of music reached them faintly from the distant 
 Ballroom. 
 
 Clarence thought gloomily of the dance on the night 
 of the Coronation, and how his mother had forbidden 
 him to choose Daphne as his partner. Perhaps, if 
 he had insisted on having his own way — if he had not 
 limited himself to a merely morganatic alliance, she 
 might have — but it was too late to grouse about that 
 now ! He endeavoured to cheer himself by the thought 
 that he would very soon be in a civilised land of 
 cigarettes. 
 
 It was getting late, and the music had now ceased, 
 from which they gathered that the Queen and Court 
 had already retired. " She inujht have had the com- 
 mon civility to say good-bye to us ! " complained IMrs, 
 Stimpson, " but of course she is too grand now to con- 
 descend so far ! Not that / have any desire to see her 
 again. On the contrary ! " 
 
 The doors of the Vestibule were thrown open here 
 and one of the ushers announced : " Her Majesty the 
 Queen and His Royal Highness Prince IVIirliflor." 
 
 " Coming here to triumph over us ! " was IVIrs. 
 Stimpson's comment as she rose. 
 
 " We came to wish you a pleasant journey to Gable- 
 hurst," explained Daphne, as she entered, followed by 
 Mirliflor. " I hope you won't have to wait for the
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 387 
 
 car 7nuch longer, but I've told the attendantR in the 
 Hall to let you know the minute it is hero." 
 
 She was looking radiantly lovely and girlish— and 
 queenly as well, in spite of the fact that she was still 
 uncrowned. But if she had had the right to wear 
 her crown, she was incapable of doing so just then. 
 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson made a curtsey that 
 might have been lower if she had had any practice— 
 but all the curtseying previously had been done to 
 herself. " We thank your Majesty," she said. " I 
 too hope there will be no more of this delay. I am 
 getting worn out with all this waiting. Oh, while I 
 think of it/' she went on (the desire to be offensive over- 
 coming any fear of the consequences), " of course we 
 are not in a position notv to give really valuable wedding 
 presents — and I'm afraid mine must be a very humble 
 offering, particularly as it needs repairing. However, 
 such as it is, perhaps your Majesty wiU honour me 
 by accepting it with our congratulations and very 
 best wishes ? " And she offered the jewel which she 
 had formerly acquired from Daphne. Daphne's eye- 
 brows contracted for an instant, but the next moment 
 she laughed. 
 
 " I really couldn't, Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson ! " 
 she said. " You see, you have already given it to 
 Clarence, and I mustn't deprive him of it." 
 
 " Won't you accept it from me, then ? " he said 
 awkwardly. " I— I shan't have any use for it now." 
 
 She shook her head. " You will please me so much 
 better by keeping it," she said gently—" in memory 
 of Marchenland." 
 
 It was true that it had once belonged to her father 
 —the father she had never known— but then it had 
 also belonged to Mi'S. Wibberley-Stimpson, and Daplme
 
 388 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 was conscious now of an invincible unwillingness to 
 accept any gift from that lady. 
 
 " I — I'd do anything to please you," said Clarence, 
 taking the pendant from his mother and slipping it 
 into the pocket of his dinner-jacket. 
 
 Ruby, in the white silk frock she had last worn at 
 " Inglegarth," was clinging to Daphne. " I don't 
 want to go back ! " she wailed, " I want to stay here 
 with you. Won't you send for me some day ? Say 
 you will ; do say you will ! " 
 
 Daphne stooped to caress and comfort her, and also 
 to hide her own emotion. " I wish I could, darling," 
 she said tenderly, " but I'm afraid, I'm afraid I mustn't 
 make any promises that I'm not sure of being able 
 to keep." 
 
 " Then say you will — perhaps / " entreated Ruby, 
 but her mother promptly interposed. 
 
 " Ruby, my dear," she said, " you're forgetting 
 how far her Majesty is now our superior. A Palace 
 is no longer a fit place for any of us to visit, and I con- 
 sider it best we should remain in future strictly in 
 our respective spheres." 
 
 " Then I will go to mine at once," said Daphne, 
 smiling. " Good-bye, Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. Good- 
 bye, Edna." She held out her hand to both of them, 
 but they curtsied formally without offering to take it. 
 " Good-bye, dearest little Ruby — I hope your next 
 governess will love you nearly as much as I do — she 
 can't quite f Good-bye, Mr. Stimpson — I think you 
 will be rather glad to be back in the City again, won't 
 
 " I shall, indeed, your Majesty," he said. " To 
 tell you the honest truth, I don't think I was ever cut 
 out for a monarch."
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 38'J 
 
 It was Clarence's turn next, and when he saw her 
 offering him her hand with the old frank friendliness, 
 he had a renewed sense of his own unworthiness. 
 
 " No," he said in a low voice, " you can't want to 
 shake hands with — with such a hopeless rotter as 
 IVe been ! " 
 
 " I shouldn't," she replied, " if I weren't sure that 
 you could be something very much better if you 
 chose. And I know you will choose." 
 
 " I will," he said, " I swear I will— if I ever get the 
 chance ! " 
 
 " Your chance will come. Quite soon, perhaps. 
 And when it does, remember that I believe in you — 
 and, good-bye, Clarence." 
 
 " Good-bye— Daphne," he said brokenly. As he 
 took her hand he thought with a keen pang that he 
 had never held it before, and never would again. And 
 the time had been— or so at least he imagined— when 
 he might have made that hand his own for ever ! 
 
 " Good night, Mirliflor," said Daphne, as he held 
 aside the hangings for her. "We shall meet to- 
 morrow." 
 
 She passed into the great Hall with a dignity the 
 more charming for being so natural and unconscious— 
 and that was the last Clarence was ever destined to 
 
 see of her. 
 
 He turned to Mirliflor, whose eyes still betrayed 
 the pride he felt in his beloved. "I don't mind 
 teUing you, old chap— er— Prince Mirliflor, that I 
 took to you from the start, and— as I can't be the 
 lucky man myself, I'm jolly glad it's to be you f " 
 
 " Thank you," said Mirliflor, who was less given to 
 florid phrases than the average Fairy Prince. " So 
 
 I}}
 
 390 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 " I dare say," Clarence went on, as he realised the 
 contrast between his own clothes and the magnificent 
 costume that the old Fairy had provided for her royal 
 godson, " I dare say you're thinking we're not looking 
 very smart ? " 
 
 Mirhflor was honestly able to disclaim having any 
 impressions on the subject. 
 
 " Well, these togs must seem a bit rummy to you — 
 but I can assure you that, for informal occasions like 
 the present, they're quite the right thing in England." 
 (He had a momentary impulse to except his father's 
 white tie, but, after all, why should he say anything 
 about that when Mirliflor knew no better ? 80 he 
 decided to pass it), " Worn by the very be.st Society." 
 
 Mirliflor pohtely accepted this information, and then 
 made his farewells. Edna's good wishes were couched 
 in a spirit of frigid magnanimity. She had too much 
 self-respect to let him perceive that she resented his 
 fickleness. 
 
 They were now alone in the antechamber. From 
 time to time Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson would rise 
 impatiently and jieer out into the vast hall, now only 
 lit by one or two flickering cressets, to see if the stork- 
 car had arrived — but the attendants in waiting always 
 assured her that it had not, and, after some fussing 
 and fretting, she lay down on a divan and fell into 
 an uneasy slumber. 
 
 Her husband was snoring placidly ; Ruby had cried 
 herself to sleep long before ; Edna had brought down 
 her lecture-notes, and was conscientiously employing 
 the time in polishing up her knowledge of EngUsh 
 Literature. 
 
 Her notes on Nietzsche's philosophy had been torn 
 out after the rupture with the Count. Somehow the
 
 "WHOSE LIGHTS ARE FLED" 391 
 
 Nietzschean theories did not seem to work quite well 
 when carried into practice. But, after deciphering 
 a very few Literature notes, Edna found herself too 
 drowsy to continue. 
 
 Clarence remained awake longest. Ho had wan- 
 dered restlessly out into the hall just to look at the 
 great Staircase half lost in the gloom. Daphne had 
 ascended it a little while since. To-morrow she would 
 come down, fresh and radiant, to meet MirHflor. 
 Before long they would bo married and crowned, and 
 live happy ever after in the good old Marchenland way. 
 Well, he w^ouldn't have to look on and see them doing 
 it, which was some consolation. Ho went back to 
 the antechamber and regarded the sleeping forms of 
 his family with disillusioned eyes. " We look like 
 Royalties— I don't think ! " he said to himself. " No 
 wonder they've booted us out. Why, a bally rabbit- 
 warren would ! " 
 
 But this depressing reflection soon ceased to trouble 
 him, unless it still continued to shadow his dreams.
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 
 
 Almost simultaneously Mr. Wibberley-Stimpson and 
 his son and daughters opened their eyes, then rubbed 
 them, and sat up and looked about them with a be- 
 wilderment that gradually gave way to intense relief. 
 For, although the light had faded, their surroundings 
 were reassuringly familiar. They were in their own 
 drawing-room at " Inglegarth." It occurred at once 
 to most of them that they had never actually left it 
 — an impression that was pleasantly confirmed by 
 Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 's first remark as she awoke 
 later. 
 
 " Why, hasn't the dinner-gong gone yet ? " she in- 
 quired crossly. " Cook gets more and more un- 
 punctual \ " 
 
 " I don't think it can be eight o'clock yet, my dear," 
 said her husband, " it's quite Hght still." 
 
 " Nonsense, Sidney, it must be long past dinner- 
 time ! I've been so lost in my own thoughts that 
 somehow I " 
 
 " Now, Mother, you know you've been asleep and 
 only just woke up ! " said Edna, from one of the 
 chintz couches. 
 
 " Have I ? Perhaps I did drop off just for a few 
 seconds. In fact I must have done — for I begin to 
 recollect having quite a curious dream. I dreamed 
 that you and I, Sidney, were King and Queen of some 
 
 392
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 393 
 
 absurd fairy Kingdom or other, and that— well, it 
 was not at all a pleasant dream." 
 
 " It's a most singular coincidence, Selina," he said, 
 " but I've been dreaming much the same sort of thing 
 myself ! " 
 
 The others looked at one another, but none of them 
 ventured to express just yet what was in all their 
 minds. 
 
 " Have you ? " said his wife languidly. " I sup- 
 pose it was telepathy or something of that kind. Ring 
 for Mitchell, Clarence — I hope dinner has not been 
 allowed to get cold. And — and Miss Heritage seema 
 to have left the drawing-room. Run up. Ruby, and 
 tell her to come down." 
 
 " I don't believe she's upstairs at all, mummy," 
 said Ruby. " No, of course she can't be. We left 
 her in the Palace— don't you remember ? Shes 
 Queen now, you know ? " 
 
 " Queen ! Miss Heritage ! Why, you don't mean 
 to tell me you've been dreaming that too ? " 
 
 " So have I, as far as that goes, mater," said Clarence. 
 " If it was a dream, and not — not " 
 
 " How could it be anything else ? Besides, here 
 we all are, exactly as we were ! " 
 
 " We've got our cloaks and things on, though," 
 said Ruby. "/ know how it was! We've been 
 brought here in the stork-car while we were fast asleep. 
 We sat up ever so long waiting for it." 
 
 " It can't be ! I won't believe anything so absurd. 
 Draw the curtains, somebody, and pull up the blinds. 
 . . . It's odd, but it certainly looks more like early 
 morning than any other time. Clarence, go out and 
 strike the gong. Perhaps the maids haven't finished 
 dressing yet."
 
 394 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 Clarence went out accordingly. The gong bellowed 
 and boomed from the hall, but there was no sound of 
 stirring above. " I say," he reported, " I've just 
 looked into the dining-room, and all the chairs are 
 upside down on the table. That looks rather as if 
 we'd been away for a bit — what ? " 
 
 " Clarence ! You're not beginning to think that — 
 that all that about our having been a Royal Family 
 may be true ? " 
 
 " Well, Mater," he said, "if we haven't been in 
 Marchcnland, where have we been ? Oh yes, we've 
 been Royalties right enough — and a pretty rotten job 
 we made of it ! " 
 
 At this time there was a deprecatory knock at the 
 drawing-room door. " Mitchell ! " cried her mistress, 
 " don't you know better than to — ? " However, it 
 was not Mitchell that entered — but a person unknown 
 — a respectable-looking elderly female, who seemed to 
 have made a hasty toilette. 
 
 " Askin' your pardons," she said, " but if you were 
 wishing to see the family, they're away just now." 
 
 " We are the family," replied Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson. " We have been — er — abroad, but have 
 returned. And we should be glad of breakfast at 
 once." 
 
 " I can git you a cup of tea as soon as the kittle 's 
 on the boil," she said, " but I'm only put in as care- 
 taker Uke, and I've nothink in the 'ouse except bread 
 and butter. The shops '11 be opening now, so if you 
 don't object to waiting a little, I could go out and get 
 you a naddick and eggs and such like." 
 
 " Yes, buck up, old lady ! " said Clarence, '" and I 
 say, see if you can get a Daily Mail or a paper of some 
 sort."
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 395 
 
 '' What are you so anxious to see the paper for ? " 
 inquired Edna after the caretaker had departed. 
 
 " Only wanted to know what month we're in," he 
 said. " It would have looked so silly to ask her wliat 
 day it is. We must have been— over there— a good 
 long time." 
 
 " At least a year ! " said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, 
 no longer able to sustain the dream theory. " More. 
 When we left it was quite early Spring — and now all 
 the trees are out ! Sidney, what will your firm say 
 to your having been away so long without letting 
 them know where you were ? " 
 
 " I can't say, my love. I'm afraid they might 
 make it a ground for a dissolution of partnership — 
 unless I can give them a satisfactory explanation of 
 my absence." 
 
 " The difficulty will be to find one ! " said his wife. 
 " As for you, Clarence, they mil be too glad to see 
 you back again at the Insurance Office to ask any 
 questions." 
 
 " I dare say they would. Mater, only — it didn't seem 
 worth mentioning before — but, as a matter of fact, I 
 — er — resigned the day we left." 
 
 " Then it seems," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 bitterly, " we have been sent back here to find our- 
 selves in comparative poverty ! I hope and trust "— 
 she felt furtively in her bead handbag before continuing 
 more cheerfully—" that we shall be able to struggle 
 through somehow." 
 
 She knew now that they would not be without 
 resources. She could feel them through tlie handker- 
 chief in which they had been wrapped— two pieces 
 which she had had the presence of mind to pick up 
 from the Halma board as she passed through Edna's
 
 396 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 and Ruby's chamber the evening before. One was 
 carved from a ruby, the other from a diamond, and each 
 of them was worth a small fortune. Her one regret 
 now was that she had not pocketed several more 
 while she was about it. But, although she would 
 have been perfectly within her rights in doing so — 
 for were they not her own property ? — she had thought 
 at the time that it would be risky to take any number 
 that could be noticed. There was always the chance 
 that Miss Heritage might count them ! 
 
 However, she said nothing about this to her family 
 just then ; it would be a pleasant surprise for them 
 later on. 
 
 " But," she continued, " I do think it might have 
 occurred to Miss Heritage — I can't and won't call her 
 by any other name — that, as she was known to be in 
 my employment when we left ' Inglegarth,' our re- 
 turning without her may expose us to very unpleasant 
 remarks. People may think I've discharged her — 
 left her stranded in foreign parts— or I don't know 
 what ! " 
 
 " That is what she calculated on, no doubt ! " said 
 Edna. 
 
 " Oh, stop it, Edna ! " said her brother, " you 
 ought to know her better than that ! " 
 
 " Oh, of course she's an angel— in your estimation ! 
 But she could have saved mother from being mis- 
 understood if she'd wanted to— and since she 
 hasn't— well, I'll leave you to draw the obvious 
 inference ! " 
 
 Ruby, who had been roving about the room during 
 this conversation, now broke in : 
 
 " Mummy," she cried, " there's a letter here for 
 you, and it looks like darling Queen Daphne's writ-
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 397 
 
 ing ! " And she brought it to her mother. It was 
 enclosed in a folded square of parchment— envelopes, 
 like other modern conveniences, being unknown in 
 Marchenland — and fastened with the royal signet, 
 which Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson broke with a melan- 
 choly reminiscence of the satisfaction it had given 
 her to use the seal herself. 
 
 " Dear Mrs. Wihherley-Stimfson," she read aloud— 
 " As I am about to he married here very shortly, my 
 return with you to England will naturally he imfossihle. 
 It is a great grief to me to have to part from my dear 
 little pwpil Ruby, to whom I have become so deeply 
 and sincerely attached. Will you please tell her from 
 me that I shall never forget her, and miss her very much 
 indeed. — Believe me, very truly yours, 
 
 Daphne Heritage." 
 
 "Well," commented Mrs. Stimpson, while poor 
 Ruby's tears began to flow afresh, " that is certainly 
 a letter which I could show to anybody. Though I 
 notice she doesn't say anything about being grieved 
 to part with anyone but Ruby. A deliberate shght 
 to the rest of us ! And then the meanness of turning 
 us out without the slightest return for all we've done 
 for her ! It does show such petty ingratitude ! " 
 
 " Easy on, Mater ! " said Clarence. " She don't 
 seem to have let us go away quite empty-handed 
 after all. I mean to say there's a box or some- 
 thing over there that I fancy I've seen before in the 
 
 Palace." 
 
 He went up to examine it as he spoke. It was an 
 oblong case, rather deeper and squarer than a back- 
 gammon box, covered with faded orange velvet and
 
 398 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 fitted with clasps and corners of finely wrought silver 
 set with precious stones. 
 
 Inside were the emerald and opal " halma " board 
 and ruby and diamond pieces, and with them a slip 
 of parchment with Daphne's handwriting. " / 
 thougJit perha-ps," she had written, " you might care 
 to have this. Princess Rapunzelhauser tells me she is 
 afraid two of the men are missing, hut I hope she is mis- 
 taken and they are really all there. — D." 
 
 " I shall never play with them ! " declared Ruby 
 breaking down once more. " I— I couldn't bear to, 
 without Her ! " 
 
 " Of course you will never play with them, my dear," 
 said her mother, " they are far too valuable for that." 
 
 A very inadequate impression of Mrs. Wibberley- 
 Stimpson's strength of character must have been 
 given if anyone expects that this gift would cause her 
 the slightest degree of shame or contrition ; on the 
 contrary, it only served to justify her in her own eyes 
 —not that she needed any justification— for having 
 appropriated those two pieces. She had merely antici- 
 pated—and nothing would be easier than to put them 
 back in the box without being observed, 
 
 " A magnificent present ! " pronounced Mr. Stimp- 
 son. " Really what I should call very handsome in- 
 deed of her. If we ever had to sell this set they'd fetch 
 a colossal sum— Aere— simply colossal ! " 
 
 " And a minute ago. Mater," said Clarence, " you 
 accused her of being mean ! " 
 
 " Well," she replied, " and what are these things, 
 when all is said, to the riches we've suiTcndered 
 to her ? A mere trifle— which she'll never even 
 
 miss ! 
 " You're forgetting they were hers— not ours— aU
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 309 
 
 the time. And we've left her precious little gold to 
 go on with. It makes me sick to hear you running hor 
 down, when, when . . . well, anyhow, Mater, I'll l)o 
 glad if you won't— in my hearing I " 
 
 " There's no occasion to use that tone to me, Clar- 
 ence. I have my own opinion of Miss Heritage, and 
 I am not likely to alter it now. But if you choo.so to 
 keep your illusions about her, / shall say nothing to 
 disturb them." 
 
 " You may be very clever, Clarence," said Edna, 
 " I know you think you are, but there's one subject 
 at all events you're hopelessly ignorant about — and 
 that's Women ! " 
 
 "I don't mind owning it," he retorted. "I'd 
 have taken my oath once that a highly superior 
 cultivated English girl like you could never have 
 cottoned to any Johnny in the Ogre line of business. 
 But you've shown me my mistake ! " 
 
 Edna, who was scarlet with wrath, would no doubt 
 have made an obvious rejoinder had not a diversion 
 been caused by the caretaker, who appeared with that 
 morning's Daily Mail. 
 
 "Ah, so you managed toget a paper ? " cried Clarence. 
 " Good ! " and he took it from her hands and opened 
 it. "I say," he announced as soon as they were 
 alone, " we haven't been away so long as we thought. 
 We're still in 1914. Saturday, twenty-fifth of 
 July." 
 
 " Is that all ? " said his mother. " But I rememl)or 
 now that tiresome old Court Godmother saying that 
 Time went quicker in Miirchenland than it does here. 
 I don't understand how— but there's evidently some 
 difference. The twenty-fifth of July ? Dear mo, the 
 Pageant must be over and done with long ago ! Not 
 
 /
 
 400 IN BUTEF AUTHORTTY 
 
 of course thai 1 kIiouM have cared to take part in it 
 now / 
 
 " Well, my boy," said Mr. StinipHon aa Clarence 
 ran through the columns of the paper, " and what's 
 the latest news ? " 
 
 " First defeat of Middlesex," replied Clarence ; 
 " Surrey's at the head of the table now for the 
 Championship ! Fine batting by Gloucester at Not- 
 tiiigiiain yesterday — 319 to Notts 299 first innings, 
 and 75 for three wickets ! " 
 
 " Capital ! " said his father without enthusiasm, 
 " and what about Politics ? Got Home Rule yet ? " 
 
 " I'll tell you in a minute*. . . . Looks as if they 
 hadn't. Breakdown of Home Rule Conference at 
 Buckingham I'alace. Wonder what the Government 
 will do now." 
 
 " They've only to be firm," said Mr. Stimpson, in 
 his character as ex-autocrat. " If Ulster choo.ses to 
 resent the will of the People as expressed in the last 
 General Election, well, she must be put down, or 
 what's our Array for, I should Hke to know. Any 
 other news 1 
 
 " Nothing much, except that Austria's just sent 
 an ultimatum to Servia. Seems the Austrian Grand 
 Duke's been assassinated, and Austria beheves the 
 Servians were in it. Anyhow, they've got to knuckle 
 down by six o'clock to-night or they'll be jolly weU 
 walloped. But of course they'll give in when they're 
 up against Austria. ... I see these writing chaps 
 are doing their best to work up a scare, though. 
 Here's one of 'em actually saying it may ' plunge 
 all Europe into War.' Good old Armageddon coming 
 off at last, I suppose. How they can wTite such 
 tommy-rot ! "
 
 SQUARING ACCOUNTS 401 
 
 " It's only to send up their circulation," said Mr. 
 Wibberley-Stimpson. " Depend upon it, there'll be 
 no War. None of the Powers want it— too expen- 
 sive in these days. They'll see that it's settled without 
 fighting. And even if they can't, we shan't be dragged 
 in— we shall just let 'em fight it out among themselves, 
 and when it's over we shall come in for a share of the 
 pickings ! " 
 
 " Well," said Clarence, as he crumpled the paper 
 into a ball and tossed it away, " we needn't worry 
 ourselves about Armageddon — got something more 
 serious to think about." 
 
 " What do you mean, Clarence ? " inquired his 
 mother uneasily. 
 
 " Why," he said, "it seems we've been away about 
 four months. We can explain now why Miss Heritage 
 hasn't come back with us. She's made that all right 
 by her letter — and a trump she was to think of it ! 
 But what are we going to say when people want to 
 know — and you can bet they will — where we've been 
 all this time and what we've been doing ? " 
 
 " We can simply tell them we have been temporarily 
 occupjdng exalted positions in a foreign country 
 which we are not at liberty to mention," suggested 
 Mrs Wibberley-Stimpson hopefully. 
 
 " We could," he said ; " and the reply we should 
 get would probably be ' Rats.' They might put it 
 more politely— but that's what it would amount to. 
 Believe me, you'll never make people here swallow 
 you and the governor as the late King and Queen of 
 Fairyland— it's a jolly sight too thick ! Besides, 
 there's nothing particular in what we've done there 
 to brag about — what ? " 
 
 " / at least have nothing to reproach myself with," 
 
 2
 
 402 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 said his mother virtuously. " Still I agree with you, 
 Clarence, that perhaps it would be better if we could 
 give some account of ourselves which would sound 
 a little less improbable." 
 
 " We shall have to invent one. And as soon as 
 we've done breakfast I vote we put our heads together 
 and fake something up. But, whatever it is, we must 
 all remember to stick to it ! " 
 
 And after long and strenuous cogitation, the Stimp- 
 son family managed to construct a fairly plausible 
 story of an unexpected summons to a remote part of 
 the world, in which they were obliged by circumstances 
 to remain without any facilities for informing their 
 friends of their situation. 
 
 There was one danger which Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 foresaw. At any time she might encounter the Duchess 
 of Gleneagles or Lady Muscombe in Society. How- 
 ever, she decided that the risk was almost negligible. 
 After all, their respective circles could not be said to 
 intersect and, if she ever sJwuld come across either of 
 these distinguished ladies, it would be easy to deny 
 all recollection of ever having met them before. 
 
 And thus reassured, she was able to support the 
 official version of the family adventures so whole- 
 heartedly that she ended by accepting it as the only 
 authentic one. 
 
 Ruby, it is true, confided a widely different account 
 in secret to one or two of her most intimate friends. 
 
 But Ruby's story met with the fate that is only 
 too certain to befall this veracious and absolutely 
 unexaggerated narrative — nobody was ever found to 
 believe a single word of it !
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 The re-appearance of the Wibberley - Stimpsons, 
 coupled with the circumstantial explanations they 
 gave of their mysterious absence abroad, provided 
 their friends and neighbours with very nearly the 
 proverbial nine days' wonder. It might have done 
 so even longer, but for that fateful beginning of 
 August, when, with appalling suddenness, the blow 
 was dealt which shattered the peace of Europe and 
 convulsed the whole world. 
 
 Then the Fools' Paradise in which England had so 
 long luxuriated crumbled beneath her feet, and left 
 her face to face with stern realities. Nothing was 
 the same, or ever would be the same, again. Issues, 
 causes, topics, which scarcely a week before had 
 seemed of such vital and engrossing importance, 
 shrivelled into insignificance or extinction under the 
 scorching blast of war. 
 
 And so it followed that Gablchurst entirely forgot 
 its previous curiosity concerning the private affairs 
 of the Wibberley-Stimpson family, thereby relieving 
 them from a strain on their inventive powers which 
 they had begun to find extremely wearing. 
 
 The crisis afforded Mr. Stimpson a long-desired 
 occasion for taking a spirited part in politics. At the 
 suggestion of his wife, who reasoned that in so Con- 
 servative a neighbourhood it would be popular to 
 
 condemn any steps a Radical Government had taken, 
 
 4oa
 
 404 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 he summoned a public meeting to protest against the 
 British Ultimatum to Germany, on the ground that 
 England's safety and interests alike depended on her 
 preserving the strictest neutrality under any circum- 
 stances whatever. As his sole supporter on the 
 platform was a recently naturalised British subject 
 with a pronounced German accent, the result of this 
 patriotic endeavour was, as he admitted afterwards, 
 " a little unfortunate." Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson 
 herself was compelled to recognise, as she led him home 
 with two black eyes and only one coat-tail, that she 
 had been less correct than usual in estimating the 
 local sentiment, though, of course, she ascribed his 
 treatment entirely to the lack of tact and ability with 
 which he had handled his subject. However, they 
 have long since succeeded in living all that down. Mr. 
 Stimpson very soon recognised that his views of the 
 situation had been mistaken, and made haste to 
 publish his conviction of the righteousness of our 
 cause. No one now enlarges with more fervour on 
 the ruin and disgrace that would have overtaken us 
 if we had been induced to stand aside by persons he 
 refers to as " those infernal cranks and pacifists." 
 
 Moreover, he acquired further merit by his generous 
 contribution of two thousand pounds to the Prince of 
 Wales' Fund — a contribution which caused a sensation 
 among many who could give a fairly shrewd guess at 
 the income he drew as a partner in the firm of Cramp- 
 horn, Stimpson, & Thistleton. 
 
 But then they did not know that, shortly before, 
 he had disposed of two exquisitely carved pieces — one 
 diamond, and the other ruby — by private contract 
 to an American millionaire, for a sum which would 
 have covered an even more princely donation. He
 
 EPILOGUE 405 
 
 has several more of these curiosities, but is reserving 
 them for times when they are more Ukely to fetch 
 their proper value. 
 
 As for his wife and elder daughter, they have already 
 achieved the distinction of sitting on more War 
 Committees, and talking more at every one of them, 
 than any other ladies in Gablehurst. 
 
 It is unnecessary to say that they have also knitted 
 a prodigious quantity of garments, or at least did until 
 they were requested to abandon their colour-schemes 
 for the regulation khaki wool — which perceptibly 
 cooled their enthusiasm. 
 
 But, after all, the greatest exhibition of self-denial 
 was given by Ruby, who parted mth her latest and 
 best-beloved acquisitions — two tree-frogs and an 
 axolotl — and sent the proceeds of their sale to the 
 Red Cross Society. 
 
 Clarence had made several applications for such 
 vacant berths as he could hear of in the Gty which 
 seemed to combine the advantages of light work and a 
 heavy salary, but somehow the principals he inter- 
 viewed could not be brought to share his own convic- 
 tion that he was exactly the person to suit them. 
 He had referred them to his previous employers, but 
 even that had led to no favourable result. 
 
 The war had not gone on long, however, when it 
 was forcibly borne in upon him that, if there was no 
 particular demand in business circles for his services, 
 they were needed rather urgently just then by his King 
 and Country. 
 
 And so, one evening before dinner, he strolled 
 casually into the drawing-room at " Inglegarth " and 
 electrified his family by mentioning that he had 
 offered himself that afternoon to a certain Cavahy
 
 406 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 regiment, and been pronounced physically fit after 
 examination. 
 
 His mother was naturally the most deeply affected 
 by the news, though, after the first shock was over, 
 she was sustained by recollecting that she had caught 
 herself secretly envying a neighbour, whom she had 
 never looked upon as a social equal, but whose boy 
 had just obtained a commission in the Territorials. 
 
 " You might have prepared us for this, Clarence I " 
 she said, as soon as she could speak. " It's a heavy 
 blow to me — to us all. Still, if you feel it your duty 
 to go, I hope your Father and I are not the parents 
 to hold you back. If I'm not on one of the same 
 committees as Lady Harriet," she added more brightly, 
 " I really think I must call and let her know. She 
 would be so interested to hear that you are now a 
 Cavalry officer." 
 
 " You might make it a Field-Marshal, Mater, while 
 you're about it ! " he returned. " But, if you want to 
 be accurate, youd better describe me as a bally trooper, 
 because that's all I am, or likely to be." 
 
 " A trooper ! " exclaimed his horrified mother. 
 " Clarence, you ca7it mean to tell us you've enlisted as 
 an ordinary common soldier ! I couldn't possibly 
 permit you to throw yourseK away like that, nor, I 
 am sure, wiU your Father ! Sidney, of course you 
 will insist on- Clarence's explaining at once to the 
 Colonel, or whoever accepted him, that he finds we 
 object so strongly to his joining that he is obliged to 
 withdraw his offer." 
 
 " Certainly," said Mr. Stimpson. " Certainly. It's 
 not too late yet, my boy. You've only to say that 
 we can't allow it — you're more badly wanted at home — 
 and they're sure to let you off."
 
 EPILOGUE 4(.7 
 
 " Can't quite see myself telling 'em that, Guv'nor. 
 Even if I wanted to be let off— which I don't." 
 
 "After the way you've been brought up and every- 
 thing ! " cried Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson. " To wink 
 to this ! Has it occurred to you that you would have 
 to associate entirely with persons of the very lowest 
 class ? " 
 
 " You wouldn't say that if you'd seen some of the 
 Johnnies who passed the Vet with me," he rcplird. 
 " And, as to classes, all that tosh is done away with 
 now. There's only one class a fellow can't allord to 
 associate with — the slackers who ought to be in khaki 
 and aren't. I couldn't have stuck being in that crowd 
 any longer, and I'm jolly lucky to have got well out 
 of it ! " 
 
 " All the same, Clarence," lamented his Mother, 
 " you must see what a terrible come-down it is for you, 
 who not so very long ago were a Crown Prince ! " 
 
 " I thought we'd agreed to forget all that, Mater," 
 he said, wincing slightly. "Anyway, if I don't turn 
 out a better Tommy than I did a Prince, they won't 
 have me in the regiment long. But I'm not going to 
 get the push this time, if I can help it. Come, Mater," 
 he concluded, " don't worry any more over what's done 
 and can't be undone — just try and make the best of it ! " 
 
 But this was beyond :Mrs. Wibbcrley-Stimpsou'a 
 philosophy just then. If ho had been leaving his 
 comfortable home with a commission as sub-lieutenant, 
 she might have been able to find some slight consola- 
 tion in announcing the fact to her friends. Now she 
 would have to make the humiliating admission that 
 he was nothing more than a common trooper— after 
 which she felt she would never be able to hold up her 
 head again !
 
 408 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 As things turned out, these apprehensions proved 
 unfounded. For it seemed that other young Gable- 
 hurst men belonging to families in as good a position 
 as her own had enlisted as privates, and, so far from 
 being considered to have brought discredit on their 
 parentage, were regarded with general approval. 
 
 And the pride with which their mothers spoke of 
 them encouraged Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson to be even 
 prouder of Clarence, as the only one who had joined a 
 Cavalry regiment. 
 
 When he was undergoing the necessary training 
 with the reserve regiment and first had to enter the 
 Riding-School, ho was prepared, remembering how 
 suddenly and completely his control of Marchenland 
 horses had left him, for some highly unpleasant 
 experiences. 
 
 Daphne's pendant had been left in safe custody at 
 Inglegarth, and, even if he had had any idea that it 
 had assisted his horsemanship (which he was far from 
 suspecting), he would not have brought it with him, 
 lest he should lose a thing which Daphne had said he 
 would please her by keeping. 
 
 Probably, had he brought and been allowed to 
 wear the token, it would not have made any impres- 
 sion whatever on the mind of a British charger — but 
 fortunately no talisman was needed. 
 
 All the riding in Marchenland, while his horses con- 
 tinued docile, had not been without some good result 
 after all. At least he found that he had quite as good 
 a seat as any of his fellow-recruits, and a very much 
 better one than most of them. 
 
 And the months of training passed, not unhappily. 
 He made friends, not all of them in his own class ; he 
 set himself to learn his job as quickly and thoroughly
 
 EPILOGUE 409 
 
 as he could, and his sergeant-major spoko of him, 
 though not in his presence, as a smart young chap who 
 showed more sense than some he had to do with. 
 
 He had not been many weeks in the regiment before 
 he got his first stripe, and when he came home on 
 furlough he was able to inform his family that he had 
 just been promoted to be a full-blown Corporal. It 
 was a farewell visit, as he was being sent out in a day 
 or two with a draft to his regiment at the Front. He 
 had grown broader across the chest, and looked ex- 
 tremely brown and fit, while his family noticed that he 
 no longer ended his remarks with " what ? " Once 
 or twice he expressed his satisfaction at getting the 
 chance at last of having a go at the Boschcs — but ho 
 said very little about the future, and seem(;d more 
 interested in hearing about Ruby's new school and 
 Edna's ambulance class. 
 
 Then he left them, and for months after that they 
 had to endure the long strain of constant anxiety and 
 suspense which few British households have escaped 
 in these dark times. Clarence had always been a 
 poor correspondent — and his letters, though fairly 
 regular, were short and wanting in details. But ho 
 said the regiment was doing dismounted work in the 
 trenches ; that he was acquiring the habit of sleeping 
 quite soundly under shell-fire ; that he had been much 
 cut up by losing some of his best pals, but so far had 
 not been hit himself, though he had had several narrow 
 shaves ; he kept pretty fit, but was a bit fed up with 
 trench work, though he didn't see an earthly of riding 
 in a cavalry charge at present. 
 
 The last letter was dated February. After that 
 came a silence, which was explained by an official 
 letter stating that he was in a field hospital, severely
 
 410 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 wounded. Inglegarth remained for days in helpless 
 misery, dreading the worst, till they were relieved by 
 the news that he was now in a base hospital and going 
 on well. 
 
 But it was some weeks before he could be moved to 
 London, and longer still before he was convalescent 
 enough to be taken to his own home, where the joy 
 of seeing him recover so rapidly was checked by the 
 knowledge that he would only leave them the sooner. 
 
 He was much the same slangy and casual Clarence 
 they had known, though rather subdued, but he 
 had moods of sombre silence at times which none of 
 them dared to interrupt, when his eyes seemed to be 
 looking upon sights they had seen and would fain 
 forget. As to his own doings he said but little, though 
 he told them something of his experiences during his 
 last week at the front — how the regiment had been 
 rushed up in motor-buses from Bleu to Ypres ; how they 
 had marched to the Reformatory which they had 
 defended for five days under heavy fire ; how they had 
 then dug caverns and occupied trenches to the south 
 of the Menin road, and how the trenches had been 
 mined by the enemy, and five officers killed and sixty- 
 four casualties, of which latter he was one. 
 
 Before he was pronounced fit for active service again 
 he heard that he had been recommended for a com- 
 mission, and given one in another cavalry regiment 
 which had very nearly the same 'prestige and traditions 
 as his own, though he would have been the last to 
 admit it till then. 
 
 Thus was Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson's dearest desire 
 at last attained ; she could now inform her friends 
 and acquaintances that her boy was actually a 
 subaltern, while, even in conversation with stran-
 
 EPILOGUE ill 
 
 gers, it was always possible to lead up to the 
 fact by enlarging on the heavy cost of a cavalry 
 officer's kit. 
 
 And yet, in fairness to her, it may bo said that, 
 with all her striving after social distinction, if she had 
 been required to choose between her eon returning to 
 the front with a commission and keeping him at homo 
 with no higher rank than that of a corporal, she would 
 have chosen the latter without a moment's hesitation. 
 But since the choice was not given her, Clarence's 
 promotion did much to console her for his approach- 
 ing departure — at least until the day arrived, when 
 she turned blindly away from the platform with an 
 aching dread that the train was bearing him out of 
 her life for ever. 
 
 ..••••■ 
 That was several months ago, and Second-Lieutenant 
 Stimpson (he dropped the " Wibberley " when he 
 first enlisted) has been at the front ever since. 
 
 There is a certain endless road, bordered by splin- 
 tered stumps which once were poplars, and pitted m 
 places with deep shell-holes, that he knows only too 
 well, having taken his troop along it many a night to 
 relieve the party in the trenches. 
 
 Even now, when he comes to the group of rumed 
 cottages at which he has to leave the road and strike 
 across country into the danger-zone, he is unpkas- 
 antly conscious of a sinking at his heart at the pros- 
 pect of another week or so of that infernal existcnco 
 of shattering noise, flying death-splinters, and sicken- 
 ing sights and smells. There he will have to be con- 
 stantly on the watch, meals and sleep can only be 
 snatched at precarious intervals, and seldom without 
 disturbance ; if there is anything more nerve-racking
 
 412 IN BRIEF AUTHORITY 
 
 than the scream of shells and the hail of shrapnel it is 
 the lull that follows, when he waits for the enemy's 
 rush to begin. And yet, the moment he finds himself 
 back in the trench again, he becomes acclimatised ; 
 his men speak of him as a cool and resourceful young 
 officer under any difficulties, while on more than one 
 occasion he has done some daring and very useful 
 reconnoitring work that may even earn him mention 
 in despatches. 
 
 But at present he is enjoying one of his hard-earned 
 rests, being billeted in a farmhouse well away from 
 the firing-lino. 
 
 Here, having no duties or responsibilities to fix all 
 his thoughts on the present, he can allow them to 
 dwell on the future for a while. 
 
 This desperate and relentless war will come to an 
 end in time — how soon he knows no more than anyone, 
 but that it will end in victory for England and her 
 Allies he has no doubt whatever. He is equally 
 sure, though he could not account for his certainty, 
 that, unlike many a better fellow than himself, he will 
 live to see his country at peace once more. But what 
 is he to do then ? Even if an opening in the City 
 presented itself, he could never stick an office again 
 after this. On the other hand, even if he gets another 
 step or two, he will find it difficult to live on his pay 
 in a crack cavalry regiment. However, the Governor 
 will no doubt give him an allowance that will enable 
 him to stay in the Service — the Mater can be safely 
 trusted to see to that ! 
 
 So, this question being satisfactorily disposed of, 
 his thoughts, as usual on these occasions, drift back 
 to Marchenland, and particularly to Daphne's parting 
 words on the night he left the Palace.
 
 EPILOGUE 413 
 
 Would she think, he wonders, that he has done boiuo- 
 thing to justify her beUef in him ? 
 
 At least she might be pleased if she knew that he 
 could not fairly be described any longer as a uscIchh 
 rotter. 
 
 " Only," he tells himself disconsolately, " she never 
 will know. England's no country of hers now, and she 
 wouldn't feel enough interest in it even to send the 
 Baron across in the stork-car for a daily paper. If 
 she did, she'd be none the wiser, because he'd be sure 
 to bring The Poultry-Fanciefs Journal or The Fiminrial 
 Neivs, or something of that sort. And, after all, if she 
 had any idea of the ghastly business that has been going 
 on in this old world for the last year, she's too much 
 heart to be happy — even in Marchenland. But now 
 she'll go on being happy for the rest of her life, bless her ! 
 and if she gives me a thought now and then— well, it 
 will be a jolly sight more than I deserve ! " 
 
 THE END 
 
 Printed by BALtANTVUB, Hanson &' Co. 
 Edinburgh &' London
 
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