hile speaking, he again descended a few steps, but the Queen,
supporting him with the utmost solicitude, answered cheerily:

"The baser senses, with taste at their head, and the higher ones of
sight and hearing, I know, are all placed by your Majesty in the same
regiment, with equal rank; your obedient servant, on the contrary,
bestows the commissions of officers only on the higher ones. That seems
to me the correct way, and I don't relinquish the hope of winning for
it the approval of the greatest general and most tasteful connoisseur of
life."

"If the new cook keeps his promise, certainly not," replied Charles,
entering into his sister's tone. "De Rye asserts that he is peerless. We
shall see. As to the senses, they all have an equal share in enabling us
to receive our impressions and form an opinion from them. Why should
the tongue and the palate--But stay! Who the devil can philosophize with
such twinges in the foot?"

"Besides, that can be done much better," replied the Queen, patting
the sufferer's arm affectionately, "while the five unequal brothers are
performing the duties of their offices. The saints be praised! Here we
are at the bottom. No, Carlos, no! Not through the chapel! The stone
flags there are so hard and cold."

As she spoke she guided him around it into the dining-room, where a
large table stood ready for the monarch's personal suite and a smaller
one for his sister and himself.

The tortured sovereign, still under the influence of the suffering which
he had endured, crossed himself and sat down. Quijada and young Count
Tassis, the Emperor's favourite page, placed the gouty foot in the most
comfortable position, and Count Buren, the chamberlain, presented the
menu. Charles instantly scanned the list of dishes, and his face
clouded still more as he missed the highly seasoned game pasty which the
culinary artist had proposed and he had approved. Queen Mary had ordered
that it should be omitted, because Dr. Mathys had pronounced it poison
for the gouty patient, and she confessed the offence.

This was done with the frank affection with which she treated her
brother, but Charles, after the first few words, interrupted her,
harshly forbidding any interference, even hers, in matters which
concerned himself alone, and in the same breath commanded Count Buren to
see that the dish should still be made. Then, as if to show his sister
how little he cared for her opposition, he seized the crystal jug wi