ntment at this, though it was generally
recognised that the Princess's action was quite _en regle_. 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 perfectly 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."

"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 think it over--but I can give him no longer."

"It's an infernal shame, Mirliflor!" 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 conundrum, 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 prediction that such folly would be bitterly
repented in the future.

Edna's next visitor was the Court Godmother, on whose entrance she at
once informed her waiting-women that she would not require their further
services 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