purely conventional phrase;"
and the Chancellor, who practised _finesse_ in his odd moments, began to
talk of the sea, the sight of which awaited them at Ysselmonde.
"And what is the sea like?" "Well, your Highness, the sea is somewhat
difficult to describe, for in fact there is nothing to compare with it."
"You have seen it, I suppose?" "Sire, I have done more; for once, while
serving as Ambassador at Venice, I had the honour to be upset in it."

With such converse they beguiled the road until they reached Ysselmonde,
and found the sea completely hidden by flags and triumphal arches.
And there, after three days' feasting, the little Grand Duke and the
still smaller Princess were married in the Cathedral by the Cardinal
Archbishop, and the Pope's legate handed them his master's blessing in a
morocco-covered case, and as they drove back to the Palace the Dutchmen
waved their hats and shouted "Boo-mp!" but the Carinthian Archers cried
"Talassio!" which not only sounded better, but proved (when they
obligingly explained what it meant) that the ancestors of the Grand Duke
of Carinthia had lived in Rome long before any Pope.

On reaching the Palace the bride and bridegroom were taken to a gilded
drawing-room, and there left to talk together, while the guests filled
up the time before the banquet by admiring the presents and calculating
their cost. Ferdinand said, "Well, _that's_ over;" and the Princess
said, "Yes,"--for this was their first opportunity of conversing alone.

"You're a great deal better than I expected," said Ferdinand
reassuringly. Indeed, in her straight dress sewn with seed-pearls and
her coif of Dutch lace surmounted with a little crown of diamonds, the
Princess looked quite beautiful; and he in his white satin suit, crossed
with the blue ribbon of St. John Nepomuc, was the handsomest boy she had
ever seen. "Besides," he added, "my Chancellor says you are hereditary
High Admiral of the Ocean--it's in the marriage settlement; and that
would make up for a lot. Where is it?"

"The Ocean?" She felt very shy still. "I have never seen it, but I
believe it's somewhere at the bottom of the garden."

"Suppose we go and have a look at it?" She was about to say that she
must ask leave of her governess, but he looked so masterful and
independent that she hadn't the courage. It gave her quite a thrill as
he took her hand and led her out through the low window to the great
stone terrace. They passed down