rcumstances in
which he had wanted it. He coughed importantly and explained for the
third time that he had not come to talk to her about poetry.

"But of course I think his most noble poem of all," went on Belvane,
apparently misunderstanding him, "is the ode to your Royal Highness
upon your coming-of-age. Let me see, how does it begin?

"_Prince Udo, so dashing and bold,_
_Is apparently eighteen years old._
_It is eighteen years since_
_This wonderful Prince_
_Was born in the Palace, I'm told._"

"These Court Poets," said Udo, with an air of unconcern, "flatter one,
of course."

If he expected a compliment he was disappointed.

"There I cannot judge," said Belvane, "until I know your Royal
Highness better." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes.
"Is your Royal Highness very--dashing?"

"I--er--well--er--one--that is to say." He waded on uncomfortably,
feeling less dashing every moment. He should have realised at once
that it was an impossible question to answer.

"Your Royal Highness," said Belvane modestly, "must not be too dashing
with us poor Euralians."

For the fourth time Udo explained that he had come there to speak to
her severely, and that Belvane seemed to have mistaken his purpose.

"Oh, forgive me, Prince Udo," she begged. "I quite thought that you
had come out to commune soul to soul with a fellow-lover of the
beautiful."

"N--no," said Udo; "not exactly."

"Then what is it?" she cried, clasping her hands eagerly together. "I
know it will be something exciting."

Udo stood up. He felt that he could be more severe a little farther
off. He moved a few yards away, and then turned round towards her,
resting his elbow on the sundial.

"Countess," he began sternly, "ten days ago, as I was starting on my
journey hither, I was suddenly----"

"Just a moment," said Belvane, whispering eagerly to herself rather
than to him, and she jumped up with a cushion from the seat where she
was sitting, and ran across and arranged it under his elbow. "He
would have been _so_ uncomfortable," she murmured, and she hurried
back to her seat again and sat down and gazed at him, with her elbows
on her knees and her chin resting on her hands. "Now go on telling
me," she said breathlessly.

Udo opened his mouth with the obvious intention of obeying her, but no
words came. He seemed to have lost the thread of his argument. He
felt a perfect fool, stuck up there