e?"

"Your Majesty could not be," she said, curtseying in feigned deference,
but adding, mischievously, after a pause: "Unless, that is--"

"Well, unless what?"

"Unless you tell me that I mind a snap of my fingers where the Duke of
Strelsau is."

Really, I wished that I had been the King.

"You don't care where cousin Michael--"

"Ah, cousin Michael! I call him the Duke of Strelsau."

"You call him Michael when you meet him?"

"Yes--by the orders of your father."

"I see. And now by mine?"

"If those are your orders."

"Oh, decidedly! We must all be pleasant to our dear Michael."

"You order me to receive his friends, too, I suppose?"

"The Six?"

"You call them that, too?"

"To be in the fashion, I do. But I order you to receive no one unless
you like."

"Except yourself?"

"I pray for myself. I could not order."

As I spoke, there came a cheer from the street. The princess ran to the
window.

"It is he!" she cried. "It is--the Duke of Strelsau!"

I smiled, but said nothing. She returned to her seat. For a few moments
we sat in silence. The noise outside subsided, but I heard the tread of
feet in the ante-room. I began to talk on general subjects. This went on
for some minutes. I wondered what had become of Michael, but it did
not seem to be for me to interfere. All at once, to my great surprise,
Flavia, clasping her hands asked in an agitated voice:

"Are you wise to make him angry?"

"What? Who? How am I making him angry?"

"Why, by keeping him waiting."

"My dear cousin, I don't want to keep him--"

"Well, then, is he to come in?"

"Of course, if you wish it."

She looked at me curiously.

"How funny you are," she said. "Of course no one could be announced
while I was with you."

Here was a charming attribute of royalty!

"An excellent etiquette!" I cried. "But I had clean forgotten it; and if
I were alone with someone else, couldn't you be announced?"

"You know as well as I do. I could be, because I am of the Blood;" and
she still looked puzzled.

"I never could remember all these silly rules," said I, rather feebly,
as I inwardly cursed Fritz for not posting me up. "But I'll repair my
fault."

I jumped up, flung open the door, and advanced into the ante-room.
Michael was sitting at a table, a heavy frown on his face. Everyone
else was standing, save that impudent young dog Fritz, who was lounging
easily in an armchair, and flirting with the Countess Helga. He leapt u