nd he
gazed at his young teacher with a look that made her start; then all
at once, with a great effort, he regained his self-possession, and
said, in a tremulous voice, "Pazza, that is A." And the same day and
at one sitting he learned all the letters of the alphabet; at the end
of the week he spelled readily, and before the month was ended he read
with ease.

King Bizarre was delighted. He kissed Pazza on both cheeks; he
insisted on having her always with him or his son, and made this child
his friend and counselor, to the great disdain of all the courtiers.
Charming, still gloomy and silent, learned all that this young mentor
could teach him, then returned to his former preceptors, whom he
astonished by his intelligence and docility. He soon knew his grammar
so well that the priest asked himself one day whether, by chance,
these definitions, which he had never understood, had not a meaning.
Charming none the less astonished the philosopher, who taught him
every evening the opposite of what the priest had taught him in the
morning. But, of all his masters, the one to whom he listened with the
least repugnance was the colonel. It is true that Bayonet, for that
was the colonel's name, was a skilful strategist, and that he could
say, like the ancient poet, with a slight variation, "I am a man, and
nothing that pertains to the art of despatching poor human beings is
indifferent to me." It was he that initiated Charming into the
mysteries of button gaiters and shoulder-straps; it was he that taught
his pupil that the noblest study for a prince is the drilling of
battalions, and that the groundwork of statesmanship is to have
reviews in order to make war, and to make war in order to have
reviews.

This was not perhaps altogether according to Bizarre's idea of the art
of government; but he thought he could correct any errors in the
future, and besides, he was so rejoiced at Charming's progress that he
was unwilling in any way to meddle with the admirable work of an
education so long considered hopeless.

"My child," he often said, "never forget that you owe everything to
Pazza." As the king spoke thus, Pazza gazed tenderly at the young man.
Despite all her wit, she was foolish enough to love him. Charming
contented himself with coldly answering that gratitude was a princely
virtue, and that Pazza should some day learn that her pupil had
forgotten nothing.

IV

PAZZA'S WEDDING

When Prince Charming had attained hi