ve been saying about him. To-day it's the Finance Act. By the way,
Charlotte was asking me yesterday to raise her allowance. Is there any
reason for it?"

"A little more for dress would now be advisable," said the Queen. "She
has lately begun to open Church bazaars: I thought they would do for her
to begin upon. And the other day she laid the foundation-stone of a
dogs' orphanage--very nicely, I'm told."

"Of course," said the King, "she's old enough, and it is quite time I
asked for a definite grant from Parliament. But if one did that now they
would probably not raise it afterwards. Very much better to wait, I
think, till we have made a really brilliant match for her; then, for the
sake of its financial prestige, the nation will do the thing
handsomely."

"She has got an idea she doesn't like foreigners," said the Queen
reflectively.

"She will have to like some foreigner!" said the King. "As the only
daughter of a reigning monarch she must marry royalty, and we haven't
any one left among ourselves who is eligible. Charlotte must get to like
foreigners. Max has no objection to foreigners, I hope?"

The Queen gave her husband a curious look.

"From what I hear," she murmured, "I should say none: but it is not for
me to make any inquiries."

"Dear me! is that so?" said the King. "Well, well! When did you hear
about it?"

"Only yesterday; but it has been going on a long time."

"I suppose," sighed his Majesty, "I suppose one couldn't expect it to be
otherwise. Well, I must speak to him, then; and we shall really have to
get him married to somebody. The religious difficulty, of course,
narrows our choice most unfortunately; and when we happen to be on bad
terms both with Germany and England, through trying to be friendly to
both, why, really there is hardly anybody left."

"I hear," remarked the Queen, "that the Hereditary Prince of
Schnapps-Wasser is returning from his three years' exploration of
central South America this autumn. Wouldn't he be worth thinking about?"

"You mean for Charlotte? But I expect he will be wanted at the Prussian
Court."

The Queen shook her head. "Oh, no! He is out of favor there. They have
never forgiven him his description of the Kaiser's oratorio as 'Moses
Among the Crocodiles.' That is why I thought he might not be averse to
looking in our direction. He used to be a nice boy; he is handsome
according to his portraits, and Charlotte is not without her taste for
adventure."