the
table, fingered the globe very gently, touched the books and returned to
her side. He stood with his little legs wide apart. Then he sighed, then
he said--

'Sister, the Queen did bid me ask you a question.'

She looked round upon him.

'This was the Queen's question,' he said bravely:
'"_Cur_--why--_nunquam_--never--_rides_--dost thou
smile--_cum_--when--_ego, frater tuus_--I, thy little
brother--_ludo_--play--_in camera tua_--in thy chamber?"'

'Little Prince,' she said, 'art not afeared of me?'

'Aye, am I,' he answered.

'Say then to the Queen,' she said, '"_Domina Maria_--the Lady
Mary--_ridet nunquam_--smileth never--_quod_--because--_timoris
ratio_--the reason of my fear--_bona et satis_--is good and
sufficient."'

He held his little head upon one side.

'The Queen did bid me say,' he uttered with his brave little voice,
'"Holy Writ hath it: _Ecce quam bonum et dignum est fratres--fratres----_"'
He faltered without embarrassment and added, 'I ha' forgot the words.'

'Aye!' she said, 'they ha' been long forgotten in these places; I deem
it is overlate to call them to mind.'

She looked upon him coldly for a long time. Then she stretched out her
hand for his paper.

'Your Highness, I will set you a copy.'

She took his paper and wrote--

'_Malo malo mala._'

He held it in his chubby fist, his head on one side.

'I cannot conster it,' he said.

'Why, think upon it,' she answered. 'When I was thy age I knew it
already two years. But I was better beaten than thou.'

He rubbed his little arm.

'I am beaten enow,' he said.

'Knowest not what a swingeing is,' she answered.

'Then thou hadst a bitter childhood,' he brought out.

'I had a good mother,' she cut him short.

She turned her face to her writing again; it was bitter and set. The
little prince climbed slowly into the chair on the dais. He moved
sturdily and curled himself up on the cushion, studying the words on the
paper all the while with a little frown upon his brows. Then, shrugging
his shoulders, he set the paper upon his knee and began to write.

At that date the Lady Mary was still called a bastard, though most men
thought that that hardship would soon be reversed. It was said that
great honours had been shown her, and that was apparent in the
furnishing of her rooms, the fineness of her gear, the increase in the
number of the women that waited on her, and the store of sweet things
that was provided for her to eat. A gr