and hurriedly motioning to the Lord Chief Butler to remove his
plate.

"'Perhaps our guest, though--' began the Queen sweetly.

"'No--no--thank you, your Majesty,' I hastened to say. 'I
never--_never_--by any chance indulge in more than two, under doctor's
strict orders.'

"'Very well then,' said her Majesty, 'we will have dessert.'

"The rest of the dinner was uneventful, and I was more and more
impressed as the time went on with the gracious and simple bearing of
the exalted personages of whom I was an uninvited guest.

"At last her Majesty rose, gave me a bow, and was led with old-fashioned
courtesy by his Majesty to the door, which was thrown open by the
servants, and the King and I were left alone to our coffee and cigars.
After we had talked on various subjects for some time, I ventured to
express my admiration of, and devotion to, the gracious lady who had
just left us, and the King's eyes sparkled with delight.

"'You may well admire her, sir; she is rightly beloved for her
graciousness and beauty from one end of my kingdom to the other, and her
thoughtfulness and kindness to myself are beyond expression.

"'I _must_ tell you of a little incident (which you have just shared in)
to prove to you how wholly devoted she is to my interests.

"'I have, as many other royal personages have at times, some difficulty
in regulating my affairs so as to make both ends meet comfortably.

"'Her Majesty knew of this, and immediately began to take cooking
lessons with a view to cooking for us when we are alone, and thus saving
expenses in the kitchen. The tarts you tasted to-day are her Majesty's
first attempt.'

"'R-eally!' I murmured, seeing that the King paused as though he
expected me to say something.

"'Yes,' continued his Majesty, 'and to-morrow she has made me promise
to catch her some blackbirds, with which to make a pie.'

"'Catch them?' I cried; 'why not shoot them?'

"'Oh! the Queen wouldn't think of letting me do anything so cruel, she
is _so_ tender-hearted. But you'll come with me to-morrow, and help me
to catch some, won't you?'

"I assured his Majesty that unless I had unfortunately to disappear
before then, I should be delighted, and we went up to join her Majesty
in the drawing-room.

"We found the Queen surrounded by her Maids of Honour, of whom some were
sitting at the tambour frames, others doing fine embroidery, while two
of their number were at the piano playing and singing.

"I was pr