in the laboratory. Her
Majesty has often spoke about it."

"You are quite right," said the princess; "but as there is no harm done,
we'll say nothing about it this time. And, Rosina, you may keep the
silver drops for yourself."

"Your Royal Highness is always very kind," said Rosina, which was true;
but how much better and wiser it is not to _begin_ to deceive! We never
know how far we may be carried, and so Jaqueline found out.

For when she went down to breakfast, there was the king in a great state
of excitement, for him.

"It's _most_ extraordinary," said his Majesty.

"What is?" asked the queen.

"Why, didn't you notice it? No, you had gone to bed before it happened.
But I was taking a walk in the moonlight, on the balcony, and I observed
it carefully."

"Observed what, my dear?" asked the queen, who was pouring out the tea.

"Didn't you see it, Dick? Late as usual, you young dog!" the king
remarked as Ricardo entered the room.

"See what, sir?" said Dick.

"Oh, you were asleep hours before, now I think of it! But it was _the_
most extraordinary thing, an unpredicted eclipse of the moon! You must
have noticed it, Jaqueline; you sat up later. How the dogs howled!"

"No; I mean yes," murmured poor Jaqueline, who of course had caused the
whole affair by her magic arts, but who had forgotten, in the excitement
of the moment, that an eclipse of the moon, especially if entirely
unexpected, is likely to attract very general attention. Jaqueline could
not bear to tell a fib, especially to a king who had been so kind to her;
besides, fibbing would not alter the facts.

"Yes, I did see it," she admitted, blushing. "Had it not been
predicted?"

"Not a word about it whispered anywhere," said his Majesty. "I looked up
the almanack at once. It is the most extraordinary thing I ever saw, and
I've seen a good many."

"The astronomers must be duffers," said Prince Ricardo. "I never thought
there was much in physical science of any sort; most dreary stuff. Why,
they say the earth goes round the sun, whereas any fool can see it is
just the other way on."

King Prigio was struck aghast by these sentiments in the mouth of his son
and heir, the hope of Pantouflia. But what was the king to say in reply?
The astronomers of Pantouflia, who conceived that they knew a great deal,
had certainly been taken by surprise this time. Indeed, they have not
yet satisfactorily explained this eclipse of the moon, tho