THE CURSE-—-THE WAY OUT 153

The poor Princess, who, whatever might
have been her excuse for the two first faults
for which the King reproached her, knew
well enough that, as far as the third was
concerned, it was her conversation with
Prince Filderkin which had caused her to
neglect her duties, could make no reply.

‘Minx!’ exclaimed the angry monarch,
raising his voice. ‘Minx! hussey! baggage !
I have half a mind to turn thee out of the
palace, not to be readmitted till thou return
with a fitting hump !?

Still the Princess said nought, but trembled
still more, Then the King growled a little
to himself in a low tone, and presently spoke
sharply again :

‘Fill my pipe.’

The fair Amarylla stepped to one of the
library tables, and taking a large pipe, well
browned by time and smoking, in her taper
fingers, was about to fill it from a china bowl,
well filled with tobacco, which stood near,
when Prince Filderkin, unable to avoid the
natural instinct of politeness which rose
within his breast, darted forward to assist
her in the task, and, tripping over a golden
coal-scuttle which stood immediately in his