IS4 PRINCE FILDERKIN

way, lost his balance, clutched at the corner
of the sofa in order to recover it, and in so
doing unfortunately let his banjo slip from
under his left arm and fall upon the floor.
As the carpet was thick and soft, the instru-
ment was uninjured, but the presence of the
Prince could no longer be concealed, and
there he stood, having regained his footing,
fully disclosed before the eyes of the monarch
whose chief treasure he had come to make
his own.

For one instant the King remained
silent, rage and surprise striving for
the mastery within his royal breast. The
Princess apparently broke the spell by
uttering a scream of affright, as she saw
what had happened and recognised what
might be the possible consequences to her
dear Prince. Then the King burst forth
into language which no one save those of
regal descent may use, and in which even
they seldom indulge. His words were
violent towards the Prince, in whom he
seemed to have discovered the author of all
the ills which had ever afflicted himself or
his people, Never was king in greater
rage, which was probably caused in no