PRINCE. PRIGIO.. 59

 

the Firedrake, sat down on the flying carpet,
and knocked at the door of the English Ambas-
sador as the clocks were striking eight in
Gluckstein.

Punctuality ts the politeness of princes; and a
prince zs polite when he is in love!

The prince was received at the door by a
stout porter and léd into the hall, where several
butlers met him, and he laid the mortal remains
of the Firedrake under the cover of the flying
‘carpet.

Then he was led upstairs, and he made his
bow to the pretty lady, who, of course, made
him a magnificent courtesy. She seemed pret-
tier and kinder than ever. The prince was so
happy, that he never noticed how something
went wrong about the dinner. The ambas-
sador looked about, and seemed to miss
someone, and spoke in a low voice to one of
the servants, who answered also in a low voice,
and what he said seemed to displease the
ambassador. But the prince was so busy in
talking to his lady, and in eating his dinner
too, that he never observed anything unusual.
He had never been at such a pleasant dinner!