Princess Hyacinth gave a shriek, and faltered slowly backwards; Wiggs, who was familiar with these little accidents in the books which she dusted, and Woggs, who had a natural love for any kind of animal, stood their ground.
"Whatever is it?" murmured Hyacinth.
It was as well that Belvane was there.
"Allow me to present to your Royal Highness," she said, stepping forward, "his Royal Highness Prince Udo of Araby."
"Prince Udo?" said Hyacinth, all unwilling to believe it.
"I'm afraid so," said Udo gloomily. He had thought over this meeting a good deal in the last two or three days, and he realised now that he had underestimated the difficulties of it.
Hyacinth remembered that she was a Princess and a woman.
"I'm delighted to welcome your Royal Highness to Euralia," she said. "Won't you sit down—I mean up—er, down." (How did rabbits sit? Or whatever he was?)
Udo decided to sit up.
"Thank you. You've no idea how difficult it is to talk on four legs to somebody higher up. It strains the neck so."