There was an awkward silence. Nobody quite knew what to say.
Except Belvane.
She turned to Udo with her most charming smile. "Did you have a pleasant journey?" she asked sweetly.
"No," said Udo coldly.
"Oh, do tell us what happened to you?" cried Hyacinth. "Did you meet some terrible enchanter on the way? Oh, I am so dreadfully sorry."
When one is not feeling very well there is a certain type of question which is always annoying.
"Can't you see what's happened to me?" said Udo crossly. "I don't know how it happened. I had come two days' journey from Araby, when——"
"Please, your Royal Highness," said Wiggs, "is this your tail in the salt?" She took it out, gave it a shake, and handed it back to him.
"Oh, thank you, thank you—two days' journey from Araby when I woke up one afternoon and found myself like this. I ask you to imagine my annoyance. My first thought naturally was to return home and hide myself; but I told myself, Princess, that you wanted me."
The Princess could not help being touched by this, said as it was with a graceful movement of the ears and a caressing of the right whisker, but she wondered a little what she would do with him now that she had got him.