"And he said your royal highness called him a very pretty boy," cried the queen, laughing, to whom I had related it.
"Indeed, what he said is very true," answered she, nodding.
"Yes; he said," quoth I, again to the queen, "that he saw the duchess liked him."
This again the queen repeated and the duchess again nodded, and pointedly repeated, "It is very true."
"He was a very fine boy-a very fine boy indeed!" cried the king; "what is become of him?"
I was a little distressed in answering, "He is in Ireland, sir."
"In Ireland ! What does he do in Ireland? what does he go there for?"
"His father took him, Sir," I was forced to answer.
"And what does his father take him to Ireland for?"
"Because-he is an Irishman, Sir!" I answered, half laughing.