THE PRINCESS. I am sorry.
THE KING. Of course, you did not understand what you were doing. You did not realize how necessary to a kingdom is the tranquillity which comes only from perfect order and regularity. There has not been such a day as this before in the history of my kingdom. And there will never be such a day again. Tomorrow all will be smooth and regular again.
THE PRINCESS. Smooth and regular! Do you mean that you like things always to be the same, with never any change?
THE KING. I happen to like it, yes. But it is not a question of what one likes. It is a question of what is necessary. Even if I did not like order, I would have to submit myself to its routine. That is what it means to be a king.
THE PRINCESS. And is that what it means to be a queen?
THE KING. In this kingdom, yes. In other places, there may be some relaxation of the traditional rule which compels a queen to be in every way a pattern to her subjects. But the queen of my kingdom will always be a model of perfect womanhood.
THE PRINCESS. And what if she did not wish to be?
THE KING. She would learn that her wishes were unimportant.
THE PRINCESS. And if she refused to learn that?
THE KING. (grimly) I would teach her.