‘Oh, your Majesty,’ when a peculiar noise from the back of the arbour made them both start, and the Princess jumped up so violently that the Owl, who had meanwhile gone to sleep, was nearly shaken off her shoulder.
‘What was that?’ she said.
‘It sounded like somebody laughing, or trying to keep from laughing rather. Just wait a moment, I’ll see who it was.’
And he went round behind the arbour. He soon returned bringing the doctor with him, and the doctor did not seem at all happy either.
‘Why,’ said the Princess, ‘I thought you were going to leave me. How is it that you came like this behind the arbour?’
‘I might just as well ask your Majesty why you came here.’
‘You might, but it would not be answering my question.’
‘I happened to come round there, your Majesty, to read a book in the shade, and I happened to drop off to sleep, and the noise you heard was my snoring.’
‘But how did you know we heard a noise if you were asleep at the time?’
‘I—eh—I don’t exactly know, your Majesty.’