‘If you will excuse me, your Majesty, I beg to differ from you when you refer to that conversation as pleasant. I myself heard it, or rather overheard it, and all I can say is I thought it most unpleasant,—most. That is, if your Majesty will excuse my remark.’
‘But I won’t,’ said the King suddenly. ‘I believe it was you that suggested I should be confined to a dark cellar for three weeks without food—eh!’
But the doctor suddenly remembered that he had an important case that demanded instant attention.
The King turned to the Princess and said:
‘Well—I suppose you can settle it for yourselves, you two, because I’m going now. I shall come and see you every seven years. Good-bye.’
And he suddenly turned into the Brown Owl, and flitted noiselessly off, before they could say ‘Good-bye,’ or anything else.
The Prince found that he could manage to postpone his affairs of State indefinitely, and in a few days the Prince and Princess were married and lived happily ever afterwards.
THE END
Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.