"Why, certainly," the girl said. "We were just going that way to see the procession."
So they set off through the gay streets. As they went along the Queen could see the young men on every side falling in love with her; but she paid no attention to them.
"Are you glad the Queen's going to be married?" she asked her guides.
And the girl answered, "Oh yes; we get a holiday to go and see the procession."
"Why, then, I suppose you'd be just as glad if the Queen died, and you could go and see her funeral?"
And the old woman said, "Of course!"
By that time they had come to the market-place. It was crowded with those who had come to see the sights, and the fountains were running wine instead of water; so, of course, there was rather a scramble to get at the fountains. That left the ground clear for the Queen to get to the notice-board where the Royal Proclamation hung.
There she saw, sure enough, the Regent's proclamation, saying that the Queen would marry him that day. At the end of it there was the signature, "Eldrida, Queen."
"Why, it isn't my signature at all," the Queen said.
And the mother and daughter looked at her askance.