"What!" she gasped, as she gazed at their stuff gowns and their brooms. "You were all of you Princes' Sweethearts? Is it only for one day, then?"
"Only for one day," they all replied.
"And always after that do you have to kill spiders?" she cried.
"Yes; that or nothing," they said. "You see it is a great deal of work to keep all the rooms in this Court clean."
"Isn't it very dull work to kill spiders?" said the Little Sweetheart.
"Yes, very," they said, all speaking at once. "But it's better than sitting still, doing nothing."
"Don't the Princes ever speak to you?" sobbed the Little Sweetheart.
"Yes, sometimes," they answered.
Just then the Little Sweetheart's own Prince came hurrying by, all in armor from head to foot,--splendid shining armor, that clinked as he walked.
"Oh, there he is!" cried the Little Sweetheart, springing forward; then suddenly she recollected her stuff gown, and shrunk back into the group. But the Prince had seen her.