"'Mourning and brilliants—absurd,' whispered Wilhelm Wiseacre. But Uncle Majesty either did not see, or knew less than his talented son, and Auntie escaped a scolding that time."
"Scolding a Queen. You are joking," cried Barbara.
Before the Krupp heiress could speak, Martha delivered herself of a few "Mein Gotts."
"Oh," she said, "royal ladies are just like other girls' mammas."
"Like Aunt Pauline and Rosa?"
"Well, yes. They have a husband, children and an allowance."
"An allowance? I thought they were wallowing in gold pieces like you, sister," said Barbara, loojving up admiringly at the older girl.
"I suppose Auntie Majesty has about a million per year to dress on," said Bertha loftily.
"A million," repeated Frau Martha contemptuously. "Fraulein ought to have heard some of the stories the maids told me about Auntie Majesty's lingerie. One of them used to be dresser to a French diva, whatever that is, and on the Q.T.——"
Bertha was anxious to change the subject, and remarked, with a hard look upon Martha: "And the troubles they have with servants! One afternoon on Bal-Paré night Auntie's coiffeur did not show up—sickness, or something of the kind—and the Baroness did her hair. 'How very frail,' I thought, particularly as Auntie was going to wear the grand tiara with the Regent diamond. However, the head-dress, being so very heavy, is put on only before she enters the royal box.