[Illustration: ARRIVAL OF THE ROYAL GUESTS.] KNAVE OF DIAMONDS. Their Majesties the King and Queen of Diamonds. [_Music. Enter the KING and QUEEN OF DIAMONDS, L._] KING OF HEARTS. Welcome, my cousin of Diamonds. Welcome this glorious July day. QUEEN OF HEARTS. Welcome, fair lady. "First come, best loved," is the saying, you know--and ye are the first come. Pray be seated. [_At the entrance of the KING and QUEEN OF DIAMONDS the KING and QUEEN OF HEARTS rise to greet them. The KING OF DIAMONDS bows to the KING OF HEARTS and kisses the hand of the QUEEN OF HEARTS. The QUEEN OF DIAMONDS courtesies. She then sits down in an arm-chair, R., and the KING OF DIAMONDS takes his stand behind her. The KNAVE OF DIAMONDS drops the portiere and sits on the bench._] JOKER (_to QUEEN OF DIAMONDS_). Even the sun, fair lady--which is said by the poets to shine brightest this fair month of July--even the sun fails to outsparkle your priceless precious stones. QUEEN OF DIAMONDS. Ah, you have a pretty wit, Sir Joker. But are they not truly the most brilliant of jewels? JOKER. The most brilliant of jewels, yes; but they pale before their wearer's beauty. [_Takes his seat on the stool near the throne._] [_Enter, L., KNAVE OF CLUBS, who announces,_] KNAVE OF CLUBS. Their Majesties the KING and QUEEN OF CLUBS. [_Music. Enter the KING and QUEEN OF CLUBS, L._] KING OF HEARTS. Welcome, welcome, good Clubs. My best wishes, fair lady, my best wishes! QUEEN OF HEARTS (_to QUEEN OF CLUBS_). Greeting to you, and pray take seat beside our cousin of Diamonds. [_At the entrance of the KING and QUEEN OF CLUBS, the KING and QUEEN OF HEARTS arise, as before. The KING OF CLUBS bows to the KING OF HEARTS, and kisses the hand of the QUEEN OF HEARTS. The QUEEN OF CLUBS courtesies. She then sits down in an arm-chair next to the QUEEN OF DIAMONDS, the KING OF CLUBS stands behind her, and the KNAVE OF CLUBS takes his place on the bench._] QUEEN OF HEARTS. It is indeed a pleasure to have you here again. 'Tis now many a long day since I have seen you. QUEEN OF CLUBS (_fanning herself, and affecting an air of great weariness_). Ah, dear lady of Hearts, you cannot conceive of my perplexities. What with tournaments and levees and audiences at large, the days do slip so swiftly by, giving me no pause for rest or recovery, that I do find myself ending the week ere I realize it to have begun. JOKER. Yet time, fair Queen, seems to have touched your comely brow with a light finger. The winged hours fly swiftly past you, but yourself dwell at the one sweet station of constant youthfulness. QUEEN OF CLUBS (_haughtily_). So graceful a speech, Sir JOKER, were worthy of a knight rather than of a fool. JOKER. It is for the listener to detect when the fool speaks foolishly. For he himself is too great a fool to judge of the burden of his speech.