So she did not attempt to deny them. "All I can say is," she declared, "that this is quite new to _me_. When we were brought here I was given to understand that the Kingdom had descended to me, and of course I accepted the responsibility. If there has been any silly mistake about it, you can't blame me or my husband either. We've tried to do our duty--even so far as consenting to our son's making a marriage we could not approve of--for the sake of saving our Country from inundation. It's not every King and Queen who would have done _that_." "That peril," replied the Burgomaster, "is no longer to be feared, since the King of the Crystal Lake, on being notified of the facts in our possession, has withdrawn his demands, saying he desires no union with a family of ignoble and beggarly pretenders." "That's a let-off!" said Clarence, "though he might have put it a bit more pleasantly, what?" Queen Selina felt that this repudiation had put one of her heaviest guns out of action, but she was still undaunted. "I'm sure," she said, "_We_ have no wish to be associated with such a person. And, as for being pretenders, I can only say that if the Marshal had come to me and told me what I now know, I should have been quite ready to resign in Miss Heritage's favour. But how _could_ I, when he never breathed a word to me about it?" "I should like to add," put in King Sidney, "that it has come as a complete surprise to _me_. I'm anxious to do whatever is right and proper, and if any reasonable arrangement can be come to, I won't stand in the way." This attitude produced an immediate reaction in their favour, as was visible from the expressions on the faces of the whole Tribunal. "Then," the President asked, "is the Council to understand that you are prepared to resign at once?" "Certainly," said the King. "Only too pleased!" "Not at once," said Queen Selina. "We cannot leave the Kingdom without a ruler--that would be very wrong. But as soon as Miss Heritage--or Queen Daphne, if you like to call her so--chooses to come forward to claim the crown we shall be delighted to give it up. Till then we are merely holding it in trust for her." "And where is Queen Daphne at present?" asked the Burgomaster. "Well," said Queen Selina, "she _ought_ to be at Clairdelune by this time." "She must be sent for without delay," said the President, and the order was given that messengers on swift steeds should be despatched to Clairdelune at once. "Well, gentlemen," said the Queen, after this business had been concluded, "I hope you see that you owe us an apology for daring to put us under arrest and treat us like criminals. Until Lady Daphne arrives we are still the King and Queen of Maerchenland, and you will be good enough to regard us as such." "The Council wishes to express its deepest regret," said the President, "for having exposed your Majesties' persons to undeserved indignity."