"No," she murmured, placing a fair hand on each of his broad shoulders and looking fearlessly up into his face. "You are just the same, really. My very own Girofle! And, oh, I'm so glad!" "And you forgive me for deceiving you, dearest?" he asked when the first rapture of meeting and reassurance was over. "I was bound in honour to tell you nothing." "I know," she said; "the Court Godmother is to blame for that--not you. And I was prepared to find you changed, Gir--Mirliflor--only--not quite so changed as this." "If you would love me better as I was, darling," he said, "tell me so, and I will make her transform me again. I will become Girofle for the rest of my life--rather than lose you!" "I don't think she is well enough to be asked to do that now," replied Daphne. "And, besides"--and here she held him from her at arm's length--"besides, now I look at you, you really are rather nice, you know! No, darling, I won't have you altered again." After all, this was only in accordance with Maerchenland's precedents. Did Beauty, for instance, resent her Beast's emergence into a Prince? All the same, Daphne was a little ashamed of herself for the increasing satisfaction she felt in Mirliflor's good looks--it seemed almost an infidelity to Girofle--but she could not help it, and did not even try. The Baron had tactfully remained with the storks until, in his opinion, it was time to interrupt the lovers, when he stepped towards them, cracking loudly. "Sire," he said, "accept my congratulations on a good fortune that is perchance even greater than you yet know. You have won a lady who is not only lovely, but, as I shall show you, no other than the daughter of our late Prince Chrysopras, and thus rightfully entitled to the crown of Maerchenland." "And you knew this, Daphne?" cried Mirliflor when the Baron had concluded. "Why did you say nothing to me about it?" "I only heard of it myself just now in the car," she said. "And what does it matter? I don't want to claim the crown--all I want is to live at Clairdelune with you." But he told her it was her duty to her Country to assert her just rights, and, on being informed of the appointment with the Marshal, he was in favour of keeping it. "He will be useful," he said, "if he is an honest supporter of your cause." "But I'm quite certain he isn't!" said Daphne. "We can only make sure by meeting him," he replied, "and as of course I shall be with you, you will be in no danger." He had no weapon but the sword that had served him so well at Drachenstolz, which he had brought away with him rather as a _souvenir_ than with any idea that he might need it on his journey, but Daphne felt that, so long as Mirliflor was at her side, she had nothing to fear, and so she readily consented to re-enter the car and be taken to the Chapel in the forest, where the Marshal in all probability was awaiting her arrival.