As the noise the brute was making would have drowned that of the most powerful dynamo, the question was almost unnecessary. Count Ruprecht next made his dragon exhibit the few accomplishments it had learnt, which were of the simplest, consisting in sitting up, rolling over and shamming death, and reviving to utter three terrific snorts, supposed to be loyal cheers, all at the proper word of command. He concluded by mounting its back and riding it several times round the enclosure, after which he lay between its forepaws, while it licked his face with its huge flickering forked tongue. "Capital!" cried Clarence, apparently unimpressed, though he did not venture very near the beast. "You've only to teach it to jump through a hoop, and you'd make quite a decent Music-hall 'turn' together. What do you feed it on, eh? Sop--or canary-seed?" To which the Count did not vouchsafe any reply. "I've been most interested, I'm sure, my dear Count," said the Queen, after he had chained it up again. "And it's quite a thing to have seen--once. But we really can't allow you to go on keeping such a creature as that--_can_ we, Sidney?" "Certainly not, my love," said the King. "It's against the law, you know, Count, against the law." "Is it, your Majesty?" said the Count. "I--I had no idea of that--no one ever told me so!" "Well, it _is_, you know. You must put an end to it--have it destroyed. Painlessly, if you like, but--well, you've got to get rid of it somehow." "In your own interest, Count," urged the Queen. "Just think how unpopular you would be with your neighbours if it broke loose!" "I should not like to be unpopular," he said. "And if your Majesties insist on slaying the only living creature that loves me----!" "What?" put in Clarence unfeelingly, "don't the hearse--I mean the carriage-horses love you?" But again the Count took no notice of the question. "It's too bad of you, Father!" cried Edna indignantly; "yes, and you too, Mother! To come here at Count Ruprecht's invitation, to see his dragon and then tell him to destroy it! I think it perfectly disgraceful of you, and you will get a very bad name in the country when people hear of it. When you happen to be Sovereigns you might at least _behave_ as such!" "Well, well, my dear," said her Mother, who had not considered the question from this side before, "we merely threw it out as a suggestion--nothing more. And if the Count will undertake to keep his dragon under proper control, that is all we shall require of him." The Count willingly gave this undertaking, and the visit ended without any loss of cordiality on either side.