"And now," said the Prince, "tell me what you are doing here." Coronel put his arm in Udo's and walked him up and down the flagged path. "Your approaching marriage," he said, "is the talk of Araby. Naturally I had to come here to see for myself what she was like. My dear Udo, she's charming; I congratulate you." "Don't be a fool, Coronel. I haven't the slightest intention of marrying her." "Then why have you told everybody that you are going to?" "You know quite well I haven't told anybody. There hasn't been a single word about it mentioned until you pushed your way in just now." "Ah, well, perhaps you hadn't heard about it. But the Princess knows, the Countess knows, and I know--yes, I think you may take our word for it that it's true." "I haven't the slightest intention--what do you keep clinging to my arm like this for? "My dear Udo, I'm so delighted to see you again. Don't turn your back on old friendships just because you have found a nobler and a truer---- Oh, very well, if you're going to drop all your former friends, go on then. But when _I'm_ married, there will always be a place for----" "Understand once and for all," said Udo angrily, "that I am _not_ getting married. No, don't take my arm--we can talk quite well like this." "I am sorry, Udo," said Coronel meekly; "we seem to have made a mistake. But you must admit we found you in a very compromising position." "It wasn't in the least compromising," protested Udo indignantly. "As a matter of fact I was just telling her about that dragon I killed in Araby last year." "Ah, and who would listen to a hopeless story like that, but the woman one was going to marry?" "Once more, I am not going to marry her." "Well, you must please yourself, but you have compromised her severely with that story. Poor innocent girl. Well, let's forget about it. And now tell me, how do you like Euralia?" "I am returning to Araby this afternoon," said Udo stiffly. "Well, perhaps you're right. I hope that nothing will happen to you on the way." Udo, who was about to enter the Palace, turned round with a startled look. "What do you mean?" "Well, something happened on the way here. By the by, how did that happen? You never told me." "Your precious Countess, whom you expect me to marry." "How very unkind of her. A nasty person to annoy." He was silent for a moment, and then added thoughtfully, "I suppose it _is_ rather annoying to think you're going to marry somebody whom you love very much, and then find you're not going to." Udo evidently hadn't thought of this. He tried to show that he was not in the least frightened. "She couldn't do anything. It was only by a lucky chance she did it last time." "Yes, but of course the chance might come again. You'd have the thing hanging over you always. She's clever, you know; and I should never feel quite safe if she were my enemy. . . . Lovely flowers, aren't they? What's the name of this one?"