Louisa then described a bed-chamber: "a high four-post bedstead, the canopy of which reaches to the ceiling: a coronet, surmounted by a plume of feathers, is raised over the crimson curtains at the foot: it is a bright and beautiful summer morning, but a pale, restless invalid seems incapable of enjoying it. She is wrapt in a loose robe, and stands with her eyes fixed on a large clock, which now-a-days we should, from its antique, cumbersome form, condemn to a staircase, or a kitchen; there is almost a vacant expression in her eyes, and an attendant lady looks enquiringly in her face. Who is my poor heroine?" "Catherine of Aragon?" asked Emily. "No, she was but a queen consort; my heroine was a queen regnant." "Was it bloody Mary, who had the poor little children burnt?" said Alfred. "No, my boy; but a similar circumstance, namely, that of leaving no descendants, preyed equally on the minds of these two royal personages, and hastened their deaths." "I know," cried Willie; "but, dear mama, will you tell us what is the difference between a queen consort and a queen regnant?" "A queen consort is the wife of a king; a queen regnant is one who reigns in her own right; a queen dowager is the widow of a king." "Thank you, mama," said Willie; "now another story, if you please." "You really give me no time to collect my thoughts; but it is a long while since your aunt has described a picture, and I think it is now her turn." Mrs. Arabin then began:--"My scene is laid, where many of our scenes have been laid before, within the cold walls of a prison; but a strange circumstance is there taking place, very different to any you have yet depicted. A great interchange of clothing seems to be taking place. Three figures occupy the apartment; one lady is attiring herself in a riding dress, whilst another is assisting a dark man to put on a lady's costume; much anxiety is pourtrayed in the face of the latter lady, and none of them seem to think it as good a joke as Alfred does, to judge by his smiling face; the lady who is disrobing has a fair complexion and yellow hair." "I suppose the gentleman intended to pass for the lady whose clothes he assumed," said Edward; "but how did they contrive to hide his dark hair?" "By putting on a woman's wig of yellow hair, painting his eye-brows the same colour, and adding white and red paint to his cheeks." "Your hero stands confessed, aunt," said Annie; "but what a courageous woman his wife must have been." "True, my dear; but you must remember that the life of the dearest being she had on earth was at stake; and surely she would rather have died with him, than have left untried any plan which might offer a possibility of saving him, however dangerous it might be to herself." "I am glad we do not live in such times now," said Louisa.