"Thank you, prince," said Ricardo, "for the weapon, which I shall learn to wield; and I entreat you to honour me by receiving this fairy gift--which _you_ do not need--a ring which makes all men faithful to the wearer." The Prince of Wales bowed, and placed the talisman on his finger. Ricardo then, after a few words of courtesy on both parts, picked up his useless carpet, took his farewell of the royal party, and, with Jaqueline still hidden under his collar, returned at full speed, but with a heavy heart, to Pantouflia, where the palace gong was just sounding for luncheon. Ricardo never interfered in foreign affairs again, but his ring proved very useful to Prince Charles, as you may have read in history. CHAPTER VI. Ricardo's Repentance. {Bottle of weapon salve: p109.jpg} The queen, as it happened fortunately, was lunching with one of the ladies of her Court. Ricardo did not come down to luncheon, and Jaqueline ate hers alone; and very mournful she felt. The prince had certainly not come well out of the adventure. He had failed (as all attempts to restore the Stuarts always did); he had been wounded, though he had never received a scratch in any of his earlier exploits; and if his honour was safe, and his good intentions fully understood, that was chiefly due to Jaqueline, and to the generosity of King James and Prince Charles. "I wonder what he's doing?" she said to herself, and at last she went up and knocked at Ricardo's door. "Go away," he said; "I don't want to see anybody. Who is it?" "It's only me--Jaqueline." {"It's only me": p111.jpg} "Go away! I want nobody." "Do let me in, dear Dick; I have good news for you," said the princess. "What is it?" said Ricardo, unlocking the door. "Why do you bother a fellow so?" He had been crying--his hand obviously hurt him badly; he looked, and indeed he was, very sulky. "How did you get on in England, Dick?" asked the princess, taking no notice of his bandaged hand. "Oh, don't ask me!" said Ricardo. "I've not been to England at all." "Why, what happened?" "Everything that is horrid happened," said Dick; and then, unable to keep it any longer to himself, he said: "I've failed to keep my promise; I've been insulted, I've been beaten by a fellow younger than myself; and, oh! how my hand does hurt, and I've got such a headache! And what am I to say to my mother when she asks why my arm is in a sling? and what will my father say? I'm quite broken down and desperate. I think I'll run away to sea;" and indeed he looked very wild and miserable. "Tell me how it all happened, Dick," said the princess; "I'm sure it's not so bad as you make out. Perhaps I can help you." "How can a girl help a man?" cried Dick, angrily; and poor Jaqueline, remembering how she _had_ helped him, at the risk of her own life, when King James nearly crushed her in the shape of a mosquito, turned her head away, and cried silently.