“Oh, I can break whatever spell there is when I marry Ardram,” said the Rose-Princess; “he is the exiled Prince.” “Nonsense!” said the King, frowning. “Pooh!” said the Queen in an angry tone. “Oh, but he is,” cried the Rose-Princess gaily. “I saw his crown, for his mother showed it to me.” “Then, if he is the real Prince,” said the King, “you had better marry him, and break the enchantment.” “What enchantment?” asked the Rose-Princess. “You will find it all out,” began the Queen, “when”— “When you marry Prince Ardram,” finished the King. All day the three royal people sat in the humble room of the doctor, and talked about their troubles. Rose-Princess told her parents all about the misery of the people, and how they ought to govern, but the King and Queen only laughed, which showed that the severe lesson of exile was lost on them. Gruff Dr. Mux was very much astonished to see the Rose-Princess, and told her how she had been proclaimed Queen by Ardram. “Then I’ll marry him,” said the Rose-Princess promptly, “for I love him very much. Where is he?” “Coming up the street,” said the doctor. Then all four went to the window, and saw that the crowd of people were coming back, looking very disappointed because they had not found the Princess. Ardram mounted on a great stone in front of the church door, for the cathedral of the city was just opposite the doctor’s house. When the Rose-Princess saw him, she ran out of the room, down the stairs, and across to where the student was standing. “Ardram, Ardram, I am here!” she cried, and climbed up beside him. The people recognised their beautiful Princess at once, and cried out,— “Long live Queen Rose!” “And King Ardram,” said the Princess loudly; “if you make me Queen, you must make him King, and we will both rule wisely.” “She never thinks of us,” said her father. “Ungrateful child!” cried the Queen. But no one heard them, for the mob began to roar, “Long live King Ardram and Queen Rose!” and the red light of the setting sun shone on the handsome couple as they stood on the stone. Ardram was beside himself with joy, not at being made King, but because the beautiful Rose-Princess had her white arms round his neck, and was saying how much she loved him. Suddenly the red light in the sky vanished and the sun set, leaving Ardram standing alone on the stone with a white rose in his hand. “Where is the Queen?” roared the mob. “I don’t know,” cried Ardram, looking at the white rosebud in a bewildered manner; “she is gone.” “He wants to be King alone,” cried the people, “and has made the Queen disappear by magic.” “No, no,” said Ardram. “I love her too much for that.”