"'Oh, then by all means I will change my mind,' said I gallantly, and I took two of the tarts on my plate, while the King and Queen looked on approvingly. "I can safely say that in all my wanderings, through all these years, I have never before or since tasted such exceedingly unpleasant tarts. "I hesitate to say more, out of respect to the most beautiful and gracious Queen who ever lived, but I could say a great deal. "However, I managed to get through them, even to the bitter end, and had the satisfaction of seeing her Majesty look greatly delighted. "'I really must have another one, my love,' declared the King; 'they are most delicious, made as they were by your own royal and beautiful hands.' "'No--no--dearest,' smiled the Queen, her pride in her pastry battling with her consideration for her husband's health, 'you have already had two.' "'Perhaps, my darling, you are right,' replied the King, with a sigh of relief, and hurriedly motioning to the Lord Chief Butler to remove his plate. "'Perhaps our guest, though--' began the Queen sweetly. "'No--no--thank you, your Majesty,' I hastened to say. 'I never--_never_--by any chance indulge in more than two, under doctor's strict orders.' "'Very well then,' said her Majesty, 'we will have dessert.' "The rest of the dinner was uneventful, and I was more and more impressed as the time went on with the gracious and simple bearing of the exalted personages of whom I was an uninvited guest. "At last her Majesty rose, gave me a bow, and was led with old-fashioned courtesy by his Majesty to the door, which was thrown open by the servants, and the King and I were left alone to our coffee and cigars. After we had talked on various subjects for some time, I ventured to express my admiration of, and devotion to, the gracious lady who had just left us, and the King's eyes sparkled with delight. "'You may well admire her, sir; she is rightly beloved for her graciousness and beauty from one end of my kingdom to the other, and her thoughtfulness and kindness to myself are beyond expression. "'I _must_ tell you of a little incident (which you have just shared in) to prove to you how wholly devoted she is to my interests. "'I have, as many other royal personages have at times, some difficulty in regulating my affairs so as to make both ends meet comfortably. "'Her Majesty knew of this, and immediately began to take cooking lessons with a view to cooking for us when we are alone, and thus saving expenses in the kitchen. The tarts you tasted to-day are her Majesty's first attempt.' "'R-eally!' I murmured, seeing that the King paused as though he expected me to say something. "'Yes,' continued his Majesty, 'and to-morrow she has made me promise to catch her some blackbirds, with which to make a pie.' "'Catch them?' I cried; 'why not shoot them?'