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THE PRINCESS POURQUOI
Pourquoi leading in a peasant clad in blue jean.
"Some injury to redress!" muttered his Majesty. "Always a new grievance! I never have time to sleep or think."
The Princess swept across the audience-chamber with the air of one whom nature, not circumstance alone, had made a queen. She bent before her royal parents, then laid her hand upon that of the artisan.
"Your Majesties will remember," she said, "the decree made regarding me when I was fifteen years old. This man alone has answered one question of mine to my satisfaction. I come to beg"—and her face wore a frightened look, yet shone with a sudden gleam of mischief—"I come to beg that he incur the penalty."
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