in the anteroom. I began to talk on general subjects. This went on for some minutes. I wondered what had become of Michael, but it did not seem to be for me to interfere. All at once, to my great surprise, Flavia, clasping her hands, asked in an agitated voice:
"Are you wise to make him angry?"
"What? Who? How am I making him angry."
"Why, by keeping him waiting."
"My dear cousin, I don't want to keep him——"
"Well, then, is he to come in?"
"Of course, if you wish it."
She looked at me curiously.
"How funny you are!" she said. "Of course no one could be answered while I was with you."
Here was a charming attribute of royalty!
"An excellent etiquette!" I cried. "But I had clean forgotten it; and if I were alone with someone else couldn't you be announced?"
"You know as well as I do. I could be, because I am of the Blood;" and she still looked puzzled.
"I never could remember all these silly rules,"
