And now the beautiful queen was speaking.

"We will have a pretty march now," she said. "My king and I will lead,
my lady-in-waiting will follow me, while you, my merry subjects, shall
form, two by two, and march to grandest music. After the march, the
dominoes shall be cast aside, and then--" she paused, then laughing
gaily she concluded, "_then_ I shall know who my guests are."

The trumpet's blare told all to be ready! The king and queen came down
from their red velvet throne, the stately lady-in-waiting followed, and
then the bright-hued figures, two by two, marched like a moving rainbow
after the tall figures who led. Around the great drawing-room in
graceful figures the gorgeous little procession moved. How bright their
colors appeared, the light shimmering upon a pink cloak beside a blue
one, a green cloak walking with a yellow one, a scarlet one with a
white, a buff one with bright cherry-hued domino!

But the greatest excitement came when, after the march, the colored
cloaks were cast aside, and the laughing playmates were revealed.

"Did you know me?"

"Did you guess who I was?"

"Did you know you were talking to me?"

These were the questions which they asked each other, and the gracious
king and queen looked down upon their merry courtiers, and admired
their brilliant costumes.