And after an interval Colombo said, "There, my dear, do you not
see how ridiculous it is to suppose that the earth is anything
but round?"

"Why surely, sire", said Queen Isabel, "you make it appear very
round. And I wonder that I had not thought of that before. And I
think", said Queen Isabel, "that geography is a most fascinating
subject and oh, messire Colombo", said the Queen, "you must come
and instruct me often."

Thus it was that Colombo became Royal Geographer. And the tale
tells how after a while various whisperings came to King
Ferdinand of his queen's curious enthusiasm for study.

"Now about this geography", said King Ferdinand one evening to
the Queen, "I am, my dear, indeed glad to see you take an
interest in such an important study and I have arranged", said
the King, "to have your tutoring in the future done by Father
Bernadino who has had fifty-two years' experience at the
University, and your lessons", said the King, "will commence
tomorrow."

Said the Queen, "How can I thank you enough, dear Ferdinand, for
your untiring interest in my welfare. For I have been struggling
along in my study of geography with a horribly dull clod whose
name", said the Queen, "I cannot remember."

"Was it, by any chance, Colombo?" asked the King.