After the jousting the Princess Mary asked me if I could yet give her
an account of the stranger; and as I could not, she went to the king.

I heard her inquire:

"Who was your companion, brother?"

"That is a secret, sister. You will find out soon enough, and will be
falling in love with him, no doubt. I have always looked upon you as
full of trouble for me in that respect; you will not so much as glance
at anyone I choose for you, but I suppose would be ready enough with
your smiles for some one I should not want."

"Is the stranger one whom you would not want?" asked Mary, with a
dimpling smile and a flash of her brown eyes.

"He most certainly is," returned the king.

"Then I will fall in love with him at once. In fact, I don't know but
I have already."

"Oh, I have no doubt of that; if I wanted him, he might be Apollo
himself and you would have none of him." King Henry had been compelled
to refuse several very advantageous alliances because this fair,
coaxing, self-willed sister would not consent to be a part of the
moving consideration.

"But can you not tell me who he is, and what his degree?" went on Mary
in a bantering tone.