request your arm, Princess Cecilia," she said.

Suzanna rose quickly and bending her small arm, she offered its support
to the old lady, who though now standing very straight and slender,
still was scarce two heads taller than her visitor. She slipped her
blue-veined hand within Suzanna's arm and they began a friendly walk up
and down the path.

"Once," began the queen, "when I lived beyond the snow-capped mountains
within my own palace, I was not so lonely as I now am. There was one who
afterwards became my king, with whom I walked by the sea. We saw
together the sapphire sparkle of the water, the golden yellow of the
sands; but in reality we beheld only one another's face."

By this time they had reached the gate and both stopped and stood
looking down the quiet road. But the little old lady still clung to
Suzanna's arm and her eyes had a far-away look.

"And after a time," went on the queen, "we were wedded and lived
together in my palace and we were happy as the birds; happy and less
care free. And always we found our greatest happiness in walking by the
sea or in climbing the mountains; I sometimes clinging to his ready hand
or skipping before him. And once we ran away from all the pomp and
ceremony that was merely surface and we found a little house right at
the edge of town, and there together for some months we lived. There,
too, our little prince came to us, and from there he went away.

"And one day my king, too, left, and my little prince forgot me, and I
am alone. Queen as I am, I am alone!"