The orchestra, assisted by a bass solo and intermittent thunder
in the wings, was making a deafening din. One of the shadows on
the sea backing took out its handkerchief and wiped its nose.

Prince Ferdinand William Otto looked across at the other royal
box, and caught his Cousin Hedwig's eye. She also had seen the
handkerchief; she took out her own scrap of linen, and mimicked
the shadow. Then, Her Royal Highness the Archduchess Annunciata
being occupied with the storm, she winked across at Prince
Ferdinand William Otto.

In the opposite box were his two cousins, the Princesses Hedwig
and Hilda, attended by Hedwig's lady in waiting. When a princess
of the Court becomes seventeen, she drops governesses and takes
to ladies in waiting. Hedwig was eighteen. The Crown Prince
liked Hedwig better than Hilda. Although she had been introduced
formally to the Court at the Christmas-Eve ball, and had been
duly presented by her grandfather, the King, with the usual
string of pearls and her own carriage with the spokes of the
wheels gilded halfway, only the King and Prince Ferdinand William
Otto had all-gold wheels, - she still ran off now and then to
have tea with the Crown Prince and Miss Braithwaite in the
schoolroom at the Palace; and she could eat a great deal of
bread-and-butter.

Prince Ferdinand William Otto winked back at the Princess Hedwig.
And just then - "Listen, Otto," said the Archduchess, leaning
forward. "The 'Spinning Song' - is it not exquisite?"