'What have I to do with the Queen? Do you wish to go?'

'Not to see Her Majesty. I care as little about her as you do. But I
thought of having a walk in the evening.'

Nancy phrased it thus with intention. She wished to intimate that,
at her age, it could hardly be necessary to ask permission. But her
father looked surprised.

'In the evening? Where?'

'Oh, about the main streets--to see the people and the
illuminations.'

Her voice was not quite firm.

'But,' said her father, 'there'll be such a swarm of blackguards as
never was known. How can you go into such a crowd? It's astonishing
that you should think of it.'

'The blackguards will be outnumbered by the decent people, father.'

'You suppose that's possible?' he returned gloomily.

'Oh, I think so,' Nancy laughed. 'At all events, there'll be a great
majority of people who pretend to be decent. I have asked Jessica
Morgan to go with me.'

'What right had you to ask her, without first finding out whether
you could go or not?'