"I will go for a month to the Council Chamber instead of lingering near
thee while the minstrels sing," replied her husband.

"Spoken like a prince!" cried the Wizard. "And what wilt thou do,
Princess?"

"I will go to the Council Chamber with milord," she answered. "And
read most heavy papers of State; for if he shares my play I must share
his work."

"To attend to the duties of sovereignty instead of listening to minstrels
in a scented room is a fitting stone for the Princess to place in the
invisible wall," commented the Wizard; then he looked around at the
courtiers.

Now after the manner of courtiers they wanted to imitate their Prince and
Princess, but they thought this invisible wall a great joke not worth
making sacrifices for. The Wizard read their thoughts and said to them:
"If the ruler works alone, he is like a bird with a crippled wing. He can
only rule wisely and well if all the wisest and best help him. You are
placed high that you may serve. Give me each his vow of sacrifice that
the wall may be strong!"

The knights and nobles looked at each other, then at the Princess Myrtle;
and she bowed her head and thus addressed them:

"If our weapons against an enemy must be our unity, our mutual love and
service, instead of roaring guns and flaming cannon, surely it is easy to
provide them. Nevertheless," she added, turning to the military