He was a bad lot."
She blushed again at me--as her husband entered.
"Take Rose's advice, Rupert, my boy," he said, "and go!"
And that is how I came to go to Trulyruralania. For I secretly
resolved to take my holiday in traveling in that country and
trying, as dear Lady Burleydon put it, really to be somebody,
instead of resembling anybody in particular. A precious lot SHE
knew about it!
CHAPTER II
IN WHICH MY HAIR CAUSES A LOT OF THINGS
You go to Trulyruralania from Charing Cross. In passing through
Paris we picked up Mlle. Beljambe, who was going to Kohlslau, the
capital of Trulyruralania, to marry the Grand Duke Michael, who,
however, as I was informed, was in love with the Princess Flirtia.
She blushed on seeing me--but, I was told afterwards, declined
being introduced to me on any account. However, I thought nothing
of this, and went on to Bock, the next station to Kohlslau. At the
little inn in the forest I was informed I was just in time to see
the coronation of the new king the next day. The landlady and her
daughter were very communicative, and, after the fashion of the
simple, guileless stage peasant, instantly informed me what
everybody was doing, and at once explained the situation. She told
me that the Grand Duke Michael--or Black Michael as he was called--
himself aspired to the throne, as well as to the hand of the
Princess Flirtia, but was hated by the populace, who preferred the
young heir, Prince Rupert; because he had the hair and features of
the dynasty of the S'helpburgs, "which," she added, "are singularly
like your own.
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