"I bring a kind message to him from our Queen, therefore an ye know where he is to be found, I pray you to guide me thither."
To thee I bring greetings from our noble Queen Eleanor.
`And who are THESE?' said the Queen, pointing to the three gardeners who were lying round the rosetree; for, you see, as they were lying on their faces, and the pattern on their backs was the same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell whether they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or three of her own children.
The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, screamed `Off with her head!
So she told him, as they walked back through the glade, how that the fame of his prowess had reached Queen Eleanor's ears, in London town.
And the Queen was right glad, and bade me go, and sent this gold ring to you from off her finger, in token of her faith."
"Why do you say that?" asked the queen, almost timidly.
"I ask your pardon for him, cardinal," said the queen; "he is a child, not yet able to understand his obligations to you."
A Florentine adventurer, sire, and that was all; while the august spouse of your Majesty is Anne of Austria,
Queen of France--that is to say, one of the greatest princesses in the world."
This sounded nonsense to Alice, so she said nothing, but set off at once towards the Red
Queen. To her surprise, she lost sight of her in a moment, and found herself walking in at the front-door again.
But Snowdrop grew more and more beautiful; and when she was seven years old she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the
queen herself.
The Fairy replied that, much as she desired to be agreeable to the
Queen in every way, it was impossible for her to attempt anything against the young Prince, who was under the protection of some greater Power than her own.