Reginald gave a delicate shiver, such as an Italian greyhound might give in contemplating the approach of an ice age of which he personally disapproved, and resigned himself to the inevitable political discussion.

“Nothing that you hear about us in England is true,” was the princess’s hopeful beginning.

“I always refused to learn Russian geography at school,” observed Reginald; “I was certain some of the names must be wrong.”

“Everything is wrong with our system of government,” continued the princess placidly. “The Bureaucrats think only of their pockets, and the people are exploited and plundered in every direction, and everything is mismanaged.”

“With us,” said Reginald, “a Cabinet usually gets the credit of being depraved and worthless beyond the bounds of human conception by the time it has been in office about four years.”