Page:Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1912, Hodder & Stoughton).djvu/267

 a finger carelessly on the ducal heart, which for convenience’ sake was reached by a little trap-door in his diamond shirt, had begun to say mechanically, ‘Cold, qui—,’ when he stopped abruptly.

‘What’s this?’ he cried, and first he shook the heart like a watch, and then he put his ear to it.

‘Bless my soul!’ cried the doctor, and by this time of course the excitement among the spectators was tremendous, fairies fainting right and left.

Everybody stared breathlessly at the Duke, who was very much startled, and looked as if he would like to run away. ‘Good gracious me!’ the doctor was heard muttering, and now the heart was evidently on fire, for he had to jerk his fingers away from it and put them in his mouth.

The suspense was awful.

Then in a loud voice, and bowing low, ‘My Lord Duke,’ said the physician elatedly, ‘I have the honour to inform your excellency that your grace is in love.’

You can’t conceive the effect of it. Brownie held out her arms to the Duke and he flung himself into them, the Queen leapt into the arms