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300 "Oh, you're too exasperating!"

"And I don't think I can go to Strelsau. My dear Rose, would it be suitable?"

"Oh, nobody remembers that horrid old story now."

Upon this I took out of my pocket a portrait of the King of Ruritania. It had been taken a month or two before he ascended the throne, and he wore a full beard. Nevertheless she could not miss my point when I said, putting it into her hands:

"In case you've not seen or not noticed a picture of Rudolf V., there he is. Don't you think they might recall the story if I appeared at the court of Ruritania?"

My sister-in-law looked at the portrait, and then at me.

"Good gracious!" she said, and flung the photograph down on the table.

"What do you say, Bob?" I asked. Burlesdon got up, went to a corner of the room, and searched in a heap of newspapers. Presently he came back with a copy of the Illustrated London