“I think you will have to give me your whole hand, my good Bishop and Governor,” he said very pleasantly, for he did not want to disturb the harmony on this great day.

Then, mind you, the man turned up his nose!

“I have just heard it was not to your liking that Liljecrona called you by name,” he observed, “and I wonder how you can have the audacity to say du [Note:  Du like the French “tu” is used only in addressing intimates.] to me!” Then, pointing to three poor little yellow stars that were attached to his coat, he roared:  “See these?”

When remarks of this kind were flung at him, the Emperor Johannes thought it high time to lay off his humility.  He quickly flipped back his coat, exhibiting a waistcoat covered with large showy “medals” of “silver” and “gold.”  He usually kept his coat buttoned over these decorations as they were easily tarnished, and crushable.  Besides, he knew that people always felt so ill at ease when in the presence of exalted personages and he had no desire to add to their embarrassment by parading his grandeur when there was no occasion for it.  Now, however, it had to be done.

“Look here, you!” he said.  “This is what you ought to show if you want to brag.  Three paltry little stars—­pooh! that’s nothing!”

Then you had better believe the man showed proper respect!  The fact that all who knew about the Empress and the Empire were laughing themselves sick at the Major General must have had its effect, also.

“By cracky!” he ejaculated, rising to his feet and bowing.  “If it isn’t a real monarch that I have before me!  Your Majesty even knows how to respond to a speech.”

“That’s easy when you know how to meet people,” retorted the other.  After that no gentleman in the party was so glad to be allowed to talk to the ruler of Portugallia as was this very man, who had been so high and mighty at first that he would not present more than two fingers, when an emperor had offered him his whole hand.

It need hardly be said that none of the others seated in the bower refused to accord the Emperor a fitting greeting.  Now that the first feeling of surprise and embarrassment had passed and the men were beginning to perceive that he was not a difficult person to get on with, emperor though he was, they were as eager as was every one else to hear all about the little girl’s rise to royal honours and her prospective return to her home parish.  At last he was on so friendly a footing with them all that he even consented to sing for them the song he had learned in the forest.

This was perhaps too great a condescension on his part, but since they were all so glad for every word he uttered he could not deny them the pleasure of hearing him sing, also.

And when he raised his voice in song imagine the consternation!  Then his audience was not confined to the group of elderly gentlemen in the bower, For immediately the old countesses and the old wives of the old generals who had been sitting on the big sofa in the drawing room, sipping tea and eating bonbons, and the young barons and young Court ladies who had been dancing in the ballroom, all came rushing out to hear him and all eyes were fixed on him, which was quite the proper thing, as he was an emperor.