After all, red hair and long noses are not confined to the House of Elphberg, and the old story seemed a preposterously insufficient reason for debarring myself from acquaintance with a highly interesting and important kingdom, one which had played no small part in European history, and might do the like again under the sway of a young and vigorous ruler, such as the new King was rumoured to be.

My determination was clinched by reading in _The Times_ that Rudolf the Fifth was to be crowned at Strelsau in the course of the next three weeks, and that great magnificence was to mark the occasion.

At once I made up my mind to be present, and began my preparations.

But, inasmuch as it has never been my practice to furnish my relatives with an itinerary of my journeys and in this case I anticipated opposition to my wishes, I gave out that I was going for a ramble in the Tyrol--an old haunt of mine--and propitiated Rose's wrath by declaring that I intended to study the political and social problems of the interesting community which dwells in that neighbourhood.
"Perhaps," I hinted darkly, "there may be an outcome of the expedition." "What do you mean ?" she asked.
"Well," said I carelessly, "there seems a gap that might be filled by an exhaustive work on--" "Oh! will you write a book ?" she cried, clapping her hands.

"That would be splendid, wouldn't it, Robert ?" "It's the best of introductions to political life nowadays," observed my brother, who has, by the way, introduced himself in this manner several times over.