"The Princess Fredrica Eugenie de Ia Fontaine."
"M'amselle Augustina Dubois, the daughter of General Pierre Dubois."
The announcements went off one after another.
"Ah... the boy isn't cooperating." Jigoro said.
"M'amselle Leanora Mercedes de la Torre, daughter of Colonel and Madam de la Torre."
"I can't understand it! There must be at Ieast one who'd make a suitable mother." Jigoro said.
"Shhh! Sire!" Kaigaku said.
"Uh... a suitable wife." Jigoro said.
"The Mademoiselles Kanao and Kanae Tremain, daughters of Lady Tremain.
"I give up!" Jigoro said. "Even I couldnt expect the boy to-"
"Well, if I may say so, Your Majesty. I did try to warn you, but you, Sire, are incurably romantic. No doubt you saw the whole pretty picture in detail. The young Prince...bowing to the assembly. Suddenly, he stops. He Iooks up, for Io, there she stands, the girl of his dreams. Who she is, or whence she came...he knows not, nor does he care. But his heart tells him that here...here is the maid predestined to be his bride. A pretty plot for fairytales, Sire, but in real Life... oh, no... no. It was foredoomed to failure." Kaigaku said.
"Failure, eh?" Jigoro said. "Take a Iook at that, you pompous windbag!"
Rella came down the stairs.
"Who is she? You know her?" Jigoro asked.
"No, Sire." Kaigaku said. "I've never seen her before."
"That's one thing in her favour." Jigoro said. "The waltz. Quick, the waltz! Soft Iights. The Iights! Aha! Failure, eh! Well...now for a good night's sleep."
"Quite so, Sire. I believe I too-" Kaigaku said.
"You will stay right here." Jigoro said. "See they're not disturbed. And when the boy proposes...notify me immediately! And remember...if anything goes wrong..."
"But who is she, Mother?" Kanae said.
"Do we know her?" Kanao asked.
"I don't know," Shinobu said. "But I know I've never seen her."
"Nor I." Kanae said.
"But she certainly is- Wait..." Kanao said.
They began to dance.
"Oh! Oh, my goodness!" Rella said.
"What's the matter?" Zenitsu said.
"It's midnight." Rella said.
"Yes, so it is, but-" Zenitsu said.
"Goodbye." Rella said.
"No, no, wait. You can't go now. It's only-" Zenitsu said.
"Oh, I must, please. Please, I must." Rella said.
"But why?" Zenitsu asked.
"Well, I...I..." Rella said. "Oh, the Prince. I haven't met the Prince."
"The Prince? But didn't you know-" Zenitsu said.
"Goodbye!" Rella said.
'No, wait. Come back." Zenitsu said. "Please come back! I don't even know your name. How will I find you? Wait! Please wait!"
"Goodbye." Rella said.
"Stop that coach! Close those gates!" Zenitsu said. "Follow that coach! Open the gates!"
He stopped, finding a slipper. "Your slipper!"