`` That girl can turn herself into anything -- a mouse , a fly , a lion , a wheelbarrow , a church ! I never knew such talent for magic . Of course she had the best of teachers , the Fairy Paribanou herself ; but very few girls , in our time , devote so many hours to practice as dear Jaqueline . Even now , when she is out of the schoolroom , she still practises her scales . I saw her turning little Dollie into a fish and back again in the bath-room last night . The child was delighted . '' In these times , you must know , princesses learned magic , just as they learn the piano nowadays ; but they had their music lessons too , dancing , calisthenics , and the use of the globes . `` Yes , she 's a dear , good girl , '' said the king ; `` yet she looks melancholy . I believe , myself , that if Ricardo asked her to marry him , she would not say ` No . ' But that 's just one of the things I object to most in Dick . Round the world he goes , rescuing ladies from every kind of horror -- from dragons , giants , cannibals , magicians ; and then , when a girl naturally expects to be married to him , as is usual , off he rides ! He has no more heart than a flounder . Why , at his age I -- '' `` At his age , my dear , you were so hard-hearted that you were quite a proverb . Why , I have been told that you used to ask girls dreadful puzzling questions , like ` Who was Caesar Borgia ? ' ` What do you know of Edwin and Morcar ? ' and so on . '' `` I had not seen you then , '' said the king . `` And Ricardo has not seen her , whoever she may be . Besides , he ca n't possibly marry all of them . And I think a girl should consider herself lucky if she is saved from a dragon or a giant , without expecting to be married next day . ''
`` Perhaps ; but it is usual , '' said the king , `` and their families expect it , and keep sending ambassadors to know what XXXXX 's intentions are .
Borgia Dick Dollie Edwin Jaqueline Morcar Ricardo hours night princesses