"Oh,

I

im-

For awhile everyone was full of forgiveness. yes. was returned to the palace and even given servants. I was a kind of living historical relic, a national treasure. But you can agine, Max. What a horror that life was. I knew it was only a matter of time until I heard the boots in the passageway and they came for me. I knew I had to get away.

"What did you do?"

19

"I planned, Max. Like a fictioneer, I plotted. I knew if I didn't get out I would be shot, hanged, or--I don't know what."

"It must have been a bad time for you."

"It's all many years in the past now. Hardly worth talking about. Max old friend, it is nearly time for tea. Pull that cord by your chair and the girl will come. Like a walrus shifting it- self on a rock Max turned and pulled the bell.

"What a position, Rudy. What did you do finally?"

There was some movement outside the room and the door opened. A maid entered pushing a tea cart. "Maria," Rudolphe said. "Will you see that someone sends up a bottle of brandy. My old friend used so much to like brandy in his youth."

Rudolphe turned to his visitor and smiled in nostalgic amuse- ment at the old things remembered and at the joke they shared. "What did I do, Max? I was so young, so frightened that--obviously- I did nothing." With heavily jeweled fingers Rudolphe smoothed the lace that lay in a crystal film over the silk of his regal gown.

The maid curtsied very deeply. "Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "I will have the brandy sent at once

*

FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS--SPREAD THE WORD

All FPs long for understanding, but very few do anything to help bring it about. Each of you should be a focal point from which a ripple of understanding spreads out over the pool of ignorance. Make a point of telling people about Femme Personation. Do it in an informative, non-guilty way. Start out with people you meet the first time and whom you may never see again. They will in turn cer- tainly tell others. The telling will be very helpful to you in re- lieving a lot of the accumulated tension and guilt. It will help you to arrive at the point where you can tell wife or parents.--ED.

29.