But the Fairy had so arranged it
that the spell fell upon the Princess at the time when she was
engaged in making her choice of a husband from among the suitors
who had arrived at her father's Court.
The Princess was now bewitched in this way--that good men appeared
bad, ugly men handsome, and _vice versa_. The Fairy had hoped that
she would thus make a mess of her matrimonial affairs and live
unhappily ever after.
But she had reckoned without the disposition of the Princess, a
kind good girl with an overpowering sense of duty. When pressed
to choose, she replied firmly, "I will have no other than Prince
Felix."
To her his ugliness seemed pathetic and his character evidently
needed reformation so urgently that she longed to be at the job.
No one wondered at her choice, for he was, of course, the most
handsome and excellent of men.
Ultimately the Fairy broke her spell in a fit of exasperation, but
without any gratifying result. The Princess seemed happier than
ever and would sometimes say to a slightly puzzled friend:--
"Hasn't Felix improved _wonderfully_ since I married him?"
* * * * *
"From 1910 to 1916 he was Viceroy in India, governing the
Dependency through very critical years and enjoying general
esteem, as was made clear in 1912, when an attempt was made to
assassinate him at Delhi.
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