The Princess Elizabeth? I glanced at the writing on the envelope. It
was Gretchen's. "And, Your Majesty," I read, "it is true that they
love each other. Permit them to be happy. I ask your forgiveness for
all the trouble I have caused you. I promise that from now on I shall
be the most obedient subject in all your kingdom. Hildegarde." I
dropped the letter on the table.
"Your Majesty," I began nervously, "there is some mistake. I do not
love Her Highness the Princess Elizabeth."
The King and his Chancellor whirled around. The decorations on the
panes remained unfinished. The King regarded me with true anger, and
the Chancellor with dismay.
"I love the Princess Hildegarde," I went on in a hollow voice.
"Is this a jest?" demanded the King.
"No; on my honor." For once I forgot court etiquette, and left off
"Your Majesty."
"Let me see the letter," said the Chancellor, with a pacific purpose.
"There is some misunderstanding here." He read the letter and replaced
it on the table--and went back to his window.
"Well?" cried the King, impatiently.
"I forgot, Your Majesty," said the Chancellor.
"Forgot what?"
"The letter was written by a woman. I remember when I was a boy," went
on the Chancellor tranquilly, "I used to take great pleasure in drawing
pictures on frosted window panes. Women always disturbed me."
"Perhaps, Your Majesty," said I, "it is possible that Her
Highness . . . the likeness between her and her sister . . . perhaps,
knowing that I have known Her Highness Phyllis . . . that is, the
Princess Elizabeth . . . she may believe that I . . ." It was very
embarrassing.
"Continue," said the King. "And please make your sentences
intelligible."
"What I meant to say was that Her Highness the Princess Hildegarde,
believes that I love her sister instead of herself . . . I
thought . . . she has written otherwise . . ." And then I foundered
again.
"Prince," said the King, laughing in spite of his efforts to appear
angry, "for pity's sake, tell me what this man is talking about!"
"A woman," said the Chancellor. "Perhaps Her Highness the Princess
Hildegarde. . . . That is, I believe. . . . She may love this
man . . . perhaps thinking he loves the other. . ." He was mocking
me, and my face burned.
"Prince, do not confuse the man; he is bad enough as it is." The King
smoothed away the remnant of the smile.