'I, madam? angry?' he cried. 'You rave! I have no cause for anger.

In every way I have been taught my weakness, my instability, and my

unfitness for the world. I am a plexus of weaknesses, an impotent

Prince, a doubtful gentleman; and you yourself, indulgent as you

are, have twice reproved my levity. And shall I be angry? I may

feel the unkindness, but I have sufficient honesty of mind to see

the reasons of this COUP D'ETAT.'

'From whom have you got this?' she cried in wonder. 'You think you

have not behaved well? My Prince, were you not young and handsome,

I should detest you for your virtues. You push them to the verge of

commonplace. And this ingratitude - '

'Understand me, Madame von Rosen,' returned the Prince, flushing a

little darker, 'there can be here no talk of gratitude, none of

pride. You are here, by what circumstance I know not, but doubtless

led by your kindness, mixed up in what regards my family alone. You

have no knowledge what my wife, your sovereign, may have suffered;

it is not for you - no, nor for me - to judge. I own myself in

fault; and were it otherwise, a man were a very empty boaster who

should talk of love and start before a small humiliation. It is in

all the copybooks that one should die to please his lady-love; and

shall a man not go to prison?'

'Love? And what has love to do with being sent to gaol?' exclaimed

the Countess, appealing to the walls and roof. 'Heaven knows I

think as much of love as any one; my life would prove it; but I

admit no love, at least for a man, that is not equally returned.

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