to
surround yourself with persons speaking the language of the country and
familiar with its ways."

"And if I should win my cause, and should take a fancy to marry again,
could I select a husband to suit myself?"

This was too much. It was like throwing raw meat to a caged tiger.

"Without doubt," murmured Benjamin Vajdar between his teeth, at the same
time casting furious glances at the servant behind his mistress's chair.

Suddenly the princess changed her tactics. She wished to show her enemy
that she dared leave her entrenchments and offer battle in the open
field.

"Caro Beppo," said she, turning to the servant, "clear the table,
please, and then stay outside until I call you. Meantime, admit no
one."

The two were left alone, and Vajdar was free to say what he wished.
Blanka made bold to rise and survey herself coquettishly in the mirror,
as if to make sure of her own beauty. She was the first to speak.

"All these favourable turns in my affairs are due to your kind
intervention, I infer," she began.

"Without wishing to be boastful, I must admit that they are. You know
the prince: he has more whims and freaks than Caligula. He has moments
when he is capable of throttling an angel from heaven, and gentle moods
in which he is ready to do his most deadly enemy a secret kindness.
These latter phases of his humour it was my task to lie in wait for and
turn to your account. Whether this was a difficult task or not, you who
know the prince can judge."

"You will find me not ungrateful," said the princess. "In case the
unpleasant affair which has called me to Rome is settled satisfactorily,
I shall make over to you, as the one chiefly instrumental in effecting
this settlement, the yearly allowance intended for me by the prince. For
myself I retain nothing further, and wish nothing further, than my
golden freedom."

Vajdar's face glowed with feeling. He was a good actor and could summon
the colour to his cheeks at will.

"But even if you should give me your all, and the whole world besides,"
he returned, "I should count it as dross in comparison with one kind
word from your lips. I know it is the height of boldness on my part to
strive for the object of my longing; but an ardent passion justifies
even the rashest presumption. You remember the fable of the giants'
piling Pelion upon Ossa in order to scale Olympus. I am capable of
following their example. You would cease to look down on me were I of
like ra