e second Catherine--under the temptations of
Power, they recruited paramours for themselves in all ranks of society.

Agrippina was more licentious than Caligula; Messalina's infamy
surpassed Nero's, and the furthest reaching, the one irresistible Power
swaying them all was MAN.

Augustus of the three hundred and fifty-four emphasized this in the
negative and, in his own uncouth way, by "postering" the Countess
Cosel's chief charm on penny coins.

"She cost Saxony twenty millions in gold--behold the penny's worth she
gave in return."

When the beauty who had brought the richest German kingdom to the verge
of state bankruptcy died February 2, 1765, four hundred of Augustus's
infamous medals were found hidden in her favorite armchair. She paid
three or four times their weight in gold for each.

CHAPTER LIX

THE PEOPLE THINK ME A WANTON

Credit me with innumerable lovers, but don't disapprove--Glad the
King feels scandalized--Picture of the "she-monster"--Everybody
eager for love--I delight in Richard's jealousy--Husband's
indelicate announcement at table--I rush from the royal opera to see
my lover--A threatening dream--Richard not mercenary like my noble
lovers.

DRESDEN, _August 10, 1902_.

This is the kind of speech Richard holds with me and--I enjoy:

"Every working-girl, every poor woman who suckles her own children and
helps her husband in the fight for existence, stands mountain high above
royal ladies like you.

"None of you royal ladies are their moral equals.

"In no distant time," he says, "they will chase you from your thrones,
even as your relatives had to evacuate France by tumbril, post-chaise or
train."

Richard's ethical and intellectual valuation of royal princes coincides
with my own. He has rare insight into our family life.

However, these disclosures both amazed and alarmed me when I first
heard them pronounced. I never dreamt that opinions of that kind
prevailed among the masses.

"But why am I acclaimed whenever I show myself?"

"Because you are pretty, because you impersonate the one thing all are
desirous to embrace: affluence, kindness, youth and beauty. Because you
are a treat to the senses and because sensuality is the paramount thing
in life, whether we admit it or not."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Kings and anarchists, princesses of the Blood and laundresses, royal
princes and cab drivers, empresses, street-walkers, society ladies,
big-wigs a