he boy loves me to distraction.

_Midnight._

M. Giron was very cold and distant during the afternoon's lessons.

I had previously lunched with him at his studio and we were very gay
then. I teased him unmercifully about "his royal _demi-mondaine_," as
the masses painted me.

Frederick Augustus was very gallant at dinner and told me, before a
table full of people, that he would take pleasure in sleeping with me
tonight. I have too bad a conscience to deny myself to him. But I ran
over to the opera for half an hour and ordered M. Giron to my box.

"I got over my vexation," he said,--"got over it because I reflected
that you are the Princess Royal and that I would be a fool to take your
love seriously. Henceforth I will regard it a passing adventure and let
it go at that, for if I thought it the great passion of my life, I would
despair, indeed."

"Find a closed cab," I whispered, my heart in my mouth; "I must see you
alone. I will be at the northern side-exit in five minutes."

Cabby was ordered to drive slowly along unfrequented side streets. We
lowered the curtains.

"So you don't love me?" I wailed. Burying my face on Richard's chest I
cried as if my heart would break.

"Not love you?" he breathed. "If I loved you not, I would die, Louise."

"Then why those cruel words?"

"Good heavens," he cried, "haven't I the right to be jealous? I said
what I said to hear you say that you love me."

"And you will always love me?"

"Always, dearest," and he covered my face and neck with burning kisses.

Ten minutes later I was again seated at the opera.

I hear Frederick Augustus in the corridor.

* * * * *

DRESDEN, _August 16, 1902_.

A horrible night. Lucky that Frederick Augustus was more than half drunk
when he sought "His Imperial Pleasure-trove," as he likes to call me,
for I often talk in my sleep and--I dreamt of Richard. I dreamt of my
enemies, too.

They stole him from me. He was of the past like Henry, Romano and the
rest.

In a second dream he jilted me--cast me off like a garment, old or out
of fashion.

Lucretia, who sleeps in the next room, heard me cry out in terror, heard
me denounce the King, Tisch--everybody.

And Frederick Augustus snored.

* * * * *

DRESDEN, _October 1, 1902_.

Princes and noblemen have ever sought their own advantage of me. To them
I was always the milch-cow, or Phryne, outright.

Ric