e to the natural naked substratum.
The Princess, with an art that scorned concealment, congratulated me
upon my approaching happiness, declared that the marriage was one of
inclination, and, having paid it this seemly tribute, at once fell to
discussing how the public would receive it. I believe, however, that she
detected in me a certain depression of spirits, for she rallied me
(again with a superb ignoring of what we were both aware of) on being
moped at the moment when I should have been exultant.

"I am looking at it from Elsa's point of view," I explained.

"Elsa's? Really I don't see that Elsa has anything to complain of. The
position's beyond what she had any right to expect."

All was well with Elsa; that seemed evident enough; it was a better
position than Elsa had any right to expect. Poor dear child, I seemed to
see her rolling down the bank again, expecting and desiring no other
position than to be on her back, with her little legs twinkling about in
the air.

"I think," said I meditatively, "that it would be a good thing if, in
providing wives, they reverted to the original plan and took out a rib.
One wouldn't feel that one's rib had any particular right to complain at
having its fortunes mixed up with one's own."

My mother remained silent. I looked across the terrace and saw
Victoria's three-year-old girl playing about.

"The child's so like William Adolphus," said I, sighing.

My mother rose with deliberate carelessness and walked away.

It may be wondered why I did not rebel. I must answer, first, from the
binding force of familiarity; I hated the thing, but it had made good
its place in the map of my life; secondly, from the impossibility of
inflicting a slight; thirdly, because I rather chose to bear the ills I
had than fly to others that I knew not of. Who revolts save in the
glowing hope of bettering his lot? I must marry; who was there to be
preferred before Elsa? It did not occur to me that I might remain
single; I should have shared the general opinion that such an act was
little removed from treason. It would not only be to end my own line, it
would be to install the children of William Adolphus. I did not grant
even a moment's hospitality to such an idea. Bederhof was right, the
marriage was urgent; I must marry--just as occasionally I was compelled
to review the troops. I had as little aptitude for one duty as for the
other, but both were among my obligations. I was so rooted in this