Her tone and manner tried my patience.

"Come to the point!" I said.

She seemed to enjoy provoking me.

"No hurry, Mr. Ernest--no hurry! You shall be fully enlightened, if you
will only wait a little. The Prince, I must tell you, believes in his
daughter's indisposition. When he visited her this morning, he was
attended by his medical adviser. I was present at the interview. To do
him justice, the Doctor is worthy of the trust reposed in him--he boldly
attempted to verify his suspicions of the daughter in the father's
presence."

"How?"

"Oh, in the well-known way that has been tried over and over again,
under similar circumstances! He merely invented a report that you were
engaged in a love-affair with some charming person in the town. Don't be
angry; there's no harm done."

"But there _is_ harm done," I insisted. "What must the Princess think of
me?"

"Do you suppose she is weak enough to believe the Doctor? Her Highness
beat him at his own weapons; not the slightest sign of agitation on her
part rewarded his ingenuity. All that you have to do is to help her
to mislead this medical spy. It's as easy as lying: and easier. The
Doctor's slander declares that you have a love-affair in the town. Take
the hint--and astonish the Doctor by proving that he has hit on the
truth."

It was a hot day; the Baroness was beginning to get excited. She paused
and fanned herself.

"Do I startle you?" she asked.

"You disgust me."

She laughed.

"What a thick-headed man this is!" she said, pleasantly. "Must I put
it more plainly still? Engage in what your English prudery calls a
'flirtation,' with some woman here--the lower in degree the better, or
the Princess might be jealous--and let the affair be seen and known by
everybody about the Court. Sly as he is, the Doctor is not prepared
for that! At your age, and with your personal advantages, he will take
appearances for granted; he will conclude that he has wronged you, and
misinterpreted the motives of the Princess. The secret of her Highness's
weakness will be preserved--thanks to that sacrifice, Mr. Ernest, which
you are so willing and so eager to make."

It was useless to remonstrate with such a woman as this. I simply stated
my own objection to her artfully devised scheme.

"I don't wish to appear vain," I said; "but the woman to whom I am to
pay these attentions may believe that I really admire her--and it is
just possible that she may honestly return the fee