but not of it. You are merely visiting us.
You do not know what and who we are. You need not go so far as the
poles or Abyssinia; here is a new world open to you, a large field
where your passion for creating and improving can be easily
gratified."

Angela opened her fan, and with an air of indifference fanned her
white bosom.

"What can _I_ do? I am not my own mistress."

"You are not your own mistress, and, nevertheless, you rule."

"Over whom?"

"Countess, it would only need one word from you to bring the green
palace and all it contains from Vienna to Pesth. The society here
requires that leading personality which now in Vienna is lost among
the crowd, whose existence is spent in aimless inaction. Pesth needs
the prince, your grandfather. He adores you. One word from you would
give to our life a new being; one word from you and Prince Theobald
would reside here."

Angela ceased fanning herself; with an angry gesture she folded her
hands, and turned an angry look upon Ivan.

"Do you know that the subject you have just mentioned is so
distasteful to me that any one who has ventured to name it to me has
forfeited my acquaintance?"

"I am quite aware of the fact, countess."

"And why have you dared to approach the subject?"

"I will tell you, countess. Because of an old connection between our
families."

"Ah, that is something quite new. I have never heard of it."

"Possibly not. One of your ancestors was a cardinal, and one of mine
was a minister in Patak--a great difference in their relative
positions, no doubt; and this difference had a terrible result for my
ancestor. The cardinal condemned him to the galleys for life. The
minister had, however, only one word to speak, as the cardinal told
him, and he would be free. That word was _abrenuncio_--'I renounce,'
or 'recant.' He would not say the word, however, and so he went to the
galleys. As they were putting round his neck the iron collar, from
which the chains hang which fasten the slave to his bench, your
ancestor, the cardinal, who was not a hard-hearted man, with tears in
his eyes entreated my ancestor to say the word 'abrenuncio.' The
minister, however, not only refused, but called out 'Non abrenuncio.'
In the same manner I now stand opposite to you and repeat the same
words--'Non abrenuncio.' This is the _rapport_ between us. Would you
treat me as the cardinal did my ancestor?"

Countess Angela tapped her fan upon her knee as she whispered bet