over, to use the expression of his English friends with whom he dined
that night. She was the first woman that he had ever looked upon that he
could describe, for she was the only one who had impressed him to that
extent. This is how he pictured her at the American legation in Paris a
few weeks later:

"Ever see her? Well, you've something to live for, gentlemen. I've seen
her but three times and I don't seem able to shake off the spell. Her
sisters, you know--the married ones--are nothing to look at, and the
Grand Duke isn't a beauty by any means. How the deuce she happens to
produce such a contrast I can't, for the life of me, understand. Nature
does some marvellous things, by George, and she certainly spread herself
on the Princess Genevra. You've never seen such hair. 'Gad, it's as near
like the kind that Henner painted as anything human could be, except
that it's more like old gold, if you can understand what I mean by that.
Not bronze, mind you, nor the raw red, but--oh, well, I'm not a
novelist, so I can't half-way describe it. She's rather tall--not too
tall, mind you--five feet five, I'd say--whatever that is in the metric
system. Slender and well dressed--oh, that's the strangest thing of all!
Well dressed! Think of a princess being well dressed! I can see that you
don't believe me, but I'll stake my word it's true. Of course, I've seen
but three of her gowns and--but that's neither here nor there. I'd say
she's twenty-two or twenty-three years of age--not a minute older. I
think her eyes are a very dark grey, almost blue. Her skin is like
a--a--oh, let me see, what is there that's as pure and soft as her skin?
Something warm, and pink, and white, d'ye see? Well, never mind. And her
smile! And her frown! You know, I've seen both of 'em, and one's as
attractive as the other. She's a real princess, gentlemen, and the
prettiest woman I've ever laid my eyes upon. And to think of her as the
wife of that blithering little ass--that nincompoop of a Karl Brabetz!