THE GRAND DUKE--In two months' time you shall wed the Prince of
Doppelkinn.

THE PRINCESS--What! that old red-nose? Never! I shall marry only
where I love.

THE GRAND DUKE--Only where you love! (_Sneers_.) One would think, to
hear you talk, that you were capable of loving something.

THE PRINCESS--You have yet to learn. I warn you not to force me. I
promise to do something scandalous. I will marry one of the people--a
man.

THE GRAND DUKE--Bah! (_Swears softly on his way down to the stables_.)

But the princess had in her mind a plan which, had it gone through
safely, would have added many grey hairs to the duke's scanty
collection. It was a mighty ingenious plan, too, for a woman to figure
out.

In his attitude toward the girl the duke stood alone. Behind his back
his ministers wore out their shoes in waiting on the caprices of the
girl, while the grand duchess, half-blind and half-deaf, openly
worshiped her wilful but wholly adorable niece, and abetted her in all
her escapades. So far as the populace was concerned, she was the
daughter of the favorite son, dead these eighteen years, and that was
enough for them. Whatever she did was right and proper. But the
hard-headed duke had the power to say what should be what, and he
willed it that the Princess Hildegarde should marry his old comrade in