'And you have no mother?'

'Who told you I had no mother?' she asked quietly.

'I - er - inquired about you,' he said, with equal candour and
humility.

'In spite of the fact that you never hoped to see me again?'

'Yes, in spite of that.'

'How funny!' she said, and lapsed into a meditative silence.

'Yours must be a wonderful existence,' said the Prince. 'I envy you.'

'You envy me - what? My father's wealth?'

'No,' he said; 'your freedom and your responsibilities.'

'I have no responsibilities,' she remarked.

'Pardon me,' he said; 'you have, and the time is coming when you
will feel them.'

'I'm only a girl,' she murmured with sudden simplicity. 'As for you,
Count, surely you have sufficient responsibilities of your own?'

'I?' he said sadly. 'I have no responsibilties. I am a nobody - a
Serene Highness who has to pretend to be very important, always
taking immense care never to do anything that a Serene Highness