"Now, M. l'Abbe!" returned Adrienne, "for an old colonel, you are really
too severe upon a jest!--you are so much indebted to 'war,' which gave
you a French regiment after fighting so long against France--in order to
learn, of course, the strength and the weakness of her enemies."

On these words, which recalled painful remembrances, the marquis colored;
he was going to answer, but the princess exclaimed: "Really, madame, your
behavior is quite intolerable!"

"Well, aunt, I acknowledge I was wrong. I ought not to have said this is
very amusing--for it is not so, at all; but it is at least very
curious--and perhaps," added the young girl, after a moment's silence,
"perhaps very audacious and audacity pleases me. As we are upon this
subject, and you talk of a plan of conduct to which I must conform
myself, under pain of (interrupting herself)--under pain of what, I
should like to know, aunt?"

"You shall know. Proceed."

"I will, in the presence of these gentlemen, also declare, in a very
plain and precise manner, the determination that I have come to. As it
required some time to prepare for its execution, I have not spoken of it
sooner, for you know I am not in the habit of saying, 'I will do so and
so!' but I do it."

"Certainly; and it is just this habit of culpable independence of which
you must break yourself."

"Well, I had intended only to inform you of my determination at a later