dreadful thing to be a princess: they just marry you to anyone
they like. The Inca is to come and look at me, and pick out
whichever of his sons he thinks will suit. And then I shall be an
alien enemy everywhere except in Perusalem, because the Inca has
made war on everybody. And I shall have to pretend that everybody
has made war on him. It's too bad.

ERMYNTRUDE. Still, a husband is a husband. I wish I had one.

THE PRINCESS. Oh, how can you say that! I'm afraid you're not a
nice woman.

ERMYNTRUDE. Your Highness is provided for. I'm not.

THE PRINCESS. Even if you could bear to let a man touch you, you
shouldn't say so.

ERMYNTRUDE. I shall not say so again, Your Highness, except
perhaps to the man.

THE PRINCESS. It's too dreadful to think of. I wonder you can be
so coarse. I really don't think you'll suit. I feel sure now that
you know more about men than you should.

ERMYNTRUDE. I am a widow, Your Highness.

THE PRINCESS [overwhelmed]. Oh, I BEG your pardon. Of course I
ought to have known you would not have spoken like that if you
were not married. That makes it all right, doesn't it? I'm so
sorry.