After a long hesitation, she jumped up, swept from the room and
returned presently with a handful of letters. I saw on some of them
the Grand Duke's coat of arms. The young fool had been careless
enough for that! She shook the letters in a temper and cried:

"I wonder what Franz's uncle would say to these? Why, I could compel
him to marry me."

Here was the chance. The iron--in this case my lady's tempe--was hot.
I suggested that we sit down and talk it over. As an introductory
attack, to create the impression that I knew what I was talking about,
I hinted that I was connected with a leading family in Germany and
that I was in London _incog_. I approached the situation from the
viewpoint that I was her friend, not a friend of the house of
Mecklenburg-Schwerein, but that, by knowing them and their ways, I
could be of great assistance to her.

"It is regrettable," I consoled; "but you have no chance for a
legitimate, even a morganatic alliance with the young Grand Duke. I
consider their entire attitude toward you utterly unfair. In view of
your understanding with him, you are most certainly entitled to
adequate recompense from his house. If you went into court you could
obtain this on grounds of breach of promise, but I can understand your
feelings. Such a step would only cast odium upon an old and noble
family such as yours."

That seemed to her liking.

"But what can I do?" she said.