"Pardon me, madame," said Cauvignac; "but I have the impression that I had the honor to reply satisfactorily to all these questions during the audience your Highness was graciously pleased to grant me this morning."
"At this time I put but one question to you," said the princess beginning to lose patience. "I simply ask you your name."
"Very true! but that is just what embarrasses me."
"Write Baron de Cauvignac," said the princess.
The accused made no objection, and the clerk wrote as directed.
"Now, your rank?" said the princess; "I trust you will find no difficulty in replying to this question."
"On the contrary, madame, that is one of the most embarrassing questions you could put to me. If you refer to my rank as a scholar, I am a bachelor of letters, licentiate in law, doctor of theology; I reply, as your Highness sees, without hesitation."
"No, monsieur, we refer to your military rank."
"Ah, yes! upon that point it is impossible for me to reply to your Highness."
"How so?"