“I formed that opinion strongly,” I said, beginning to wonder what she was going to say.
“Michel tells me you are half English. Is that a secret?”
“No, certainly not. We English are not afraid to own our nationality, as the actions of many of us show too prominently sometimes, I fear.”
“But Englishmen of wealth do not commonly choose Bulgaria as a place of residence—at least not without some strong motive.” And her eyes searched my face for the truth.
“Eccentricity has never yet been denied to us.”
“Is it in your case eccentricity—only?”
“I am also half a Roumanian,” I said, repeating the answer I had given in the morning to Zoiloff.
“And the Roumanians are all but Russians.”
“Is not the Princess Christina a Roumanian?” I retorted. “And also of the Russian Party here?”
“Do you think that?” she asked quickly, turning the battery of her eyes full on me again.