"So I have heard," said Sue, "but I never really believed it. I thought it an invention of the society reporters."
"It is true, nevertheless. You see there is no incentive, for most of us, to do anything else. Of course, we cannot work, nor engage in trade."
"I don't admit the 'of course.' But leaving that aside for the moment, aren't there any exceptions?"
"Yes—a few at whom the rest of us look rather askance. You see, there is the tradition to be maintained."
"The tradition?"
"Of royalty—of divine right. We must do nothing to spoil the tradition, or weaken it, or our people may find out that we are not really necessary, after all, just as the Americans have done."
Susie glanced at him to see if he was in earnest; but he appeared to be entirely so.
"Do the exceptions mind being looked askance at?" she questioned.
"No, I do not think they mind in the least. Most of them are too busy to pay any heed to what other people are thinking about them. Besides, the cause of the exception is usually a woman, who takes up most of the exception's leisure time."
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand."