With no hope in my heart that the time would pass quickly, I smoked and yawned, yawned and smoked, until twelve o'clock.
The door opened and Landsberg appeared.
"There is a lady who wishes to speak to your Majesty."
"The devil!"
I meant to say this under my breath, but I must have spoken louder than I intended, for the lady of whom Landsberg had spoken heard it, and laughed merrily.
"No, Victor, only me."
She threw back the veil which covered her face. I sprang to my feet, and tossed my cigar, as I thought, into the fire-place, but it fell short on the carpet, and smoked merrily, a fact which I did not notice, for I had eyes for nothing but the face of my darling.
Landsberg had decently left the room.
I was so surprised that I could only hold her hands and look at her, and at length her eyes fell before the light in mine. I did not know that I still held her hands.
"Princess, oh, Princess."