This pleased her mightily, for she remarked that her sex would be no better off by my replacing Ivan, for whilst he ruled women with writing, I should do it with speaking.
This delicately veiled gibe at Ivan, for his predilection for paying vast sums of money to his mistresses by cheque, pleased those who heard it tremendously.
"Prince Kleber, he prides himself on his fencing," this from Mr. Smith.
I looked at the haughty, cold face before me.
"Ah, Prince," I said after the customary salutations, "some day I hope that you will give me a lesson or two with the foils."
The haughty look vanished in a second.
"Your Majesty is too kind; I am flattered."
"The kindness will be yours, Prince, if you will give me the lessons."
"But what could I teach your Majesty, who gave Goltz such a fine thrust?"
"A trick, Prince; but what I wish from you is the sounder play, and the knowledge of some of those thrusts of which, no doubt, you have the secret."