"Do you still have beautiful Circassians?" he asked hungrily.
"Of course," said the Prince. "For a thousand years our women have been famed for their beauty. Even today, we export many hundreds annually to the most distinguished harems in Turkey — a royal tax on these transactions," added the Prince, with engaging simplicity, "has been of great assistance to our national budget."
The reporter swallowed, and retrieved his glass hurriedly; and the cub who had started it all asked, with bulging eyes: "What other traditions do you have, Your Highness?"
"Among other things," said the Prince, "we are probably the only people today among whom the droit de seigneur survives. That is to say that every woman in my country belongs to me, if and when I choose to take her, for as long as I choose keep her in my palace."
"And do you still exercise that right?" asked another journalist, with estatic visions of headlines floating through his mind.
The Prince smiled, as he might have smiled at at naivety of a child.
"If the girl is sufficiently attractive — of course. It is a divine right bestowed upon my family by Mohammed himself. In my country it is considered an honour to be chosen, and the marriageable value of any girl on whom I bestow my right is greatly increased by it."
From that moment the reception was a historic success; and the news that one reason for the Prince's visit was to approve the final details of a new ₤100,000 crown which was being prepared for him by a West End firm of jewellers was almost an anticlimax.
Chief Inspector Teal read the full interview in his morning paper the following day; and he was so impressed with its potentialities that he made a personal call on the Prince that afternoon.
"Is this really the interview you gave, Your Highness?" he asked, when he had introduced himself, "or are you going to repudiate it?"