The Princess, who had married the younger son of a princely house, had very early become a widow, and had lived since then at the court of her brother, where she was not in the least popular. While the Duchess charmed everybody who came into her presence by her grace and kindness, the older sister was considered haughty and intriguante. Everybody stood in fear of the lady's sharp tongue, which had a habit of saying something disagreeable to each and every one.
Herr von Wallmoden did not escape this fate. He was graciously beckoned to and received flatteries on the beauty of his wife, which was not to be denied.
"I offer you my congratulations, Your Excellency. I was quite surprised when your young wife was presented to me, for I had naturally expected to see an elderly lady."
The "naturally" sounded very malicious, for Princess Sophie had known for months that the wife of the Prussian Ambassador was only nineteen years old, but he smiled in the most amiable way as he replied: "Your Highness is very gracious. I can only be grateful that my wife has had the good fortune to make a favorable impression upon you."
"Oh, you cannot doubt it. The Duke and Duchess are quite of my opinion. Frau von Wallmoden is really a beauty--Prince Adelsberg seems to think so, too. Perhaps you have not observed as yet how very much he admires your wife?"
"Yes, Your Highness, I have observed it."
"Really? And what do you say to it?"
"I?" inquired Wallmoden with perfect tranquillity. "It rests solely with my wife as to whether she will permit the admiration of the Prince. If she finds pleasure in it---- I do not give her any rules in this respect."
"An enviable confidence which our young gentlemen ought to pattern after," said the Princess, vexed that the arrow had missed its aim. "It is surely very agreeable to a young wife if the husband is not jealous. Ah, there is Frau von Wallmoden herself, with her cavalier, of course, at her side. My dear Baroness, we were just speaking of you."