Nick suddenly became sober. He saw that I was serious, and addressed himself to the task of enlightening me.
"Listen, Dale," he began, like one entering into a long argument, "I will tell you all about it and when I am through you must accept what I say as final and forget these romantic American notions of yours. The Greek church of Bharbazonia has everything to do with it. To begin with, for the sake of argument, we will admit that the General and you are right—the Prince and the Princess are one, and that one is a woman. I believe that is your theory?"
"Go on," I said, nodding.
"Now, do you know what that would entail?"
"The woman's life would be a hell on earth, I suppose."
"It would mean death if she were ever detected," said Nick, solemnly.
This was going farther than I expected. I looked at Nick, but his face was immovable. He was not joking.
"Yes, but how? Why?" I exclaimed.
"In the first place the clergy in this country, as in many other European lands, stand before the nobles in power. The king, the nobles and the peasantry are all subject to their will. Here, church and state are not divorced as they are in France and America."
"But how would Solonika come within the power of the Church? Why should it wish to harm her?"