Anna laughed.
"And do not think that all German princesses are like your English ones," she went on eagerly. "My father-in-law was raised to the rank of Fürst for services rendered to the state. He had a large family, and my husband was a younger son."
Still Anna was silent. Then she said "I—I wish——" and then stopped.
"What do you wish, my dear child?"
"I wish—that I—that you——"
"That you had known it beforehand? Then you would never have taken me, even on trial," was the prompt reply.
Anna's eyes said plainly, "No, I would not."
"And it is so important that I should find something to do. At first I answered advertisements in my real name, and received my photograph back by the next post. This, and the anger of my family, decided me to drop the title altogether. But I had always resolved that if I did find a place I would confess to my employer. It is a terrible thing to be very poor," she added, staring straight before her with eyes growing dim at her remembrances.
"Yes," said Anna, under her breath.
"To have nothing, nothing at all, and to be burdened at the same time by one's birth."