"Has she stolen any flowers or trod on any of the beds?"
"Why, no, your Highness; but—"
"What is the harm, then?"
"But it is not customary, your Highness. If we permitted this on the part of the people, the gardens would be ruined in a week."
"We, you and I, Hermann," said her highness, with a smile that won Gretchen on the spot, "we will overlook this first offense. Perhaps this young lady had some errand and lost her way."
"Yes, Highness," replied Gretchen eagerly.
"Your highness alone with—"
"Go at once," kindly, but with royal firmness.
Hermann bowed, gathered up his pruning knives and scissors which he had let fall, and stalked down the path. What was it? he wondered. She was a princess in all things save her lack of coldness toward the people. It was wrong to meet them in this way, it was not in order. Her highness had lived too long among them. She would never rid herself of the idea that the humble had hearts and minds like the exalted.