After a slight hesitation she replied, “Mr Muniment tells me so.”
“And how does he know it?”
“We have information. My dear fellow,” the Princess went on, “you are so much out of it now that if I were to tell you, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Yes, no doubt I am out of it; but I still have a right to say, all the same, in contradiction to your imputation of a moment ago, that I care for the people exactly as much as I ever did.”
“My poor Hyacinth, my dear infatuated little aristocrat, was that ever very much?” the Princess asked.
“It was enough, and it is still enough, to make me willing to lay down my life for anything that will really help them.”
“Yes, and of course you must decide for yourself what that is; or, rather, what it’s not.”
“I didn’t decide when I gave my promise. I agreed to take the decision of others,” Hyacinth said.
“Well, you said just now that in relation to this business of yours you had thought of many things,” the Princess rejoined. “Have you ever, by chance, thought of anything that will help the people?”
“You call me fantastic names, but I’m one of them myself.”