I glanced interestedly towards him as he continued:
"Prince Humbert of Elvirna is the man; the trouble, Prince Ferdinand, his son; the cause, as usual, a woman."
"Cheap cynicism but poorly becomes a man of intellect, much less a diplomat, monsieur."
"Then I will amend the phrase," he answered, contritely, "and say the cause, a woman, and leave 'as usual' out."
"It is strange that man, who owes all that is the better part of his life to woman, should so often make her the object of his sneers," I observed.
"Strange, save that he so often owes all that is the worst," he answered, with a passing shade of irritation. "This young fool, this man, who must marry for the good of the tiny kingdom which will be his own some day, has chosen—"
"To follow his own affections," I interrupted, with a smile.
"Tush! He has chosen to become enamored of the passée charms of a third-rate actress—an adventuress searching for youthful fools with simple hearts and simple brains who cannot discriminate between nature and art, and would never credit the brightness of their siren's eyes was due to belladonna."
"He will get over it, mon cher. Even you, I doubt not, have had your weaknesses."
Monsieur scowled at my covert allusion, but ignored it.