"Eh! Prince Ferdinand," he answered, in scorn, "and curse the day that made me so. I am no struggling student. Curse the day that made me Prince, I say! Curse the day!"
"Prince Ferdinand," she repeated, and I thought the girl must be bewitched, for she smiled.
I caught him by the arm and drew him towards me, for I could see by the look on her face that she was no scheming adventuress.
"If there be disgrace," I cried, witheringly, "it is yours. You came with deceit and falsehood. You won her heart, pretending to be such as she, no better in the world's eyes, and no worse."
"Were I Prince a thousand times over, and a thousand times on that," he answered, softly, "I would give it all for her."
"Happily, there must be two to the bargain, and she is too true a woman to hold you, when she knows it means your social ruin."
"On the contrary, madame; now I know he is what he is I will marry him."
Her face was wreathed in smiles, smiles that had chased away the mist of sorrow's tears, and I shuddered as I realized that I had brought about the very end that I came to prevent.
"You will marry him?" I gasped.
"Oui, madame," she replied, and courtesied to the ground. "You know me. Are we not what the world calls eligibles?"