He took her hand, and gallantly helped her down.
“You give me another object in life,” he said.—“I shall claim it if the King permit.”
“You may claim it, before him and all the Court,” she answered.
After Count Epping had gone, the Princess turned to the table, and sitting on the corner, one foot on a chair, the other dangling, took up some papers he had left with her for examination. In the midst of it the Duke of Lotzen was announced.
“I am engaged,” she said curtly; “I cannot see him ... or stay, admit him.”
After her question and his answer in the garden near the sun-dial, two days before, she had decided she would receive him only upon occasions of ceremony, when, to exclude him, would have required a special order; but this unexpected and, for him, amazingly early visit, piqued her curiosity too sharply to resist.
But there was no cordiality in her look nor attitude, as he bowed before her in the intensely respectful manner he could assume so well. She made no change in her position, nor offered him her hand, nor smiled; her eyes showed only polite indifference as, for a space, she let him wait for leave to speak. When she gave it, her voice was as indifferent as her eyes.
“Well, Your Royal Highness,” she said, “how can we serve you?”
Not a shade of her bearing had missed the Duke, and though his anger rose, yet his face bore only a placid smile of amused unconcern.
“I desire the Regent’s permission,” he said, “to absent myself from the country for an indefinite period.”