“Who is she—Aurora von Königsmarck?” asked the King.
“A thing like this piece your Majesty admires—one of those creatures who get their feet on the necks of kings!”
“Not great kings!” said Karl, with a sudden short laugh, showing his teeth in a disagreeable manner.
“Mostly great kings,” replied the Count drily. “From Thäis to our poor Aurora—you may search history and you will never find your conqueror, your hero without them—and it is human nature—you can no more avoid them than you can flowers at a feast, or flags at a victory—and is this to be your Majesty’s choice? I know nothing of the girl.”
The King had been listening with some intentness; he unaccountably flushed.
“I like neither flowers nor flags,” he said. “I will rule without women, Piper.” His eyes narrowed with a look of intelligence. “Is there any king in the world now, Piper, who is free of women?”
The councilor shook his head.
“There is the King of England, sire, who is a grave and great Monarch—but he largely owed his fortunes to his wife and has been a different man since her death——”
“I will have no wife,” said Karl instantly. “I will be greater than the King of England—Count, were there women in the sagas? Did the Vikings care for maids or wives?”
The older man smiled.