“Your Highness is most courageous, but, if I may be permitted, just a trifle too clever.”
“My Highness is not clever at all, but merely meets a situation as it arises.”
“Prince Roland,” said the Countess, her head raised proudly, “may I introduce to you my friend, and almost my neighbor, the Count Palatine of the Rhine?”
“Ah, pardon me,” murmured the Archbishop, covered with confusion, but the jovial Count swept away all embarrassment by his hearty greeting.
“Prince Roland, I am delighted with the honor her ladyship accords me.”
“And I, my Lord, am exceedingly gratified to meet the Count Palatine again.”
“Again?” cried the Count in astonishment, “If ever we had encountered one another, your Highness, I certainly should not have been the one to forget the privilege.”
The Prince laughed.
“It is true, nevertheless. My Lord Count, there is a namesake of mine in the precincts of your strong Castle of Gutenfels; a namesake who does more honor to the title than I do myself.”
The Count Palatine threw back his head, and the forest garden echoed with boisterous laughter.