“And I,” cried the Grand Duke, “shall marry Princess Wilhelmina, and, this very evening, poor Pippinstir, disconcerted and defeated, will go back to Saxe-Tolpelhausen.”
“He would have done that in any case,” said Balthasar; “for, this evening, Florival was to have run away with his wife.”
“That is carrying things rather far,” Delia remarked.
“Such a scandal is unnecessary,” added the Grand Duke.
Whilst awaiting the hour of her rendezvous with the Prince, Delia, pensive and agitated, was walking in the park, when she came suddenly upon Florival, who seemed as much discomposed as herself. In spite of her newly-born ideas of grandeur, she felt a pain at her heart. With a forced smile, and in a tone of reproach and irony, she greeted her former lover.
“A pleasant journey to you, Colonel Florival,” she said.
“I may wish you the same,” replied Florival; “for doubtless you will soon set out for the principality of Hanau!”
“Before long, no doubt.”
“You admit it, then?”