"I must call your attention to the fact, Adelheid," he began in a low,
condemnatory tone, "that you were guilty of great imprudence, just now.
Your speech to the princess--"
"Was in self-defence," the young wife broke in. "You understood, as well
as I, the object of the whole conversation."
"That's as it may be. You have, on your first entrance into society,
made an enemy who will make both you and me feel her animosity very
keenly as time goes on."
"You!" Adelheid looked at him in surprise. "Will you, the ambassador of
a great nation, have anything to fear from a malicious woman, who
happens to be related to the ducal house?"
"My child, you do not comprehend," responded her husband, coolly. "An
evil-tongued woman can be more dangerous than any political opponent,
and Princess Sophie is famed in this respect; even the duchess herself
fears her slanderous tongue."
"In that the duchess and I differ--I do not fear her."
"My dear Adelheid," said the ambassador with a superior smile, "that
proud movement of the head does you great credit. But at Court, you must
learn to do as others do. One cannot give royalty a lesson before too
many witnesses, and that is what you did when you spoke of your father's
declination of a title of nobility. It was not necessary for you to be
so explicit concerning your father's origin.
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