`I was about to propose it,' she replied, `or rather to pursue the politics. Do you know? this war is popular -- popular to the length of cheering Princess Seraphina.'

`All things, madam, are possible,' said the Prince; and this among others, that we may be going into war, but I give you my word of honour I do not know with whom.'

`And you put up with it?' she cried. `I have no pretensions to morality; and I confess I have always abominated the lamb, and nourished a romantic feeling for the wolf. O, be done with lambiness! Let us see there is a prince, for I am weary of the distaff.'

`Madam,' said Otto, `I thought you were of that faction.'

`I should be of yours, mon Prince, if you had one,' she retorted. `Is it true that you have no ambition? There was a man once in England whom they call the kingmaker. Do you know,' she added, `I fancy I could make a prince?'

`Some day, madam,' said Otto, `I may ask you to help make a farmer.'

`Is that a riddle?' asked the Countess.

`It is,' replied the Prince, `and a very good one too.'

`Tit for tat. I will ask you another,' she returned. `Where is Gondremark?'

`The Prime Minister? In the prime-ministry, no doubt,' said Otto.

`Precisely,' said the Countess; and she pointed with her fan to the door of the Princess's apartments. `You and I, mon Prince, are in the ante-room. You think me unkind,' she added. `Try me and you will see. Set me a task, put me a question; there is no enormity I am not capable of doing to oblige you, and no secret that I am not ready to betray.'

`Nay, madam, but I respect my friend too much,' he answered, kissing her hand. `I would rather remain ignorant of all. We fraternise like foemen soldiers at the outposts, but let each be true to his own army.'

`Ah,' she cried, `if all men were generous like you, it would be worth while to be a woman!' Yet, judging by her looks, his generosity, if anything, had disappointed her; she seemed to seek a remedy, and, having found it, brightened once more. `And now,' she said, `may I dismiss my sovereign? This is rebellion and a cas pendable; but what am I to do? My bear is jealous!'

`Madam, enough!' cried Otto. `Ahasuerus reaches you the sceptre; more, he will obey you in all points. I should have been a dog to come to whistling.'

And so the Prince departed, and fluttered round Grafinski and von Eisenthal. But the Countess knew the use of her offensive weapons, and had left a pleasant arrow in the Prince's heart. That Gondremark was jealous -- here was an agreeable revenge! And Madame von Rosen, as the occasion of the jealousy, appeared to him in a new light.