“That I only pitied her⁠—and⁠—and loved her no longer!”

“How do you know that? How do you know that she is not really in love with that⁠—that rich cad⁠—the man she eloped with?”

“Oh no! I know she only laughs at him; she has made a fool of him all along.”

“Has she never laughed at you?”

“No⁠—in anger, perhaps. Oh yes! she reproached me dreadfully in anger; and suffered herself, too! But afterwards⁠—oh! don’t remind me⁠—don’t remind me of that!”

He hid his face in his hands.

“Are you aware that she writes to me almost every day?”

“So that is true, is it?” cried the prince, greatly agitated. “I had heard a report of it, but would not believe it.”