ather
pleased. "I don't quite see what it has to do with _you_."

"Don't you?" he replied. "I _might_ want to marry you myself. I've been
thinking of it lately."

"Have you?" said Edna, not so pleased. "That is very good of you. But
has it never occurred to you that I might have a voice in the matter?"

"You would _have_ to belong to me, if I wanted you badly enough," he
said calmly.

"And you're not sure yet if you do want me badly enough, but, in the
meantime, you would prevent anyone else from marrying me if you
could--is _that_ it?"

"That's exactly it!" he said, gratified at being so thoroughly
understood.

"Well, can't you see how _selfish_ that is of you?"

"It's splendid being selfish," he said, "and not really so difficult
after all--when you _try_."

"And how do you suppose you could prevent me from marrying Prince
Mirliflor if I thought proper to accept him?"

"Oh, that would be easy. I should only have to unchain Tuetzi, and send
him to kill the Prince for me. Tuetzi's so intelligent and obedient that
he'll do everything I tell him."

"I think you forget, Count, that it's against the law to let that dragon
loose."

"I know," he said; "but I've no respect for human laws any more. I'm not
going to obey anything in future, except my own instincts."

"I'm sure you don't mean that. And if you really sent that dragon to
kill anybody--especially anyone who had done nothing to offend you--it
would be very wicked indeed."

"Other people might think so," he said. "I shouldn't myself--and that's
all that really matters. I'm going to make my own morality for the
future. I want to be a Superman, like that learned man you told me about
with the odd name. Aren't you glad I'm taking your advice?"

"Of course I am pleased," said Edna, "that you should be more
independent and unconventional and assert yourself--which is all that
Nietzsche really meant. You mustn't carry it too far, you know."

"But you said I couldn't be really great unless I felt the will and the
power to inflict great suffering," he said; "and that's just what I _do_
feel."

"Yes, but you can feel the will and the power without actually
inflicting suffering," said Edna instructively. "Nietzsche never
intended _that_. And if you set that horrid dragon of yours at the
Prince, you _would_ inflict very great suffering indeed."

"I shouldn't mind _that_," he said.

"Perhaps not--but Father and Mother would. And you would be imprisoned
ag