to the felucca.

The wind was contrary, and we had to row all night, and in the morning
the sea was so rough that we had to put in at Mentone. My two sweethearts
were very sick, as also my brother and Possano, but I was perfectly well.
I took the two invalids to the inn, and allowed my brother and Possano to
land and refresh themselves. The innkeeper told me that the Prince and
Princess of Monaco were at Mentone, so I resolved to pay them a visit. It
was thirteen years since I had seen the prince at Paris, where I had
amused him and his mistress Caroline at supper. It was this prince who
had taken me to see the horrible Duchess of Rufec; then he was unmarried,
and now I met him again in his principality with his wife, of whom he had
already two sons. The princess had been a Duchess de Borgnoli, a great
heiress, and a delightful and pretty woman. I had heard all about her,
and I was curious to verify the facts for myself.

I called on the prince, was announced, and after a long wait they
introduced me to his presence. I gave him his title of highness, which I
had never done at Paris, where he was not known under his full style and
title. He received me politely, but with that coolness which lets one
know that one is not an over-welcome visitor.

"You have put in on account of the bad weather, I suppose?" said he.

"Yes, prince, and if your highness will allow me I will spend the whole
day in your delicious villa." (It is far from being delicious.)

"As you please. The princess as well as myself likes it better than our
place at Monaco, so we live here by preference."

"I should be grateful if your highness would present me to the princess."

Without mentioning my name he ordered a page in waiting to present me to
the princess.

The page opened the door of a handsome room and said, "The Princess," and
left me. She was singing at the piano, but as soon as she saw me she rose
and came to meet me. I was obliged to introduce myself, a most unpleasant
thing, and no doubt the princess felt the position, for she pretended not
to notice it, and addressed me with the utmost kindness and politeness,
and in a way that shewed that she was learned in the maxims of good
society. I immediately became very much at my ease, and proceeded in a
lordly manner to entertain her with pleasant talk, though I said nothing
about my two lady friends.

The princess was handsome, clever, and good-natured. Her mother, who knew
that a man lik