ge could see me now!"

Naughty Louise--it's unworthy of thee. What do I care for George, what
do I care for the world?

CHAPTER XXXVIII

"IN LOVE THERE ARE NO PRINCESSES, ONLY WOMEN"

A diplomatic trick--Jealous of Romano's past--The pact for life and
the talisman--If there were a theatre fire the talisman would
discover our love to the King--Some ill-natured
reflections--Bernhardt's escapades cover up my tracks--The "black
sheep" jumps his horse over a coffin--King gives him a
beating--Bernhardt's mess-room lingo--Anecdotes of royal
voluptuaries--Forces animals to devour each other--Naked
ballet-girls as horses--Abnormals rule the world.

DRESDEN, _May 20, 1898_.

Romano learned about my theatre going by a diplomatic trick. He told one
of the minor attaches of the Embassy that he had orders to watch
me--"all-highest command." The official, consequently, negotiated with
the box offices of all the theatres to phone him the moment Her Imperial
Highness ordered seats.

I am crazy to know how many women Romano loved in the twenty or more
years since he grew to man's estate, and how many he seduced. It
agitates and pains me to think of it, but all my questions are barren of
results.

Yesterday I asked him whether he ever knew a Princess of the Blood
before me--"knew" in the biblical sense.

"In love," he said, "there are no princesses, there are women only."

He saw that I was hurt and added quickly: "Now don't be unreasonable,
Louise--no prejudices. With the thought in my mind that you are an
Imperial Highness, or that you consider yourself of better clay than I,
I couldn't love you as I do."

* * * * *

DRESDEN, _July 1, 1898_.

We made a life-pact. Romano cut a gold piece in two and bored a hole in
each half. He drew thin gold chains through the holes, gave me one of
the amulets, and kept the other. Our combined monograms were already
engraved on the bits of gold _en miniature_. Each swore to wear the
talisman on the naked body for life, but we exchange amulets daily, or
as often as we meet.

When I am enthroned in the royal box and look down upon my lover below,
I think all the time of this, our secret understanding, and it sometimes
occurs to me, that the opera house might get on fire and both of us
perish.

Next day our bodies would be found. In or near the royal box, that of a
woman, burned so as to be unrecognizable at