? I have abused your
Majesty's kindness. You understand, I have nobody to speak to."

"I understand very well, M. Struboff. I am very sorry. Be kind to her
and she will change toward you."

He shook his head ponderously.

"She won't change," he said, and stood shuffling his feet as he waited
to be dismissed. I gave him my hand. (O Coralie, you and your bread! I
understood.)

"She'll get accustomed to you," I murmured, with a reminiscence of
William Adolphus.

"I think she hates me more every day." He bowed over my hand, and backed
out with clumsy ceremony.

I flung myself on the sofa. Was not the burlesque well conceived and
deftly fashioned? True, I did not seem to myself much like Struboff.
There was no comfort in that; Struboff did not seem to himself much like
what he was. "Am I repulsive, am I loathsome?" he cried indignantly, and
my diplomacy could answer only, "What a question, my dear M. Struboff!"
If I cried out, asking whether I were so unattractive that my bride must
shrink from me, a thousand shocked voices would answer in like manner,
"Oh, sire, what a question!"

Later in the day I called on Coralie and found her alone. Speaking as
though from my own observation, I taxed her roundly with her coldness to
Struboff and with allowing him to perceive her distaste for him. I
instanced the matter of the bread, declaring that I had noticed it when
I breakfasted with them. Coralie began to laugh.

"Do I do that? Well, perhaps I do. You've felt his hand? It is not very
pleasant. Yes, I think I do take another piece."

"He observes it."

"Oh, I think not. He doesn't care. Besides he must know. Have I
pretended to care for him? Heavens, I'm no hypocrite. We knew very well
what we wanted, he and I. We have each got it. But kisses weren't in the
bargain."

"And you kiss nobody now?"

"No," she answered simply and without offence. "No. Wetter doesn't ask
me, and you know I never felt love for him; if he did ask me, I
wouldn't. These things are very troublesome. And you don't ask me."

"No, I don't, Coralie," said I, smiling.

"I might kiss you, perhaps."

"I have something to give too, have I?"

"No, that would be no use. I should make nothing out of you. And the
rest is nonsense. No, I wouldn't kiss you, if you did ask."

"Perhaps Wetter will ask you now. I have lent your husband money, and he
will pay Wetter off."

"Ah, perhaps he will then; he is curious, Wetter. But I shan't kiss him.
I am ve