In his attitude toward the girl the duke stood alone. Behind his back

his ministers wore out their shoes in waiting on the caprices of the

girl, while the grand duchess, half-blind and half-deaf, openly

worshiped her wilful but wholly adorable niece, and abetted her in all

her escapades. So far as the populace was concerned, she was the

daughter of the favorite son, dead these eighteen years, and that was

enough for them. Whatever she did was right and proper. But the

hard-headed duke had the power to say what should be what, and he

willed it that the Princess Hildegarde should marry his old comrade in

arms, the Prince of Doppelkinn.




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