The Tisch entered my boudoir last night in her mantilla, emblem of her office as Grand Mistress. Some dirty business on hand, I surmised at once. "Imperial Highness," she said, genuflexing ceremoniously, "I submit that your artist takes too long about the portrait. Your Imperial Highness's visits to the studio must cease." "Since when do you give orders here, Baroness?" "His Majesty empowered me," answered the Grand Dame. "In that case, do as you like, but don't bother me," I cried bravely enough, but trembling in every limb. The Tisch, no doubt, is preparing to deal me another blow. When I told Richard that henceforth we would have to exercise extra care, he was beside himself with rage. "Why stand such tyranny?" he cried. "No self-respecting woman, other than royal, would submit for a single week to be bullied and intrigued against and threatened and browbeaten as you are, and they have ill-used you for eleven years. If you were a simple Cit's daughter, instead of the descendant of a decrepit, bloodless family, yclept royal, you would make an end now, leave them to their shabby kingship and be a free woman--free and happy." My lover forgets the children, but the picture of the free life he draws is most attractive. "And would you go with me to the end of the earth, as the story books put it?" I asked tremblingly. "Louise," he answered, "if you are brave enough and strong enough to throw away a crown, I will be your slave for life." * * * * * DRESDEN, _October 20, 1902_. "Your Imperial Highness was pleased to call me a thief once," said the Tisch early this morning as she entered my boudoir, triumph written all over her yellow countenance. "You repeated that calumny to the Prince Royal and doubtless to many other persons. Today came the opportunity to live up to my reputation. I stole a letter addressed to you by your present lover, and as Your Imperial Highness is pleased to doubt my authority, immediately sent it to His Majesty. It makes highly interesting reading." The blow made my knees tremble, but pain and rage came to my assistance, effacing the momentary weakness. "Don't think for a moment to frighten me," I cried. "I say to your face that I have a lover--a gentleman, not an unspeakable, like your nephew. And now listen: I will tell the King and the press of Europe, if it must be, that it was you, my Grand Mistress, who 'pandered' me to Henry--for--revenue. I will have him whipped out of the army----" "You don't suppose for a moment that the word of an adulteress would prove acceptable either to His Majesty or anyone else?" hissed the insolent creature. "My word will be accepted all around," I shouted back, "for I have the proofs, proofs that you smuggled this unspeakable into my household, proofs that you lied to the King in order not to disrupt your nephew's career.