“On matrimonial matters? So we heard. Perhaps you don’t know that she was asked to join the family dinner-party, and refused on account of the company she would meet--otherwise you and me?” “No,” said the Queen calmly; “she could not bring herself to meet me.” “My dear Ernestine--your own cousin! Ah, I see. Because you had degraded yourself by stooping to me--was that it?” The Queen looked at him searchingly. “Raised myself, rather,” she said. “Yes, that is no doubt the reason, Cyril.” “I see the book Nicholson wanted has come. I think I’ll take it in to him and see how he is,” said Usk, who felt himself slightly _de trop_. From his brother-in-law Mansfield he had gathered the idea that the Princess Dowager of Dardania would at one time not have scorned to marry Cyril herself, but he knew his uncle well enough to be certain that no word would ever pass his lips on the subject. “Ottilie is determined that Michael shall marry Sonya,” said the Queen, when he had gone out. “Yes; it was considerate of her to call and quench any hopes that the poor Schwarzwald-Molzaus might be cherishing. I shall be curious to see if she tries anything of the kind upon Félicia.” “I don’t think she would regard her as a serious rival to Sonya.” “Then she would be very much mistaken. The Grand-Duke took the hint I managed to give him far better than I expected. If his own daughter had married Michael, it would not have solved our difficulties at all, for there would still be the money to be found. Little Helene won’t have more than a few thousands, at the outside, and her father sees the difficulty. He will make Michael introduce him to Félicia, and will watch her for a day or two before he takes any decided step. And Félicia is the kind of girl who will appeal to him by her very audacity. She will surprise and amuse him, and calmly ignore his prejudices when that unfortunate little Helene would be cowering in terror.” “Cyril, did it strike you? If we could get rid of Ivan Petrovitch, there is Usk. Of course, I mean if Michael insists on marrying Félicia.” “Usk marry Helene? My dear Ernestine, may I ask you to keep that idea to yourself? If it came to pass, I should never leave Europe alive.” “Cyril, what do you mean? What difference could it make?”