"'I _must_ speak of it. I tell you frankly that it is this accident, for which I am responsible, that has constrained me to accept something which I would not allow even to be mentioned only yesterday. It is this mishap which enables me to think that my marriage will not be absolutely a political affair--a thought which is very pleasing to a girl like me.' "'I'd rather have the other leg broken, and both arms, too,' he said in his gentle, melancholy way, 'than hear you use that terrible expression, "political affair."' "'I'm sure you would,' I replied, unmoved. 'I agree to be your wife. But you will not misunderstand me if I make one or two trifling stipulations.' "'Tell me, tell me,' he said with some emphasis. 'You know that everything you may ask is granted beforehand.' "'Oh! Oh!' I laughed. 'You may find in a minute that you've been just a little hasty. Well, dear friend' (I laid some stress on that word), 'from my childhood I have always enjoyed the most perfect liberty, and I don't intend to be deprived of it when I marry. It must be clearly understood that nothing is to be changed, nothing, you understand.' "'How could you think it of me!' "'Don't let us have any misunderstanding as to the meaning of words,' I said. 'Please realize that it is not a child, nor yet a woman, who is speaking, and understand that my stipulation, the expression of an unshakable resolve, is that our union is to be a relation of friendship, excluding everything else.' "I don't know if I should ever have dared to continue my shocking little speech if his masculine stupidity had not shown me how. "'You're in love with some one else!' he said in a hoarse voice. "'You forget yourself, and please don't be foolish,' I replied gently. 'I will condescend to tell you that I love no one, unless, perhaps--for the word "love" is a jack-of all-trades--my native land, hunting, flowers, to be left alone and two or three other things, which really should not arouse a jealousy only to be regretted in a man of intelligence. Are you satisfied?' "He smiled wanly. "'This,' I went on, 'is our little private compact. The chanceries will no doubt attend to the public formalities--and everything else. I attach no importance to them. Nor do you, I hope. I need not say that you will always find in me a consort worthy of yourself, equal to any situation that may arise, and capable, if God so wills it, of bearing worthily that famous crown of Würtemberg. Here's my hand on it.' "He took it and kissed it fervently. A great joy had banished the trouble in his eyes. I had never expected him to accept his fate so quietly. Then I suddenly grasped his reasoning: 'I shall be so good, so tender and thoughtful to her that she must be won over in the end, though I cannot now tell how far off that end may be.' "There was so much unaffected pathos in the poor man's delusions that I couldn't help being rather touched. We parted the best friends in the world.