One fine morning your duchy will wake up without a duchess." "What do you imply--an abduction ?" The Colonel laughed.
"That is my secret." "And the pretty countess ?" banteringly.
"It was rather bad taste in Madame.

It was putting love and patriotism to questionable purposes.

I am a gentleman." "It was out of consideration for you; Madame was not quite sure about you.

But you are right; all of it has rather a dark shade.

You may rob a man of his valuables and give them back; a broken word is not to be mended.