The notification was made in my presence; and though the young Countess said 'Never!' and fell down in a swoon at her lady's feet, I was, you may be sure, entirely unconcerned at this little display of mawkish sensibility, and felt, indeed, now that my prize was secure.
That evening I gave the Chevalier de Magny the emerald, which he promised to restore to the Princess; and now the only difficulty in my way lay with the Hereditary Prince, of whom his father, his wife, and the favourite, were alike afraid.

He might not be disposed to allow the richest heiress in his duchy to be carried off by a noble, though not a wealthy foreigner.

Time was necessary in order to break the matter to Prince Victor.

The Princess must find him at some moment of good-humour.
He had days of infatuation still, when he could refuse his wife nothing; and our plan was to wait for one of these, or for any other chance which might occur.
But it was destined that the Princess should never see her husband at her feet, as often as he had been.

Fate was preparing a terrible ending to her follies, and my own hope.