Good-natured Frau Kate laughed softly, and Twonette said, with smiling serenity:-- "Yolanda's head will surely be turned, Sir Count, when she hears you have called her the princess.

So much greatness thrust upon her will make it impossible for us to live with her." "She rules us all as it is, sweet soul," said Castleman.
"Yolanda is ill upstairs, Sir Count," said Frau Kate.

"She wanted to come down this evening, but I commanded otherwise.

Twonette, go to her.
She will be lonely." Twonette rose, courtesied, and departed.

This splendid bit of acting almost made me doubt that Yolanda was the princess, and it shook Max's conviction to its very foundation.
I wish to warn you that the deception practised upon Max by Yolanda will seem almost impossible, except on the hypothesis that Max was a very simple fellow.