With a smile he dismissed them.
"My child," he began, taking Hildegarde's hand and drawing her toward a window-seat, "the king of Jugendheit asks for your hand." "Mine, father ?" "Even so." "Then I am to marry the king of Jugendheit ?" There was little joy in her voice.
"Ah, we have not gone so far as that.

The king, through his uncle, has simply made a proposal.

How would you regard it, knowing what you do of the past, the years that you lived in comparative penury, amid hardships, unknown, and almost without name ?" "It is for you to decide, father.

Whatever your decision is, I shall abide by it." "It is a hard lesson we have to learn, my child.

We can not always marry where we love; diplomacy and politics make other plans.