She was the first to speak.
"All these favourable turns in my affairs are due to your kind intervention, I infer," she began.
"Without wishing to be boastful, I must admit that they are.

You know the prince: he has more whims and freaks than Caligula.

He has moments when he is capable of throttling an angel from heaven, and gentle moods in which he is ready to do his most deadly enemy a secret kindness.
These latter phases of his humour it was my task to lie in wait for and turn to your account.

Whether this was a difficult task or not, you who know the prince can judge." "You will find me not ungrateful," said the princess.

"In case the unpleasant affair which has called me to Rome is settled satisfactorily, I shall make over to you, as the one chiefly instrumental in effecting this settlement, the yearly allowance intended for me by the prince.