"Will you not allow me to lend you five hundred? I happen to have a
five hundred franc note in my purse, for I was going to pay a bill on
my way home."

"Thanks," said the Princess. "That will save me the trouble of sending
for Sassi. He always bores me dreadfully with his figures. Thank you
very much."

"Not at all, dear friend," the Baroness answered. "It is a pleasure, I
assure you. But I had thought of asking if you would let Sabina come
and stay with me for a little while, until your affairs are more
settled."

"Oh, would you do that?" asked the Princess with something like
enthusiasm. "I really do not know what to do with the girl. Of course,
I could take her to Poland and marry her there, but she is so
peculiar, such a strange child, not at all like me. It really would be
immensely kind of you to take her, if your husband does not object."

"He will be delighted."

"Yes," acquiesced the Princess calmly. "You see," she continued in a
meditative tone, "if I sent her to stay with any of our cousins here,
I am sure they would ask her all sorts of questions about our affairs,
and she is so silly that she would blurt out everything she fancied
she knew, whether it were true or not--about my son and his wife, you
know, and then, the money questions. Poor Sabina! she has not a
particle of tact! It really would be good of you to take her. I shall
be so grateful."