strong. It is good when a man makes a woman feel like that. I am a
woman, although I am still at school. There is southern blood in me,
and we become women earlier than English girls do. Listen! There are
England, and France, and Germany, and Austria, and Russia all interested
in me, and nothing would please them all so much as my death. As it
is, I am a difficulty in all their politics. They would like me to
forget who, and what, I am. They would marry me to some nobleman of
no importance, if they could, just to keep me quiet."

"And you will not be quiet."

"No. Why should I be? Would you? In my country a usurper is upon the
throne, kept there, held there, like a child who would fall but for
its nurse's arms, by all the Powers of Europe. It is I who should be
there. It is I who will be there one day. Shall I tell you? There are
hundreds, thousands, of men who are ready to strike in my cause when
the time is ripe. Even now there is a statesman working to set these
countries at cross purposes with one another, and when they quarrel,
then is my opportunity. You shall see. That is why I said I would be
a man if I could. It would be so much easier for a man, but as it is,
a woman shall do it."

"I hope you may. You deserve to."

"But you doubt it?" she said.

"There seem to be heavy odds against you."

"That helps me. It stirs up the best that is in me. It is good to have
something to struggle for, something to win, and if I may not win, I