She was mine, mine,
mine! The innkeeper had not really known her heart till the night in
the garden to which he so adroitly referred; then he had made up his
mind that things were not as they should be, and had sent me that
anonymous note. Mine at last, I thought. Somehow, for the first time
in my life I felt what is called masterful; that is to say, not all
heaven and earth should take her away from me now. Softly I passed
over to her side and knelt at her feet. I lifted the hem of her gown
and pressed it to my lips.
"My Princess!" I murmured, "all mine." I kissed her unresisting hand.
Then I rose and put my arms around her. She trembled but made no
effort to withdraw. "I swear to you, Gretchen, that I will never leave
you again, not if the King should send an army against me, which he
will never do, since he has commanded that I marry you. Beware! It is
a dangerous thing to trifle with a King's will. And then, even if the
King should change his mind, I should not. You are mine. I should
like to know if I haven't won you! Oh, they do well to call you
Princess Caprice.
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