215/263 They both, at any rate, thought themselves safe at the time." "Then why did they keep from me everything I might have known ?" Her friend bent upon her the mildest eyes. "Why did I myself keep it from you ?" "Oh, you weren't, for honour, obliged." "Dearest Maggie," the poor woman broke out on this, "you ARE divine!" "They pretended to love me," the Princess went on. "And they pretended to love HIM." "And pray what was there that I didn't pretend ?" "Not, at any rate, to care for me as you cared for Amerigo and for Charlotte. They were much more interesting--it was perfectly natural. "How couldn't I, how couldn't I ?" Then, with a fine freedom, she went all her way. |