But, being of the people myself, it was necessary that I should have some one of weight and standing to meet the nephew of the Duke of the Wolfmark and his friend.
Moodily pacing down the glade, which led from the second terrace and the pleasaunce, I almost overran the Prince himself.

He was seated under a tree, a parchment of troubadours' songs lay by him, illuminated (to judge by the woeful pictures) by no decent monkish or clerkly hand.

He had a bottle of Rhenish at hand, and looked the same hearty, hard-headed, ironic soldier he ever was, and yet, what is more strange, every inch of him a Prince.
"Whither away, young Sir Amorous," he cried, pretending great indignation at my absent-mindedness, "head among the clouds or intent as ever on the damosels?
Conning madrigals for lovers' lutes, mayhap?
And all the while taking no more heed of God's honest princes than if they existed only for trampling under your feet." I asked his pardon--but indeed I had not come so nigh him as that.
"I am to fight in a private quarrel," said I, "and, truth to tell, I sorely want a second, and was pondering whom to ask." The Prince sighed.
"Ah, lad," he said, "once I had wished no better than to stand up at your side myself.

I was not a Prince then though; and again, these laws--these too strict laws of mine! But what is the matter of your duel, and with whom ?" "Well," said I, "I have slapped Count von Reuss's chafts with his own glove, in the midst of his friends, on the upper terrace." 'Tis possible I may be mistaken, I suppose, but I did think then, and still do think, that I saw evident tokens of pleasure on the face of the Prince.
"And the cause--" I hesitated, blushing temple-high, I dare say, in spite of the growth of my mustaches.
"A woman, then!" cried the Prince.

Then, more low, he added, "Not the-- ?" He would have said the Princess, for he paused, in his turn, with a graver look on his face.
So I hastened with my explanation.
"He insulted the young Lady Helene, maid of honor to the Princess, who is to me as a sister, having been brought up with me in one house.