If they had known how next they would hear it! If they had known then what that law would come to mean to her! What could she do now--what could even Olivia do now but assent?
She could do a great deal, it appeared.

She could incline her head, with a bewitching droop of eyelids, and look up to meet the eyes of the prince with a serenity that was like a smile.
"In my country," said Olivia gravely, "when anything special arises they frequently find that there is no law to cover it.

It would seem to us"-- it was as though the humility of that "us" took from her superb daring--"that this is a matter requiring the advice of the High Council.

Therefore," asked little Olivia gently, "will you not appoint, your Highness, a special session of the High Council to convene at noon to-morrow, to consider our proposition ?" There was a scarcely perceptible stir among the members of the High Council, for even the liberals were, it would seem, taken aback by a departure which they themselves had not instituted.

Olivia, still in submission to tradition which she could not violate, had gained the time for which she hoped.