Fiction > Book editions > London, 1885 - Prince Otto

i6 PRIXCE OTTO
artificial and complicated. It is easy to do right
in the one, and exceedingly difficult not to do
wrong in the other. If your crop is blighted,
you can take off your bonnet and say, " God's
will be done " ; but if the prince meets with a
reverse, he may have to blame himself for the
attempt. And perhaps, if all the kings in
Europe were to confine themselves to innocent
amusement, the subjects would be the better
off.'
' Ay,' said the young man Fritz, ' you are in
the right of it there. That was a true word
spoken. And I see you are like me, a good
patriot and an enemy to princes.'
Otto was somewhat abashed at this deduc-
tion, and he made haste to change his ground.
' But,' said he, ' you surprise me by what you say
of this Prince Otto. I have heard him, I must
own, more favourably painted. I was told he
was, in his heart, a good fellow, and the enemy
of no one but himself.'
' And so he is, sir,' said the girl, ' a very
handsome, pleasant prince ; and we know some
who would shed their blood for him.'
'0! Kuno!' said Fritz. 'An ignoramus!'
'Ay, Kuno, to be sure,' quavered the old
farmer. ' Well, since this gentleman is a stranger
to these parts, and curious about the Prince, I
do believe that story might divert him. Tliis