Fiction > Book editions > London, 1888 - Prince Otto

i7tJ PRINCE OTTO
change of tone. 'Otto, I beseech you let me
save it. Take this dross from your poor friend
who loves you ! '
'Madam, madam,' babbled Otto, in the
extreme of misery, ' I cannot — I must go.'
And he half rose ; but she was on the
ground before him in an instant, clasping his
knees. ' No,' she gasped, ' you shall not go.
Do you despise me so entirely ? It is dross ; I
hate it ; I should squander it at play and be no
richer ; it is an investment ; it is to save me
from ruin. Otto,' she cried, as he again feebly
tried to put her from him, ' if you leave me
alone in this disgrace, I will die here ! ' He
groaned aloud. ' 0,' she . said, ' think what I
suffer ! If you suffer from a piece of delicacy,
think what I suffer in my shame ! To have my
trash refused ! You would rather steal, you
think of me so basely ! You would rather tread
my heart in pieces ! 0, unkind ! my Prince !
Otto ! pity me ! ' She was still clasping
him ; then she found his hand and covered it
with kisses, and at this his head began to turn.
' 0,' she cried again, ' I see it ! what a
horror ! It is because I am old, because I am
no longer beautiful.' And she burst into a
storm of sobs.
This was the coup de grdce. Otto had now
to comfort and compose her as he could, and