And
artful, in a sense, she was. Chafing that she was not a man, and
could not shine by action, she had conceived a woman's part, of
answerable domination; she sought to subjugate for by-ends, to rain
influence and be fancy free; and, while she loved not man, loved to
see man obey her. It is a common girl's ambition. Such was perhaps
that lady of the glove, who sent her lover to the lions. But the
snare is laid alike for male and female, and the world most artfully
contrived.
Near her, in a low chair, Gondremark had arranged his limbs into a
cat-like attitude, high-shouldered, stooping, and submiss. The
formidable blue jowl of the man, and the dull bilious eye, set
perhaps a higher value on his evident desire to please. His face
was marked by capacity, temper, and a kind of bold, piratical
dishonesty which it would be calumnious to call deceit. His
manners, as he smiled upon the Princess, were over-fine, yet hardly
elegant.
'Possibly,' said the Baron, 'I should now proceed to take my leave.
I must not keep my sovereign in the ante-room. Let us come at once
to a decision.'
'It cannot, cannot be put off?' she asked.
'It is impossible,' answered Gondremark. 'Your Highness sees it for
herself. In the earlier stages, we might imitate the serpent; but
for the ultimatum, there is no choice but to be bold like lions.
Had the Prince chosen to remain away, it had been better; but we
have gone too far forward to delay.
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