The Princess Sophia

Excerpt: Prince Petros scarcely seemed to have overrated—though it was ever his habit to take a sufficiently rosy view of the verdict of the world on himself—the favourable impression he had made in those two days at Amandos. The officers whom he had met at the review admired his fine horsemanship no less than his amiability for no man could be more agreeable without any suspicion of condescension than he. The ladies of the Court were entranced by the charm of his manners and the grace of his dancing. Sophia as has been seen was captive to the mastery of his bezique and Prince Demetrius a testimonial to the full as striking as any of these had never snarled at him once. The fact of their betrothal was made known before the lapse of many days and the news evoked bells fireworks and universal approval. Sophia’s acceptance of him delighted her father and he would certainly have made himself odious had she refused him. He had no wish to see his daughter a second Queen Elizabeth and the romance of such a figure in his eyes bore no comparison with the desired consummation of his hopes to see her a matron with a lusty and numerous progeny. His cousins he frankly looked upon in the light of obscene birds of prey ready to batten on his own extinct line. Already so it seemed to him they were hopping hungrily about the steps of the throne of Rhodopé but the news of Sophia’s betrothal scared them hurriedly away and from afar they sent long congratulatory telegrams. Prince Demetrius smiled to himself when he thought how bitter must those honeyed words have been to their royal authors. The Grand Duke Nicholas so he thought alone acted in a self-respecting manner for he sent no word.