At
one moment he was dismissing the idea of such delicateness, such
super-refined super-sensitiveness being taken with a man of his
imperfect bringing-up and humble origin. The next moment his self-
esteem was bobbing again, was jauntily assuring him that he was "a
born king" and, therefore, would naturally be discovered and loved
by a truly princess--"And, by Heaven, she IS a princess of the
blood royal! Those eyes, those hands, those slender feet!" Having
no great sense of humor he did not remind himself here how
malicious nature usually deprives royalty of the outward marks of
aristocracy to bestow them upon peasant.
At last he convinced himself that she was actually burning with
love for him, that she had lifted the veil for an instant--had
lifted it deliberately to encourage him to speak for himself. And
he was not repelled by this forwardness, was, on the contrary,
immensely flattered. It is the custom for those of high station to
reassure those of lower, to make them feel that they may draw near
without fear. A queen seeking a consort among princes always
begins the courting. A rich girl willing to marry a poor man lets
him see she will not be offended if he offers to add himself to
her possessions.
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