human
Well, she said, finding that Hillard's mental reservations were not to be voiced,
gpt
That's all very well, rejoined O'Mally;
human
You will leave in the morning, then?
gpt
I hope to.
human
Want of courage?
gpt
No. Against physical danger I am willing to offer myself at any time to your Highness, with a touch of bitter irony.
human
But to walk straight into jail, with my eyes open, that's a horse of a different color.
gpt
I like you none the less for your frankness, Mr. O'Mally. And I apologize for doubting your courage. But if to-morrow I should produce a telegram from her Highness that would do away with all your doubts?
human
I'll answer that when I see the telegram. O'Mally made an unsuccessful attempt to roll a cigarette. This honeyed blarney, to his susceptible Irish blood, was far more dangerous than any taunts; but he remembered in time the fable of the fox and the crow.
gpt
We have all been together now for many weeks. Yet, who you are none of us knows.
human
I am the princess,
gpt
Oh, yes; of course; I forgot. But I mean your real name.
human
My real name? Have you ever before asked me what it is?
gpt
Perhaps we have been a little afraid of you,
human
My name is Sonia Hilda Grosvenor.
gpt
Pardon me, said O'Mally drolly,
human
My father had one attack of insanity, since you ask. La Signorina's face sobered. She stepped over to the wall, rested upon it, and searched the deepening eastern horizon. Yes, her father had been insane, and all her present wretchedness was due to this insanity of a rational mind. For a moment she forgot those about her, and her thought journeyed swiftly back to the old happy days.
gpt
Yes, there is a species of insanity in my veins. She turned to them again.
human
But it is the insanity of a sane person, the insanity of impulse and folly, of wilfulness and lack of foresight. As Mr. O'Mally said, I have gone and done it. What possessed me to say that I am the princess is as inexplicable to me as to you, though you may not believe it. But for me there is no withdrawing now; flight would do us no good. We, or I, I should say, have created a suspicion, and if we ran away we should be pursued from one end of Italy to the other, till this suspicion was dissipated. We should become suspects, and in Italy a suspect is liable to immediate arrest. I am sorry that I have tangled you up in this. I release you all from any promise,
gpt
If you talk like that--
human
Sh!
gpt
It's all right, Smith. No one can force me into a scrape of this sort; but when she speaks like that! Signorina, or I should say, Miss Grosvenor, you have the most beautiful voice in the world. Some day, and we are all out of jail, I expect to hear you in the balcony scene with some famous _tenore robusto_ as Romeo. You will be getting three thousand a week. You needn't bother about the telegram; but I'll have to have a new suit, touching the frayed cuffs of his coat.
human
Now, if we go to jail, how'll we get out?
gpt
Trust me!
human
Well, said Smith,