Therefore, it seems that you now imagine
yourself to be his lawful wife. This is a very natural mistake for a
girl to make who is as young and inexperienced as you are, and I am
sorry,--very sorry for the false position in which my son the Crown
Prince has so thoughtlessly placed you. But, after very earnest
consideration, I,--and the Queen also,--think it much better for you to
know the truth at once, so that you may fully realize the situation,
and then, by the exercise of a little common sense, spare yourself any
further delusion and pain. All we can do to repair the evil, you may
rest assured shall be done. But you must thoroughly understand that the
Crown Prince, as heir to the Throne, cannot marry out of his own
station. If he should presume to do so, through some mad and hot-headed
impulse, such a marriage is not admitted or agreed to by the nation.
Thus you will see plainly that, though you have gone through the
marriage ceremony with him, that counts as nothing in your case,--for,
according to the law of the realm, and in the sight of the world, you
are not, and cannot be his wife!"
Gloria raised her deep bright eyes and smiled.
"No?" she said, and then was silent.
The King regarded her with surprise, and a touch of anger. He had
expected tears, passionate declamations, and reiterated assurances of
the unalterable and indissoluble tie between herself and her lover, but
this little indifferently-queried "No?" upset all his calculations.
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