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"Read this if you like, Father," said the princess, blushing

still more and holding out the letter.

"The third, I said the third!" cried the prince abruptly, pushing

the letter away, and leaning his elbows on the table he drew

toward him the exercise book containing geometrical figures.

"Well, madam," he began, stooping over the book close to his

daughter and placing an arm on the back of the chair on which she

sat, so that she felt herself surrounded on all sides by the

acrid scent of old age and tobacco, which she had known so long.

"Now, madam, these triangles are equal; please note that the

angle ABC..."