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"Ah, dear friend," replied Princess Mary, "I have asked you never

to warn me of the humor my father is in. I do not allow myself to

judge him and would not have others do so."

The princess glanced at her watch and, seeing that she was five

minutes late in starting her practice on the clavichord, went

into the sitting room with a look of alarm. Between twelve and

two o'clock, as the day was mapped out, the prince rested and the

princess played the clavichord.

CHAPTER XXVI

The gray-haired valet was sitting drowsily listening to the

snoring of the prince, who was in his large study. From the far

side of the house through the closed doors came the sound of

difficult passages-twenty times repeated-of a sonata by Dussek.