“Your pardon, ma’am. It is just that it’s such a surprise.”
“But what is a surprise?” the Empress asked. And then, as if the idea suddenly dawned on her, “You see it too! She reminds you of someone – someone we have met. It was exactly what I said myself. I felt that I had met Miss Musgrave somewhere before, but I could not think where. Can you enlighten me?”
The Prince glanced at the Empress and then back to Gisela. For a moment he hesitated and then, as if he made up his mind to be particularly daring, he said,
“Ma’am, you must forgive me if this angers you. No one could ever aspire to be as beautiful or as exquisite as you are yourself. But you must see that there is an undoubted resemblance. A pale reflection, it’s true, but nevertheless a reflection.”
“What are you talking about?”
