“God help us poor men!” the King said with an exaggerated groan.
Then he asked more seriously,
“Why are you not content just to be as you look? A pretty flower created by God for the delight of man!”
“Because pretty flowers die!” Anastasia retorted. “I want to live and I want to live fully!”
The King took his eyes from his horses to look at her.
“That is something I feel quite certain you will do, sooner or later!” he answered. “But I am not certain yet if it will be very satisfactory from my point of view.”
Anastasia did not quite understand what he was saying and to change the subject, pointed out a castle in the distance and asked the King to tell her about it.
They reached the Hunting Lodge, which was a small house situated in the depths of a pine forest and found that luncheon
