The prince alone gazed upon the company with a sort of confused wonder; but he smiled on as before. He seemed to be pleased with the scene. At sight of the mother and daughter embracing, he took out his handkerchief, and wiped his eye, in the corner of which there really was a tear.
Of course the company fell upon him with their congratulations before very long.
“I congratulate you, Prince! I congratulate you!” came from all sides at once.
“So you are going to be married, Prince?”
“So you really are going to marry?”
“Dear Prince! You really are to be married, then?”
“Ye—yes, ye—yes; quite so, quite so!” replied the old fellow, delighted beyond measure with all the rapture and atmosphere of congratulation around him;“and I confess what I like best of all, is the ve—ery kind in—terest
