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She said it all with such unmistakably good-humoured disbelief that when she had recourse to the term she had freely used the previous night, I could not refrain from smiling.

“The Emperor has done me the honour to make me his friend.”

“You are very fortunate, M.—let me see, what is the name—M. Harper C. Denver,” she replied with a gay laugh. “You are also an excellent actor, having picked up many little gestures of the Emperor himself. It is really a most wonderful coincidence.”

“The reception at the railway station was planned by Prince Kalkov, who knew of my coming and had heard from His Majesty of the strange resemblance between us.”

“Really, Prince Kalkov is more subtle than I thought him. Well then, M. American, what do you propose to do?”

She stopped and looked me full in the face with a smiling challenge. It was plain as the Statue of Liberty that she didn’t believe a word of my explanation.

“I wish to discuss the situation with you frankly. I wish you to believe that what I now say is absolutely true; and further, if you will accept them, to place my services for what they are worth entirely at your disposal. I would do anything to serve you and to atone in some way for this deception of mine.”