"
John saw that he had made no impression upon him. Frank, honest and
brave, an Auersperg was nevertheless in the boy's mind an Auersperg,
something superior, a product of untold centuries, a small and
sublimated group of the human race to which nothing else could aspire,
not even talent, learning, courage and honesty. To all Auerspergs,
Napoleon and Shakespeare were mere men of genius, to be patronized. John
smiled, too. He did not feel hurt at all. In his turn he felt a
superiority, a superiority of perception, and a superiority in the sense
of proportion.
"Prince Karl of Auersperg is always resolved to maintain his pride of
blood, is he not?" he asked.
"He considers it his duty. The head of a house that has been princely
for fifteen centuries could not do less. He could never forget or
forgive an insult to his person."
"If he were insulted he would hold that all the Auerspergs who were now
living and all who had lived in the last fifteen hundred years were
insulted also."
"Undoubtedly!" replied Kratzek, with great emphasis.
"I merely wished to know," said John, gravely, "in order that I may know
how to bear myself in case I should meet Prince Karl of Auersperg"--he
had not told that he had met him already--"and now I'm going to tell you
good-by, Leopold. I think it likely that I shall be sent away on a
mission and before I return it is probable that you will be exchanged.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62