Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/49

. No doubt it does. It is not a question of ideas, however, but of interests. I am a Prince; it is to their advantage to make me appear ridiculous—personally, in my love, and in my marriage. They do not respect me because I am a Prince, yet they blame me because I love like an ordinary man.

. Precisely. You have hit upon the reason for the universal disapprobation which your conduct arouses, both among your enemies and your friends. You were content to enjoy the prerogatives of Prince so long as it suited you to do so; now you wish to share the immunities of a private citizen, because it happens to be convenient. That is the difficulty, that is what the public with unerring instinct condemns. Every rank has its obligations, which are in proportion to its privileges.

. What privileges attached to mine? I might live the prescribed routine, provided I manifested no initiative, and never had an original thought of my own. You conferred the command of a regiment upon me; no sooner did I introduce some reforms, which would have improved the condition of my subordinates, than the government took alarm, and I was reprimanded severely. I visited the colonies, and returned to publish my observations. The book was cut down by the censor to a few insignificant banalities, for which I blush to be held responsible. If I desire to contribute to charity, I must restrain my generosity so that my contributions may not be greater than yours, nor than those of others who are nearer the throne. I am a lover of art, yet I am not able to express my admiration for an artist or for his work, unless it accords with the official art standards and is thoroughly orthodox. It is the same with everything. These are my privileges. My initiative, my intelligence, my sympathies are never permitted to overstep the