Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/236

 'Why is it an insult? It is the simple truth. I do take your money,' said Paul Muniment.

'You take it for a sacred cause; you don't take it for yourself.'

'The Prince isn't obliged to look at that,' Muniment rejoined, laughing.

His companion was silent for a moment; then, 'I didn't know you were on his side,' she replied, gently.

'Oh, you know on what side I am!'

'What does he know? What business has he to address you so?'

'I suppose he knows from Madame Grandoni. She has told him that I have great influence with you.'

'She was welcome to tell him that!' the Princess exclaimed.

'His reasoning, therefore, has been that when I find you have nothing more to give to the cause I will let you go.'

'Nothing more? And does he count me, myself, and every pulse of my being, every capacity of my nature, as nothing?' the Princess cried, with shining eyes.

'Apparently he thinks that I do.'

'Oh, as for that, after all, I have known that you care far more for my money than for me. But it has made no difference to me,' said the Princess.

'Then you see that by your own calculation the Prince is right.'

'My dear sir,' Muniment's hostess replied, 'my interest in you never depended on your interest in me. It depended wholly on a sense of your great destinies. I suppose that what you began to tell me is that he stops my allowance.'