My father and I, we are so alone.
I have never known the comradeship of young people; I have never
had that which youth longs for--a confidant of my own age. The
young people I know serve me simply for their own ends, and not
because they love me.
"I have never spoken thus before to-day, save to this dog. He
has been my confidant; but he can not speak except with his kind
old eyes, and he can not understand as I would have him. And
they hate even him because they know that I love him. Poor dog!
"What my father has done has always been wrong in his own eyes,
but he sinned for my sake, and God will forgive him. He gave up
the home he loved for my sake. O, that I had known and
understood! I was only six. We are so alone; we have no place to
go, no friends save two, and they are helpless. And now I am to
make a sacrifice for him to repay him for all he has done for me.
I have promised my hand to one I do not love; even he forsakes
me. But love is not the portion of princesses. Love to them is a
fairy story. To secure my father's throne I have sacrificed my
girlhood dreams. Ah! and they were so sweet and dear.
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