“Yet, so far as my personal observation goes, numberless international marriages have been happy.  The American wife of a European finds many compensations—­for although her husband does not allow her freedom to follow her own whims, and may not even permit her to spend her own money, he gives her a ceaseless attentiveness that never relaxes into the careless indifference of the husbands across the sea.

“It is after all a question of choice—­do you want the little things of life very perfectly polished or do you prefer rough edges and heroic sizes!  European men know how to make themselves charming to their wives, because with them to be charming is an aim in itself.  They have versatility, ease, and grace of intellect, where the American men are bound up in their one or two absorbing ideas, outside of which they take no interest.  The Europeans are brilliant conversationalists, they make an effort to be agreeable and to take an interest in whatever occupies the person they are talking to—­even though that person is a member of their family.

“But, of course, as in everything, there is a price one has to pay.  One can’t have rigidity and flexibility both in the same person.  For the pliancy of understanding, the easy sympathy, one has to relinquish a certain moral steadfastness.”

Suddenly the princess looked away and spoke very lightly, as though merely brushing over the surface of the thoughts in her mind:  “What would you have, dear?  Men are men—­it is well not to question too far.  Even the best of them have to be forgiven sometimes.”  Under the light tone, there was an unwonted vibration, and though the princess’s face was partly averted, Nina caught a shadow of pain in her eyes.  But the next moment she smiled.  “I can tell you a story,” she said, “about a young bride whose husband was very fascinating to women.  The young wife, with suspicions of his devotion to another lady, went in tears to her mother-in-law.  But the old lady asked her, ’Is not Pietro an admirable husband?  And is he not a most devoted and attentive lover as well?’ And the bride sobbed, ’Oh, yes, that is the worst of it—­it is almost impossible to believe in his faithlessness, he is so adorable.’  And her mother-in-law answered:  ’Then, my child, be glad that you have in your husband one of the most accomplished lovers in the world, and do not inquire too closely where he gets his practice.’”

“Do you mean to say that a woman can be happy under such circumstances?” Nina demanded.  “If that is a typical foreigner, then I am glad American men are different!  I’d rather my husband were less accomplished and more entirely mine.”

“Yes, dear, I am sure you would,” the princess rejoined.  “That is one of the reasons why I told you.  For you, I think a European marriage would be—­not best.”  She looked up quickly.  “You ought to marry some one—­I’ll describe him—­some one quite strong, quite big, quite splendid.  And his name is easy to guess—­of course it’s John.”