Ah,' said my friend, ‘all Paris knows that she's in love with Duke Michael of Strelsau. And he, as you know, is the half- brother of the new King of Ruritania. Although he's only the second son and will never be king himself, he's still an important man and very popular, I hear, with many Ruritanians. The lovely Madame Antoinette won't look twice at you, Rudolf.