"Can I be of any immediate use?" asked the Baroness with unnecessary
timidity. "Do you need ready money?"
"Ready money?" echoed the Princess with alacrity. "Of course I do! I
told you, Sassi says that two or three millions would be enough to go
on with."
"I did not mean that. I am afraid--"
"Oh!" ejaculated the Princess with a little disappointment. "Nothing
else would be of any use. Of course I have money for any little thing
I need. There is my purse. Do you mind looking? I know I had two or
three thousand francs the other day. There must be something left.
Please count it. I never can count right, you know."
The Baroness took up the mauve morocco pocket-book to which the
Princess pointed. It had a clasp in which a pretty sapphire was set;
she opened it and took out a few notes and silver coins, which she
counted.
"There are fifty-seven francs," she said.
"Is that all?" asked the Princess with supreme indifference. "How very
odd!"
"You can hardly leave Rome with so little," observed the Baroness.
"Will you not allow me to lend you five hundred? I happen to have a
five hundred franc note in my purse, for I was going to pay a bill on
my way home."
"Thanks," said the Princess. "That will save me the trouble of sending
for Sassi. He always bores me dreadfully with his figures.
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