Chapter 9 INDIRECT TORTURING.

All bow to the Strong and Mighty.  All bow to the Wealthy. Wealth follows the Strong and Mighty.  Nothing is wrong for them. What they do is right. What they say is right.  This is the crux of Life. In life Might is Right.

This is the Law of Nature.  Bigger fish eat away the big fish.

Big fish eat  the small fish.

Survival of the fittest is the philosophy of life. 

All want the shelter of the Strong and Mighty.  

In life nothing is for free.  Eventually you pay for it.

Of all the things created by God, man is the worst being ever to be found on the earth.  No good can come out of him. He is evil. He is impossible.  Keep away from him.  He has come late in the world. The earth, seas existed before him.  Yet he passes judgment on everybody. He puts everyone down.   Man is the root cause of all trouble. His ego, his ambition, cruelty  is unparallel. He is seen as his own enemy destroying the fruits of Nature on which his survival depends. He tries to prove his superiority over Nature.    He tries to prove that man is the Master. He has tamed the Nature to a non-existent level.  Nature has been trained and tamed and bridled as per man's wish.  In certain fields such pretensions have proved false.

Nature puts man in his proper place. Nature dwarfs the man. Nature tames the man. Nature inspires awe. Nature demands respect from man despite all his earthly achievements and scientific aid. Nature yields to man of courage.  Nature likes man with skill. Nature punishes thoughtless reckless adventurers. 

Man wants to fill up the gaps by himself doing His work, which Nature has not provided.   Nature kept blanks for a purpose. Who are we to fill in the blanks? What Nature has not provided we should not attempt to achieve.   Always have faith in Nature. Nature did not provide them on a purpose.  Man is blind to see His wish. Nature keeps a balance between the things.

Nature better knows what is good for us. Nature has made this world a sweet place for all of us.  We have to coexist. Man is a selfish egoistic self-centered savage type of an animal. 

He is a jealous type of a fellow. To prove that he is not jealous he plays all sorts of tricks before the girl. All his arithmetic fails before her.  She sees him transparent in his true colors. She is quiet and silent, as she is noble and gentle. A man is day dreaming if he thinks he cheats his girl.

She knows it all.  It may be her helplessness or she pretends she does not know.   She gives him a long rope. A girl is ten years wise in age in comparison to a boy of similar age.  Man has always under estimated woman.

There is difference between behavior quality characteristics of men and women.  Right from childhood a girl does calm cool quiet domestic life love. A boy is restless moving talking wandering here there and always out of the house.

A study of behavior of boys and girls indicates difference in their characteristics.  At times it is hard to be a woman. Life of a woman is tough tight and thorough and fearful.  Life of a man is smooth, free and fearless. 

Girls get together form a group and sit to work quietly and busy them in doing something or a particular thing assigned to them.

Boys are restless. They do not form a group and sit to work quietly and busy themselves in doing a particular thing assigned to them.  The boys can not sit to their seats for a long time. They fidget and crave to run away.

They are restless tired of the work entrusted.

They get impatient tired of trying such silly work.

After a few minutes they fidget find excuses to run off for more important work like viewing the hockey match or some such thing or running around climbing the trees etc.

We talk big things of equality and equal rights to women in all fields and all that stuff.  Courses have been prescribed for women to be competitive and combative like men.

Here lies the crux of the whole vanity of male dominated hypocrisy.  Why females should take courses to be competitive and combative like males?

Courses have to be prescribed for men to be tolerant patient and loving like women.

Why there should not be courses prescribed for men to be like females?  If girls are getting courses to encourage them to be more like men what courses are there for men to be like women?  We have underestimated undervalued the female passive qualities.  Passive resistance from females yields impossible achievements. The man comes falling at her feet. She gets what she demands. They can no longer be pushed around by male dominated society.

The womenfolk of the present generation has been alert aggressive arrogant combative and competitive to put men in their proper place to cut them all to size.

It is wrong to give importance to his money kind status size height color and what not.  Similarly all women are alike. They have the same machinery.   It is wrong to give importance to her money kind status size height color and what not.  All cats are black in the dark. All men are monkeys in the dark.  In case of men, three out of five suffer from erectile inability.  In case of women, three out of five are shy to go to their men because of age-old obsession and belief. Men and women live life of self-deprivation and quiet desperation. None speaks of it. They have to take help of voluntary agencies to solve their sex problems. This is the case for both the genders. 

It is all our imagination. Size of the breasts has nothing to do with love sentiments desire compassion and understanding. Some are frank to admit. Some die with their secrets.  She likes to be credited to be glamorous and sexy.   What goes with it is tremendous burden on her.  We take a lot for granted.    It is easy access.  We expect an awful lot in exchange of very little.   She becomes a thing and an object.   It is all our imagination. We would be happier in the arms of the milkmaid than in the arms of a star or a celebrity. The stars are a piece of wood. They can't love.  They are a piece of decoration. A maidservant in the house will give you more joy than any other living woman.   There is suspense. There is thrill. Forbidden fruits taste sweet. There is romance. There is mutual conspiracy, joy. The excitement is like waging a war. The suspense does it. There is joy of stealing. There is joy of doing the forbidden.

There is joy of breaking the code. There is joy of doing something different than others.   Stolen glances stolen kisses are titillating stimulating absorbing and everlasting.

There is joy of victory. There is suspense. There is joy of adventure.  There is thrill. It is an experience. His blood gets hot at the idea of an adventure.   Man will go to steal an unripe mango in a field at the risk of being caught and beaten.  He will not care for a quality ripe mango lying in his house. It has no thrill in it. In stealing there is challenge. There is thrill. It is an expedition.  There is fear of being caught. All his faculties are aroused challenged charged.

Man by nature is adventurous. He is a roving type of a fellow.   For girls also a little face to face, across the table talk is necessary. She does not have to spend hours after cosmetics for make up.  The Chairperson used to herself interview the girls for the post of airhostess. Her emphasis was on the girl's mental caliber.  The awareness to her identity and existence was important. She must be capable to tackle wildest of wild air passenger with ease and grace. She must be gifted with a charming personality. Air passengers take for granted liberty with airhostess. With purchase of an air-ticket they think they have purchased her also.   The management is aware of the flirting behavior of male air travelers.

She has to be alert, tactful with flirters. She has to ease the situation by her smile without insulting offending the passenger.  It is in the line of duty. She insisted for light makeup for an airhostess.  She believed that the uniform the airhostess was wearing was incomplete unless she wore a smile on her face.

A smile on her face is a part of her uniform. Positive attitude is an ornament. This is a challenging career for our women. It is a prerequisite to have above qualities in an airhostess. Clear sky above, holy earth beneath, you fly and fly like a bird amidst clouds with a layer of makeup on you. It is your get up that will wind you up in high quarters.  The quest of beauty has been going on since birth of Adam and Eve.  There are many fields. Color arena is one of them.

It helps to define personal image you reflect in choice of color. Your season type, your style type has to be identified.  You may be January, April June September belonging to any one of the four seasons. You may be winter spring or summer autumn oriented.

You may be creative dramatic classic or natural. You may be a combination of any one or two or all of them.  You have to discover this about you. There are agencies that do this for you to advice. Hair should be neither long nor too short.  You must be able to handle your hair without inconvenience to your other duties.  Your purse and your sandals reflect your standard of living.  They must be most expensive and ideally in direct proportion to your size.  You should not wear clothes in working hours, which may look like an evening dress.   Cardigans should be avoided. Makeup should be light and easy. A smile on your face is an essential prerequisite. You have to remain a center of attraction. You must be totally unaware of it.  It should be quite in a normal and natural way.  You are very determined and meant to be a great personality.  You should never feel discouraged. Your time is going to come.   Do not lose patience. You have to know by now what colors are becoming on you.

In evenings you must be attired in colors which would emphasize your get up and your personality. Color reflects your personality.    The right color will enhance your personality to a new height.   Your face is your important asset. Find out with what stuff it gets decorated.

Find out what stuff it does not suit. A thin eye brow pencil line in the form of an arrow at the corner of the eye would go well with some; with some it looks ridiculous.

You may look chic with eyeliner and a little bold lipstick on the lips.  Sit before the mirror. You are your own beautician. You have not to depend on any one.   You have to make your own decision.  Color your eyebrow as per color of the hair.   Darken your eyelashes to enhance their effect.  Your complexion plays an important role in highlighting your personality.  The base should be good to just polish it up.

Select the color scheme befitting the color of your skin. These accessories would revolutionize your outlook and make you self-confidant.  You will be much sought after celebrity. The colors must be enjoyable.  Take your own time. Study yourself in different colors.  When you realize you have achieved the intended effect of all these precautions,   You will feel by yourself how application tactics have changed you outright.   You become a presentable lady glowing shining and lustrous.  This is the time to reveal the damsel in you.  This is the time to make a striking everlasting effect.   This is the time to harvest what you had sown. It is a time consuming process. You have to bear it.  You have to be updating this process with new and new ideas. Do not sit tight with one formula. Find other and others and so on and so forth. 

Cosmetics are to face what clothes are to your body. Cosmetics are supposed to be the clothing for your face.  Going out without makeup on face is like going out without clothes on body.  Therefore proper make up is a prerequisite for any program or function.

Perfumes. You have to have your own standard perfume.  Perfume is your identity. Try all sort of perfumes and select one, which should be a part of you.  It must not be gaudy or too strong in smell.  It must be light feminine. After wearing the perfume, it will mingle with odor of the body and reflect a new smell. It will be maddening captivating pleasing and everlasting. Selection of a perfume is an art. You have to muster this art.  It needs time and care. Do not be hasty.  Your perfume is your identity. The perfume is your symbol.  You need to have self-confidence.  You have to cultivate your self-confidence.  You have to be a hard liner a hard bargainer without appearing so.  You are not cheap. You are not easy to get.  Keep your eyes half shut. You have not to look.  They have to look. They do find you.  They behave as if they did not find you.  It is a game of wits. They have to look for you to get you.  You are in your own world. You are unaware of everything.  You are absorbed in yourself. You are dedicated to yourself.  This is very important. Do not be surprised at anything.  Do not be moved by anything. Do not be afraid of anything.  Do not be shocked of anything. Nothing surprises you. Nothing shocks you. There should be no reaction on your part.  Do not register any reaction on your face. Keep calm.  Do not give your final opinion on any subject. You have seen enough. Silence is eloquent and golden. They are all shallow and hollow. They will try all sorts of joke mimicry overacting wild gestures to make their point. Do not be moved.

Smile and forget. Wait for none. Another will come. For developing confidence you have to undergo meditation and yoga lesson. You have to have dancing lesson. Stage appearance will enhance your self-confidence.  Traveling is the best thing to develop your self-confidence. You may be fragile thin but you must be made of steel. You have to be busy in your prayers. You have your own timetable. You adhere to your own schedule of activity. Refuse any offers. Refuse invitation. Better will follow if you would refuse.  It is difficult to refuse. Refusal has to be your second nature. Then it will be easy. Do not be merciful.   Do not think it will offend him and all that.  Let it. You do not budge. You refuse.  You resume your list of activities. Man is a jealous and whimsical type of an animal.   He does not value anything easily obtained. It should be hard to get. It must be life and death to get you.

Chapter 10.   SO THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

Prince of Paris, fell in love at first sight with  the Princess of Poland. It so happened that Prince was invited to participate in a Polo match being played at Warsaw, Poland. It was the final match of the polo series being played there. There were eight Athlete riding horses. Both side were eager to win the match. Each side was a team of four players. He led the first team.  The atmosphere of the match was electric. Whole of Warsaw was charged with the mood of the game.

Exquisite tents were erected to accommodate the guests. Variety of food dishes and drinks was ordered to entertain the invitee-guests. The Polo-Club, had made arrangement for spare-horses to ride in the event of a mishap or an accident. 

 Princess of Poland was the Chief Guest. Big dignitaries were present. She was to present the Cup to the winner team. She was present at the stadium accompanied by her group of friends. All were clad in their best dress.  She was clad in a white full-length evening gown. The bodice was strapless held up by the bones and was draped over the bosom. She was the center head of the match.  The Mayor made the opening statement.  After that the game began.  She was the center of attraction for every one present there. All eyes turned on her at short interval. She was used to it.

With participation of a few princes, the outcome of the match was bound to be sensational. A colorful audience had gathered anxiously to watch the polo-match.  There was excitement in the atmosphere.  Something was bound to happen.

What ballet is to dance, what chess is to indoor games, polo is to outdoor sport. The Mayor sat at the right and his wife on the other side of her.

Polo is one of the oldest sport.  It is said it originated in Iran. It spread in one form or in some modified form according to local conditions and climate, to India China and Japan.  The English Officers while serving in India were attracted to play polo games with the princes and kings and other dignitaries.  They took the game with them on return to England. Thereby it got spread all over Europe, USA and Argentina.  In Argentina, it is played on ponies. There the ponies have less height, are speedy and very flexible ideal for polo game to run swiftly and stop and turn abruptly; easy to chase the ball and make an easy goal.  Played with 4 players

on each side, riding on horses, with a race to score goal by hitting the ball in the goal-net, a hut designed specially at the end of the ground,   players on horses play a life to death game, to score a goal. It is played in a 300 by 100 yards playground where the rider uses a stick, a long cane angled with a bat to hit the ball to make a goal.  It is a game for the rich.  It needs a fleet of ponies/horses duly trained and well-fed to be able to take the field strain.  It is a dangerous and strenuous game.  The polo-player has to live a much disciplined life. Polo is like a jealous mistress.  It does not allow the polo-player to enjoy a family-life. It keeps him away from evening parties and public-function.  It demands his presence on the practice-ground early in the morning till ten a.m. till sun-heat is light.  Similarly he has to practice in the evening from 4p.m. to eight or so and leaves him drained out of all energy.

The Prince fell madly in love at first sight of the Princess.   After the match was over and trophy distributed to the winner's team, He approached the Princess. He introduced himself with greater details. He was all butter and honey to please her. He took an appointment for tea with her.  This was granted. Next day he invited her for a dinner. After long deliberation and getting his full background, it was approved.  It was fixed at Eight,  that evening. He got lucky. The Dinner went quite successful. Another meeting was arranged. Their meeting increased. She felt interested in him. Lunch dinner drive etc. were a routine. It ended as it should end in a happy end. Proposal was made. Proposal was accepted. Both were married in about a year.

She needed to be loved. He loved her too much.   She was an able rider.  The prince took her to the polo ground for polo lessons. After the lessons they used to disappear in the woods. They used to make love on the horse-back.  There was a fire-like passion of the two lovers on a horse back, the horse trotting at snail's pace; the lovers engaged in a loose embrace, his lips brushing her cheek.  It was a wonderful time for both of them.  They used to kiss in various ways.  After all a kiss is just a kiss. But the sentiment is forever.  This did not happen in her case.  Destiny meant something different.

He demanded nothing less. He wanted to own her. She was his creature at his disposal.  He was bold in looks.  He was timid in mind and the heart.  He was a very possessive type of a nobleman.  He believed her place belonged in the house.   She was tied with an invisible string. She was allowed to roam in a limited area.  It was tied around her neck with limited movement. She could spend as much money as she liked. She was not allowed to pick up her own wardrobe. She could not go anywhere. Her outside visits were in the country with a band of his trusted spies. Marriage with the Prince had turned out to be a layer of ownership. She was endowed with all responsibility of the estate and the house. She had no life of her choice. Her activities were monitored at every step.  Our Princess was not lucky. The Princess had not scored. Her man was timid coward. Her husband was a jealous type of a fellow. They were misfits from the beginning.  She had earlier noticed him as over possessive at some parties before marriage.  She had attributed this fact as his intense love for her. Here she had failed. She never imagined that her life would be a jail of a house for all the times to come.

He was overly guarded lest someone might see her.   He was worried that someone might lure her and take her away from him.   He was worried that lest the court officers might charm her and take her away.   She had married a timid man. He had no confidence and courage.  He had never deserved such an ornamental piece.  He deployed female guards around her, the females posing as her company.  In the heart of his heart the truth was the husband was jealous of her charm and beauty.

He suffered from fear that she might run away with someone better.  He was over protective. There were no outings. There were no parties. There were no Polo Matches. There were no functions. He used her like an instrument to progeny.   She had no freedom. She had no public life. She felt she was caged like a trapped bird.  She was a prisoner in her own house. He was particular to avoid social functions and public parties. He was worried and afraid lest the King might see her.  He was afraid lest the Court officers might seduce her. On the other hand she was totally devoted to her husband. The king or the Court officers did not impress her.  She was attached to her husband. She was a one-man woman. She was innocent of his fears about her. He never understood her.  She was in love with her man. To her the husband was everything. She was happy.  She was a gay laughing normal average wife of a Landlord Prince.  She was a center of attraction of all public functions.   She was regarded as a property in his eyes.   He could not appreciate her frank sporting nature.   He was guarding her as a prized property. He did not let her free for a while even.   

Within months of their marriage, she reported to him what all newly weds report.  That She was late. That She was pregnant.   In the heart of his heart he rejoiced when he heard the news from her.    He suggested that she should prepare to go to their country house.  She will stay at their farmhouse with other members of his family. They would look after her at the farmhouse. She would spend her time now at their farmhouse. She should prepare herself accordingly.  She would deliver the child and return to Paris after the process was over in about a year's time. She did not realize his trick to keep her away from Paris from gazing eyes of Court Gentry. She underwent the usual period of confinement at the village farmhouse.

News came to him that he was blessed with a son. She returned to Paris after about a year and a half or so. Her beauty had an added charm. She was more liked by all and sundry.   She was light buoyant smiling mixing dominating the show, wherever she happened to go. She was the center of attraction every where. Jealous husband could not see her happiness.  Again within a few months of her stay in Paris, she reported as usual. That she was late. That she was pregnant.  She returned to the village farmhouse.

The same routine and the same cycle of events were repeated.  She returned to Paris after about a year and a half or so giving birth to a baby boy.  Her beauty had the same added charm after her second delivery.  She was the same light smiling laughing happy live personality.  She was popular that all missed her. All had waited for her return.

Within a few months after her arrival she reported as always. That she was late. That she was pregnant. 

For the third time she went to the village farmhouse repeating the same cycle of events. She returned to Paris after about a year and half or so with a baby girl with her.  She was the same laughing gay smiling center of attraction of every one.

The jealous husband could not bear her happiness. She was pregnant the fourth time. She went to the village farmhouse as usual.  She gave birth to a baby girl this time. She returned to Paris after her fourth delivery. after about a year and she was more matured and beautiful than ever.  She was charming and loved by all. She was the center of attraction of them all.  The husband could not eat or sleep. He was jealous of her beauty.

He could not bear her happiness. He wanted her out of Paris out of the gazing eyes of the court officers and the society, out of the gazing eyes of the neighbors and every one.

The husband and her children owned her. She had turned out a walking property.

The birth of the children one by one had involved her in their ties of motherhood.  

She was not free. She was tied up chained up by unseen strings of affection for all.  She felt herself being used. She was not essentially herself. S he was transformed into a different identity. The Princess of Poland was long dead, now was seen a living creature producing children after children every alternate year like crop from the motherland.   She was eighteen at the time of her marriage. The cycle of being pregnant went on repeating. She was thirty-six. Within last eighteen years she had given birth to seven children. She was a mother of four boys and three girls. After her seventh delivery she returned to Paris more vibrant and mature than ever before. She was a mature radiant personality.  People were mad to see her. She was thirty six years of age now.

Most of her life was spent in the village farmhouse.  She was now scared of all this. She had never a free life.  She had never enjoyed outside life like any other women of other Lords.  He had never allowed her freedom. She was reduced to an object as machinery for childbirth.

In the space of eighteen years, she had borne him four blonde freckle-faced sons and three gold-haired blue-eyed daughters. The house bulged with their books, playing things pets, bicycles toys and their clothes spread all over the place.  On her arrival in Paris after giving birth to the seventh child, she arranged her own separate bedroom with her children. The husband felt happy to be with the wife after her return from the village farmhouse. He was surprised at the new sleeping arrangements.  He did not mind. He was happy so long as she remained indoors.  One day both happened to have an argument.  She made a clean breast of all her grievances about her life in the village farmhouse and the mental agony she underwent on account of her secluded life a virtual imprisonment.  She was annoyed disgusted with her man.  She had turned bold beautiful fabulous and ferocious.  She was in a mood to choke him alive.   She thundered. "You never think about anybody but yourself."

It was at this point listening to her strange tone, he first came to realize that there was a chance, a possibility, that their marriage would end up on the rocks. She accused him of thinking about nobody but himself and it was true.

Domesticity, motherhood had cost her precious life. Her evenings were packed with domestic queries from the sons and the daughters and fulfilling their desires.  

She: "You pig! You have been after my blood from the day you brought me in Paris from my Palace in Warsaw."

He could gauge her anger. He blurted, to pacify her agitated mood.

He:      "I have so much loved you that I did not want people see you."

She:           "You never allowed me to live my life as other normal wives did."

He:      "I have done everything to keep you happy."

She:           "You burdened me with children after children." "You have never allowed me to enjoy Paris evenings."

He:      "I am happy you have been a good mother."

She:            "I have the eldest son of eighteen and the youngest of a few months old."

He:      "You should be proud to be a mother of seven beautiful children."

He felt things were going out of control.  He begged her to bear with him. He promised her that he would take her to the concert.  When she had run out of words to complain, he asked her what she actually wanted. He wanted a compromise. He had recognized the danger signals of her desperation.  She was out of limit.  She continued.

She:           "When I tell you the truth about the children, you will no longer remain proud.

She:          "Out of all the children I gave birth after marriage, know that one of them is not your child."

She:          "Find out which one is not yours."

She:          "Six are yours. One is not. Find out."

She:          "That is what you deserve."

She:          "So you sow,  so you reap."

He :           "What do you say? I do not believe you."

She:          "I have believed in God."

"You were after my blood since you married me on account of your jealous nature."

She:          "This too shall pass." I believed in Him.

She:          "You have taken the best years of my life. I hate you."

He:            "Pardon me. Do not be so cruel to me. I love you."

She:          "Love? You pig! Do you know what love is! It is lust

you have."

She:          "I will never pardon you. You ruined my life."

All the Seven children were very handsome and beautiful. They were all healthy live and full of charm and grace. The Four boys all of them were of royal blood. All were Princes. The eldest Prince was a good Polo Player. The girls were all extra ordinary looking and lovable. They were all very fond of their mother. The boys were healthy well-built and well-versed in different walks of life. The young ones were very charming and lovable. He did not take the news seriously for the first few days of her sensational disclosure.

In the inner heart he was shocked and stunned. He was aghast with horror. It looked as if Heavens had fallen on him. As time passed by he became engrossed in his own doubts. He never anticipated such a severe blow from her. He could not eat. He could not sleep. He left all outings. He was missed at the Court of the King of France.   He had no interest in life. He was almost a mad man. He was hysterical and expressed wild outburst of temper and anger.

After about a month he was reduced to a half in health. His eyes had gone deep. He had no energy left in him. He was a moving skeleton. He used to hide himself in the house. He had become like a statue. He was quite dumbfounded not knowing what to do.

He was very fond of all his children. He was proud of them. He loved them all more than his life. All the while he was turning his gazed eyes on all of them. He was searching them all.

He wanted to distinguish them all from one another. He meticulously examined the behavior symptom style and characteristics of each of them. He used to carry the young last four children with them and sat gazing at them for hours together in a closed room.  He could not spot any one of them different from the other. Then he got all his children assembled in the room. He went on observing each one of them individually and then meriting each one from the other. He was helpless. He found all of them same and his own. He was unable to find a child with different characteristics.

At the end of two months he had lost all personal balance. He was roaming here and there like a mad man. One day out of frustration he was about to hang himself in his room.

She made a grand entry at the right time.

She: "You pig! Do you know what suffering is?

She:  "I have suffered  for all the eighteen years I have married you."

She: "You became ready to hang yourself in just two months?"

She was in tears and   explained to him the agony and misery she had underwent in the past many years at his hands because of his jealous nature.

She:   "Your agony and pain is nothing in comparison to what I have suffered."

She:  "The slow poisoning and mental torture you have inflicted on me is a crime against humanity."

She also admonished him that he did not know her.  He was married to her for long. He should have known her. He should have faith in her. Even if she told him something on spur of the moment out of anger and hatred towards him, he should have used his head. How could she be ever unfaithful to him? She could not be unfaithful.   He was an idiot. How could he ever doubt her character? Ho could he in dream even feel that she had been unfaithful to him!  The time knows how to heal. Let bygones be bygones. Forget about it. All the seven ones were his own. It was a fact that he was the father of them all. She teased him because she loved him and she was angry.

She was temporarily overcome with anger at him that she had revolted. He fell at her feet begging and asking he may be forgiven. The episode came to an end with a happy ending. The storm had passed. All felt so.

SO THIS TOO DID PASS.

DID IT REALLY PASS?

No. It remained in her. She was widely acclaimed for having forgiven and compromised with the Prince. She had been compelled to act like this for the sake of her children.