the illustrious prince-第12节

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Lady　Grace　smiled；　and　glanced　at　Penelope。

〃I　don't　think　you'll　get　Penelope　to　agree　with　you；　mother；〃　she　said。

〃Why　not；　my　dear？〃　the　Duchess　asked。　〃I　heard　that　you　were　quite　rude　to　him　the　other　evening。　We　others　all　find　him　so　charming。〃

Penelope's　lip　curled　slightly。

〃He　has　so　many　admirers；〃　she　remarked；　〃that　I　dare　say　he　will　not　notice　my　absence　from　the　ranks。　Perhaps　I　am　a　little　prejudiced。　At　home；　you　know；　we　have　rather　strong　opinions　about　this　fusion　of　races。〃

The　Duchess　raised　her　eyebrows。

〃But　a　Prince　of　Japan；　my　dear　Penelope！〃　she　said。　〃A　cousin　of　the　Emperor；　and　a　member　of　an　aristocracy　which　was　old　before　we　were　thought　of！　Surely　you　cannot　class　Prince　Maiyo　amongst　those　to　whom　any　of　your　country　people　could　take　exception。〃

Penelope　shrugged　her　shoulders　slightly。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃my　feeling　is　the　result　of　hearing　you　all　praise　him　so　much　and　so　often。　Besides；　apart　from　that；　you　must　remember　that　I　am　a　patriotic　daughter　of　the　Stars　and　Stripes；　and　there　isn't　much　friendship　lost　between　Washington　and　Tokio　just　now。〃

The　Duchess　turned　away　to　greet　a　man　who　had　paused　before　their　couch　on　his　way　into　the　restaurant。

〃My　dear　General；〃　she　said；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　one　meets　every　one　here！　Why　was　not　restaurant　dining　the　vogue　when　I　was　a　girl！〃

General　Sherrif　smiled。　He　was　tall　and　thin；　with　grizzled　hair　and　worn　features。　Notwithstanding　his　civilian's　clothes；　there　was　no　possibility　of　mistaking　him　anywhere；　or　under　any　circumstances；　for　anything　but　a　soldier。

〃It　is　a　delightful　custom；〃　he　admitted。　〃It　keeps　one　always　on　the　QUI　VIVE；　one　never　knows　whom　one　may　see。　Incidentally；　I　find　it　interferes　very　much　with　my　digestion。〃

〃Digestion！〃　the　Duchess　murmured。　〃But　then；　you　soldiers　lead　such　irregular　lives。〃

〃Not　always　from　choice；〃　the　General　reminded　her。　〃The　Russo…Japanese　war　finished　me　off。　They　kept　us　far　enough　away　from　the　fighting；　when　they　could；　but；　by　Jove；　they　did　make　us　move！〃

〃We　are　waiting　now　for　Prince　Maiyo；〃　the　Duchess　remarked。　〃You　know　him？〃

〃Know　him！〃　the　General　answered。　〃Duchess；　if　ever　I　have　to　write　my　memoirs；　and　particularly　my　reminiscences　of　this　war；　I　fancy　you　would　find　the　name　of　your　friend　appear　there　pretty　frequently。　There　wasn't　a　more　brilliant　feat　of　arms　in　the　whole　campaign　than　his　flanking　movement　at　Mukden。　I　met　most　of　the　Japanese　leaders；　and　I　have　always　said　that　I　consider　him　the　most　wonderful　of　them　all。〃

The　Duchess　turned　to　Penelope。

〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　she　asked。

Penelope　smiled。

〃The　Fates　are　against　me；〃　she　declared。　〃If　I　may　not　like；　I　shall　at　least　be　driven　to　admire。〃

〃To　talk　of　bravery　when　one　speaks　of　that　war；〃　the　General　remarked；　〃seems　invidious；　for　it　is　my　belief　that　throughout　the　whole　of　the　Japanese　army　such　a　thing　as　fear　did　not　exist。　They　simply　did　not　know　what　the　word　meant。　But　I　shall　never　forget　that　the　only　piece　of　hand…to…hand　fighting　I　saw　during　the　whole　time　was　a　cavalry　charge　led　by　Prince　Maiyo　against　an　immensely　superior　force　of　Russians。　Duchess；〃　the　General　declared；　〃those　Japanese　on　their　queer　little　horses　went　through　the　enemy　like　wind　through　a　cornfield。　That　young　man　must　have　borne　a　charmed　life。　I　saw　him　riding　and　cheering　his　men　on　when　he　must　have　had　at　least　half　a　dozen　wounds　in　his　body。　You　will　pardon　me；　Duchess？　I　see　that　my　party　are　waiting。〃

The　General　hurried　away。　The　Duchess　shut　up　her　lorgnettes　with　a　snap；　and　held　out　her　hand　to　a　newcomer　who　had　come　from　behind　the　palms。

〃My　dear　Prince；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃this　is　charming　of　you！　Some　one　told　me　that　you　were　not　well；our　wretched　climate；　of　courseand　I　was　so　afraid；　every　moment；　that　we　should　receive　your　excuses。〃

The　newcomer；　who　was　bowing　over　her　hand；　was　of　medium　height　or　a　trifle　less；　dark；　and　dressed　with　the　quiet　exactness　of　an　English　gentleman。　Only　a　slight　narrowness　of　the　eyes　and　a　greater　alertness　of　movement　seemed　to　distinguish　him　in　any　way；　as　regards　nationality；　from　the　men　by　whom　he　was　surrounded。　His　voice；　when　he　spoke；　contained　no　trace　of　accent。　It　was　soft　and　singularly　pleasant。　It　had；　too；　one　somewhat　rare　qualitya　delightful　ring　of　truth。　Perhaps　that　was　one　of　the　reasons　why　Prince　Maiyo　was　just　then；　amongst　certain　circles；　one　of　the　most　popular　persons　in　Society。

〃My　dear　Duchess；〃　he　said；　〃My　indisposition　was　nothing。　And　as　for　your　climate；　I　am　beginning　to　delight　in　it；one　never　knows　what　to　expect；　or　when　one　may　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　sun。　It　is　only　the　grayness　which　is　always　the　same。〃

〃And　even　that；〃　the　Duchess　remarked；　smiling；　〃has　been　yellow　for　the　last　few　days。　Prince；　you　know　my　daughter　Grace；　and　I　am　sure　that　you　have　met　Miss　Penelope　Morse？　We　are　waiting　for　two　other　men；　Sir　Charles　Somerfield　and　Mr。　Vanderpole。〃

The　Prince　bowed；　and　began　to　talk　to　his　hostess'　daughter；a　tall；　fair　girl；　as　yet　only　in　her　second　season。

〃Here　comes　Sir　Charles；　at　any　rate！〃　the　Duchess　exclaimed。　〃Really；　I　think　we　shall　have　to　go　in。　We　can　leave　a　message　for　Dicky；　they　all　know　him　at　this　place。　I　am　afraid　he　is　one　of　those　shocking　young　men　who　entertain　the　theatrical　profession　here　to　supper。〃

A　footman　at　that　moment　brought　a　note　to　the　Duchess；　which　she　tore　open。

〃This　is　from　Dicky！〃　she　exclaimed；　glancing　it　through　quickly；〃Savoy　notepaper；　too；　so　I　suppose　he　has　been　here。　He　says　that　he　may　be　a　few　minutes　late　and　that　we　are　not　to　wait。　He　will　pick　us　up　either　here　or　at　the　theatre。　Prince；　shall　we　let　these　young　people　follow　us？　I　haven't　heard　your　excuses　yet。　Do　you　know　that　you　were　a　quarter　of　an　hour　late？〃


He　bent　towards　her　with　troubled　face。

〃Dear　Duchess；〃　he　said；　〃believe　me；　I　am　conscious　of　my　fault。　An　unexpected　matter；　which　required　my　personal　attention；　presented　itself　at　the　last　moment。　I　think　I　can　assure　you　that　nothing　of　its　sort　was　ever　accomplished　so　quickly。　It　would　only　weary　you　if　I　tried　to　explain。〃

〃Please　don't；〃　the　Duchess　begged；　〃so　long　as　you　are　here　at　last。　And　after　all；　you　see；　you　are　not　the　worst　sinner。　Mr。　Vanderpole　has　not　yet　arrived。〃

The　Prince　walked　on；　for　a　few　steps；　in　silence。

〃Mr。　Vanderpole　is　a　great　friend　of　yours；　Duchess？〃　he　asked。

The　Duchess　shook　her　head。

〃I　do　not　know　him　very　well；〃　she　said。　〃I　asked　him　for　Penelope。〃

The　Prince　looked　puzzled。

〃But　I　thought；〃　he　said；　〃that　Miss　Morse　and　Sir　Charles〃

The　Duchess　interrupted　him　with　a　smile。

〃Sir　Charles　is　very　much　in　earnest；〃　she　whispered；　〃but　very　very　slow。　Dicky　is　just　the　sort　of　man　to　spur　him　on。　He　admires　Penelope；　and　does　not　mind　showing　it。　She　is　such　a　dear　girl　that　I　should　love　to　have　her　comfortably　settled　over　here。〃

〃She　is　very　intelligent；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃She　is　a　young　lady；　indeed；　for　whom　I　have　a　great　admiration。　I　am　only　sorry；〃　he　concluded；　〃that　I　do　not　seem　able　to　interest　her。〃

〃You　must　not　believe　that；〃　the　Duchess　said。　〃Penelope　is　a　little　brusque　sometimes；　but　it　is　only　her　manner。〃

They　made　their　way　through　the　foyer　to　the　round　table　which　had　been　reserved　for　them　in　the　centre　of　the　restaurant。

〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　apologize　for　giving　you　dinner　at　such　an　hour；〃　the　Duchess　remarked；　〃but　it　is　our　theatrical　managers　who　are　to　blame。　Why　they　cannot　understand　that　the　best　play　in　the　world　is　not　worth　more　than　two　hours　of　our　undivided　attention；　and　begin　everything　at　nine　or　a　quarter…past；　I　cannot　imagine。〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃Dear　Duchess；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　you　are　a　nation　of　sybarites。　Everything　in　the　world　must　run　for　you　so　smoothly　or　you　are　not　content。　For　my　part；　I　like　to　dine　at　this　hour。〃

〃But　then；　you　take　no　luncheon；　Prince；〃　Lady　Grace　reminded　him。

〃I　never　lunch　out；〃　the　Prince　answered；　〃but　I　have　always　what　is　sufficient　for　me。〃

〃Tell　me；〃　the　Duchess　asked；　〃is　it　true　that　you　are　thinking　of　settling　down　amongst　us？　Your　picture　is　in　the　new　illustrated　paper　this　week；　you　know；　with　a　little　sketch　of　your　career。　We　are　given　to　understand　that　you　may　possibly　make　your　home　in　this　country。〃

The　Prince　smiled；　and　in　his　smile　there　seemed　to　be　a　certain　mysticism。　One　could　not　tell；　indeed；　whether　it　came　from　some　pleasant　thought　flitting　through　his　brain；　or　whether　it　was　that　the　idea　itself　was　so　strange　to　him。

〃I　have　no　plans；　Duchess；〃　he　said。　〃Your　country　is　very　delightful；　and　the　hospitality　of　the　friends　I　have　made　over　here　is　too　wonderful　a　thing　to　be　described；　but　one　never　knows。〃

Lady　Grace　bent　towards　Sir　Charles；　who　was　sitting　by　her　side。

〃I　can　never　understand　the　Prince；〃　she　murmured。　〃Always　he　seems　as　though　he　took　life　so　earnestly。　He　has　a　look　upon　his　face　which　I　never　see　in　the　faces　of　any　of　you　other　young　men。〃

〃He　is　a　bit　on　the　serious　side；〃　Sir　Charles　admitted。

〃It　isn't　only　that；〃　she　continued。　〃He　reminds　me　of　that　man　whom　we　all　used　t