the illustrious prince-第13节

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〃It　isn't　only　that；〃　she　continued。　〃He　reminds　me　of　that　man　whom　we　all　used　to　go　and　hear　preach　at　the　Oratory。　He　was　the　same　in　the　pulpit　and　when　one　saw　him　in　the　street。　His　eyes　seemed　to　see　through　one；　he　seemed　to　be　living　in　a　world　of　his　own。〃

〃He　was　a　religious　Johnny；　of　course；〃　Sir　Charles　remarked。　〃They　do　walk　about　with　their　heads　in　the　air。〃

Lady　Grace　smiled。

〃Perhaps　it　is　religion　with　the　Prince；〃　she　said；〃religion　of　a　sort。〃

〃I　tell　you　what　I　do　think；〃　Sir　Charles　murmured。　〃I　think　his　pretence　at　having　a　good　time　over　here　is　all　a　bluff。　He　doesn't　really　cotton　to　us；　you　know。　Don't　see　how　he　could。　He's　never　touched　a　polo　stick　in　his　life；　knows　nothing　about　cricket；　is　indifferent　to　games；　and　doesn't　even　understand　the　meaning　of　the　word　Sportsman。'　There's　no　place　in　this　country　for　a　man　like　that。〃

Lady　Grace　nodded。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　his　visit　to　Europe　and　his　stay　amongst　us　is；　after　all；　in　the　nature　of　a　pilgrimage。　I　suppose　he　wants　to　carry　back　some　of　our　civilization　to　his　own　people。〃

Penelope；　who　overheard；　laughed　softly　and　leaned　across　the　table。

〃I　fancy；〃　she　murmured；　〃that　the　person　you　are　speaking　of　would　not　look　at　it　in　quite　the　same　light。〃

〃Has　any　one　seen　the　evening　paper？〃　the　Duchess　asked。　〃It　is　there　any　more　news　about　that　extraordinary　murder？〃

〃Nothing　fresh　in　the　early　editions；〃　Sir　Charles　answered。

〃I　think；〃　the　Duchess　declared；　〃that　it　is　perfectly　scandalous。　Our　police　system　must　be　in　a　disgraceful　state。　Tell　me；　Prince；could　anything　like　that　happen　in　your　country？〃

〃Without　doubt；〃　the　Prince　answered；　〃life　moves　very　much　in　the　East　as　with　you　here。　Only　with　us；〃　he　added　a　little　thoughtfully；　〃there　is　a　difference；　a　difference　of　which　one　is　reminded　at　a　time　like　this；　when　one　reads　your　newspapers　and　hears　the　conversation　of　one's　friends。〃

〃Tell　us　what　you　mean？〃　Penelope　asked　quickly。

He　looked　at　her　as　one　might　have　looked　at　a　child；kindly；　even　tolerantly。　He　was　scarcely　so　tall　as　she　was；　and　Penelope's　attitude　towards　him　was　marked　all　the　time　with　a　certain　frigidity。　Yet　he　spoke　to　her　with　the　quiet；　courteous　confidence　of　the　philosopher　who　unbends　to　talk　to　a　child。

〃In　this　country；〃　he　said；　〃you　place　so　high　a　value　upon　the　gift　of　life。　Nothing　moves　you　so　greatly　as　the　killing　of　one　man　by　another；　or　the　death　of　a　person　whom　you　know。〃

〃There　is　no　tragedy　in　the　world　so　great！〃　Penelope　declared。

The　Prince　shrugged　his　shoulders　very　slightly。

〃My　dear　Miss　Morse；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　so　that　you　think　about　life　and　death　here。　Yet　you　call　yourselves　a　Christian　countryyou　have　a　very　beautiful　faith。　With　us；　perhaps；　there　is　a　little　more　philosophy　and　something　a　little　less　definite　in　the　trend　of　our　religion。　Yet　we　do　not　dress　Death　in　black　clothes　or　fly　from　his　outstretched　hand。　We　fear　him　no　more　that　we　do　the　night。　It　is　a　thing　that　comesa　thing　that　must　be。〃

He　spoke　so　softly；　and　yet　with　so　much　conviction；　that　it　seemed　hard　to　answer　him。　Penelope；　however；　was　conscious　of　an　almost　feverish　desire　either　to　contradict　him　or　to　prolong　the　conversation　by　some　means　or　other。

〃Your　point　of　view；〃　she　said；　〃is　well　enough；　Prince；　for　those　who　fall　in　battle；　fighting　for　their　country　or　for　a　great　cause。　Don't　you　think；　though；　that　the　horror　of　death　is　a　more　real　thing　in　a　case　like　this；　where　a　man　is　killed　in　cold　blood　for　the　sake　of　robbery；　or　perhaps　revenge？〃

〃One　cannot　tell；〃　the　Prince　answered　thoughtfully。　〃The　battlefields　of　life　are　there　for　every　one　to　cross。　This　mysterious　gentleman　who　seems　to　have　met　with　his　death　so　unexpectedlyhe；　too；　may　have　been　the　victim　of　a　cause；　knowing　his　dangers；　facing　them　as　a　man　should　face　them。〃

The　Duchess　sighed。

〃I　am　quite　sure；　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　are　a　romanticist。　But；　apart　from　the　sentimental　side　of　it；　do　things　like　this　happen　in　your　country？〃

〃Why　not？〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃It　is　as　I　have　been　saying：　for　a　worthy　cause；　or　a　cause　which　he　believed　to　be　worthy；　there　is　no　man　of　my　country　worthy　of　the　name　who　would　not　accept　death　with　the　same　resignation　that　he　lays　his　head　upon　the　pillow　and　waits　for　sleep。〃

Sir　Charles　raised　his　glass　and　bowed　across　the　table。

〃To　our　great　allies！〃　he　said；　smiling。

The　Prince　drank　his　glass　of　water　thoughtfully。　He　drank　wine　only　on　very　rare　occasions；　and　then　under　compulsion。　He　turned　to　the　Duchess。

〃A　few　days　ago；〃　he　said；　〃I　heard　myself　described　as　being　much　too　serious　a　person。　Tonight　I　am　afraid　that　I　am　living　up　to　my　reputation。　Our　conversation　seems　to　have　drifted　into　somewhat　gloomy　channels。　We　must　ask　Miss　Morse；　I　think；　to　help　us　to　forget。　They　say；〃　he　continued；　〃that　it　is　the　young　ladies　of　your　country　who　hold　open　the　gates　of　Paradise　for　their　menkind。〃

He　was　looking　into　her　eyes。　His　tone　was　half　bantering；　half　serious。　From　across　the　table　Penelope　knew　that　Somerfield　was　watching　her　closely。　Somehow　or　other；　she　was　irritated　and　nervous；　and　she　answered　vaguely。　Sir　Charles　intervened　with　a　story　about　some　of　their　acquaintances；　and　the　conversation　drifted　into　more　ordinary　channels。

〃Some　day；　I　suppose；〃　the　Duchess　remarked；　as　the　service　of　dinner　drew　toward　a　close；　〃you　will　have　restaurants　like　this　in　Tokio？〃

The　Prince　assented。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　without　enthusiasm；　〃they　will　come。　Our　heritage　from　the　West　is　a　sure　thing。　Not　in　my　days；　perhaps；　or　in　the　days　of　those　that　follow　me；　but　they　will　come。〃

〃I　think　that　it　is　absolutely　wicked　of　Dicky；〃　the　Duchess　declared；　as　they　rose　from　the　table。　〃I　shall　never　rely　upon　him　again。〃

〃After　all；　perhaps；　it　isn't　his　fault；〃　Penelope　said；　breathing　a　little　sigh　of　relief　as　she　rose　to　her　feet。　〃Mr。　Harvey　is　not　always　considerate；　and　I　know　that　several　of　the　staff　are　away　on　leave。〃

〃That's　right；　my　dear；〃　the　Duchess　said；　smiling；　〃stick　up　for　your　countrymen。　I　suppose　he'll　find　us　sometime　during　the　evening。　We　can　all　go　to　the　theatre　together；　the　omnibus　is　outside。〃

The　little　party　passed　through　the　foyer　and　into　the　hall　of　the　hotel；　where　they　waited　while　the　Duchess'　carriage　was　called。　Mr。　Coulson　was　there　in　an　easy　chair；　smoking　a　cigar；　and　watching　the　people　coming　and　going。　He　studied　the　passers…by　with　ah　air　of　impersonal　but　pleased　interest。　Penelope　and　Lady　Grace　were　certainly　admirable　foils。　The　latter　was　fair；　with　beautiful　complexiona　trifle　sunburnt；　blue　eyes；　good…humored　mouth；　and　features　excellent　in　their　way；　but　a　little　lacking　in　expression。　Her　figure　was　good；　her　movements　slow　but　not　ungraceful；　her　dress　of　white　ivory　satin　a　little　extravagant　for　the　occasion。　She　looked　exactly　what　she　was；a　well…bred；　well…disposed；　healthy　young　Englishwoman；　of　aristocratic　parentage。　Penelope；　on　the　other　hand；　more　simply　dressed；　save　for　the　string　of　pearls　which　hung　from　her　neck；　had　the　look　of　a　creature　from　another　world。　She　had　plenty　of　animation；　a　certain　nervous　energy　seemed　to　keep　her　all　the　time　restless。　She　talked　ceaselessly；　sometimes　to　the　Prince；　more　often　to　Sir　Charles。　Her　gray…green　eyes　were　bright；　her　cheeks　delicately　flushed。　She　spoke　and　looked　and　moved　as　one　on　fire　with　the　joy　of　life。　The　Prince；　noticing　that　Lady　Grace　had　been　left　to　herself　for　the　last　few　moments；　moved　a　little　towards　her　and　commenced　a　courteous　conversation。　Sir　Charles　took　the　opportunity　to　bend　over　his　companion。

〃Penelope；〃　he　said；〃you　are　queer　tonight。　Tell　me　what　it　is？　You　don't　really　dislike　the　Prince；　do　you？〃

〃Why；　of　course　not；〃　she　answered；　looking　back　into　the　restaurant　and　listening；　as　though　interested　in　the　music。　〃He　is　odd；　though；　isn't　he？　He　is　so　serious　and；　in　a　way；　so　convincing。　He　is　like　a　being　transplanted　into　an　absolutely　alien　soil。　One　would　like　to　laugh　at　him；　and　one　can't。〃

〃He　is　rather　an　anomaly；〃　Sir　Charles　said；　humming　lightly　to　himself。　〃I　suppose；　compared　with　us　matter…of…fact　people；　he　must　seem　to　your　sex　quite　a　romantic　figure。〃

〃He　makes　no　particular　appeal　to　me　at　all；〃　Penelope　declared。

Somerfield　was　suddenly　thoughtful。

〃Sometimes；　Penelope；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　quite　understand　you；　especially　when　we　speak　about　the　Prince。　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　you　either　like　him　very　much；　or　you　dislike　him　very　much；　or　you　have　some　thoughts　about　him　which　you　tell　to　no　one。〃

She　lifted　her　skirts。　The　carriage　had　been　called。

〃I　like　your　last　suggestion；〃　she　declared。　〃You　may　believe　that　that　is　true。〃

On　their　way　out；　the　Prince　was　accosted　by　some　friends　and　remained　talking　for　several　moments。　When　he　entered　the　omnibus；　there　seemed　to　Penelope；　who　found　herself　constantly　watching　him　closely；　a　certain　added　gravity　in　his　demeanor。　The　drive　to　the　theatre　was　a　short　one；　and　conversation　consisted　only　of　a　few　disjointed　remarks。　In　the　lobby　the　Prince　laid　his　hand　upon　Somerfield's　arm。

〃Sir