the illustrious prince-第18节

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hould　have　sent　Dicky　in　any　case。　He　is　not　so　well　known　as　the　others；　or　rather　he　wasn't　associated　so　closely　with　the　Embassy；　and　he　was　constantly　at　the　Savoy　on　his　own　account。　If　I　had　believed　that　there　was　any　danger　in　the　enterprise；〃　he　continued；　〃I　should　still　have　sent　him。　He　was　as　strong　as　a　young　Hercules。　The　hand　which　twisted　that　noose　around　his　neck　must　have　been　the　hand　of　a　magician　with　fingers　of　steel。〃

Penelope　shivered　again。　Her　face　showed　signs　of　distress。

〃I　do　not　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　am　a　nervous　person；　but　I　cannot　bear　to　think　of　it　even　now。〃

〃Naturally；〃　Mr。　Harvey　answered。　〃We　were　all　fond　of　Dicky；　and　such　a　thing　has　never　happened；　so　far　as　I　am　aware；　in　any　European　country。　My　own　private　secretary　murdered　in　broad　daylight　and　with　apparent　impunity！〃

〃Murderedand　robbed！〃　she　whispered；　looking　up　at　him　with　a　white　face。

The　frown　on　the　Ambassador's　forehead　darkened。

〃Not　only　that；〃　he　declared；　〃but　the　secrets　of　which　he　was　robbed　have　gone　to　the　one　country　interested　in　the　knowledge　of　them。〃

〃You　are　sure　of　that？〃　she　asked　hoarsely。

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　Mr。　Harvey　answered。

Penelope　drew　a　little　breath　between　her　teeth。　Her　thoughts　flashed　back　to　a　recent　dinner　party。　The　Prince　was　once　more　at　her　side。　Almost　she　could　hear　his　voicelow；　clear；　and　yet　with　that　note　of　inexpressible；　convincing　finality。　She　heard　him　speak　of　his　country　reverently；　almost　prayerfully；　of　the　sacrifices　which　true　patriotism　must　always　demand。　What　had　been　in　his　mind；　she　wondered；　at　the　back　of　his　inscrutable　eyes；　gazing；　even　at　that　moment；　past　the　banks　of　flowers；　across　the　crowded　room　with　all　its　splendor　of　light　and　color；　through　the　walls；whither！　She　brushed　the　thought　away。　It　was　absurd；　incredible！　She　was　allowing　herself　to　be　led　away　by　her　old　distrust　of　this　man。

〃I　remarked　just　now；〃　Mr。　Harvey　continued；　〃that　such　a　thing　had　never　happened；　so　far　as　I　was　aware；　in　any　European　country。　My　own　words　seem　to　suggest　something　to　me。　These　methods　are　not　European。　They　savor　more　of　the　East。〃

〃I　think　you　had　better　go　on；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃There　is　something　in　your　mind。　I　can　see　that。　You　have　told　me　so　much　that　you　had　better　tell　me　the　rest。〃

〃The　contents　of　those　despatches；〃　Mr。　Harvey　continued；　〃intrusted　in　duplicate；　as　you　have　doubtless　surmised；　to　Fynes　and　to　Coulson；　contained　an　assurance　that　the　sending　of　our　fleet　to　the　Pacific　was　in　fact；　as　well　as　in　appearance；　an　errand　of　peace。　It　was　a　demonstration；　pure　and　simple。　Behind　it　there　may　have　lain；　indeed；　a　masterful　purpose；　the　determination　of　a　great　country　to　affirm　her　strenuous　existence　in　a　manner　most　likely　to　impress　the　nations　unused　to　seeing　her　in　such　a　role。　It　became　necessary；　in　view　of　certain　suspicions；　for　me　to　be　able　to　prove　to　the　Government　here　the　absolutely　pacific　nature　of　our　great　enterprise。　Those　despatches　contained　such　proof。　And　now　listen；　Penelope。　Before　the　murder　of　poor　Dicky　Vanderpole；　we　know　for　a　fact　that　a　great　nation　who　chooses　to　consider　herself　our　enemy　in　Eastern　waters　was　straining　every　nerve　to　prepare　for　war。　Today　those　preparations　have　slackened。　A　great　loan　has　been　withdrawn　in　Paris；　an　invitation　cabled　to　our　fleet　to　visit　Yokohama。　These　things　have　a　plain　reading。〃

〃Plain；　indeed；〃　Penelope　assented；　and　she　spoke　in　a　low　tone　because　there　was　fear　in　her　heart。　〃Why　have　you　told　me　about　them？　They　throw　a　new　light　upon　everything；an　awful　light！〃

〃I　have　known　you；〃　the　Ambassador　said　quietly；　〃since　you　were　a　baby。　Every　member　of　your　family　has　been　a　friend　of　mine。　You　come　of　a　silent　race。　I　know　very　well　that　you　are　a　person　of　discretion。　There　are　certain　small　ways　in　which　a　government　can　occasionally　be　served　by　the　help　of　some　one　outside　its　diplomatic　service　altogether；　some　one　who　could　not　possibly　be　connected　with　it。　You　know　this　very　well；　Penelope；　because　you　have　already　been　of　service　to　us　on　more　than　one　occasion。〃

〃It　was　a　long　time　ago；〃　she　murmured。

〃Not　so　very　long；〃　he　reminded　her。　〃But　for　the　first　of　these　tragedies；　Fynes'　despatches　would　have　reached　me　through　you。　I　am　going　to　ask　your　help　even　once　more。〃

In　the　somewhat　cold　spring　sunlight　which　came　streaming　through　the　large　window；　Penelope　seemed　a　little　pallid；　as　though；　indeed；　the　fatigue　of　the　season；　even　in　this　its　earlier　stages；　were　leaving　its　mark　upon　her。　There　were　violet　rims　under　her　eyes。　A　certain　alertness　seemed　to　have　deserted　her　usually　piquant　face。　She　sat　listening　with　the　air　of　one　half　afraid；　who　has　no　hope　of　hearing　pleasant　things。

〃It　has　been　remarked；〃　Mr。　Harvey　continued；　〃or　rather　I　may　say　that　I　myself　have　noticed；　that　you　are　on　exceedingly　friendly　terms　with　a　very　distinguished　nobleman　who　is　at　present　visiting　this　countryI　mean；　of　course；　Prince　Maiyo。〃

Her　eyebrows　were　slowly　elevated。　Was　that　really　the　impression　people　had！　Her　lips　just　moved。

〃Well？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　met　Prince　Maiyo　myself；〃　Mr。　Harvey　continued；　〃and　I　have　found　him　a　charming　representative　of　his　race。　I　am　not　going　to　say　a　word　against　him。　If　he　were　an　American；　we　should　be　proud　of　him。　If　he　belonged　to　any　other　country；　we　should　accept　him　at　once　for　what　he　appears　to　be。　Unfortunately；　however；　he　belongs　to　a　country　which　we　have　some　reason　to　mistrust。　He　belongs　to　a　country　in　whose　national　character　we　have　not　absolute　confidence。　For　that　reason；　my　dear　Penelope；　we　mistrust　Prince　Maiyo。〃

〃I　do　not　know　him　so　well　as　you　seem　to　imagine；〃　Penelope　said　slowly。　〃We　are　not　even　friends；　in　the　ordinary　acceptation　of　the　word。　I　am；　to　some　extent；　prejudiced　against　him。　Yet　I　do　not　believe　that　he　is　capable　of　a　dishonorable　action。〃

〃Nor　do　I；〃　the　Ambassador　declared　smoothly。　〃Yet　in　every　country；　almost　in　every　man；　the　exact　standard　of　dishonor　varies。　A　man　will　lie　for　a　woman's　sake；　and　even　in　the　law　courts；　certainly　at　his　clubs　and　amongst　his　friends；　it　will　be　accounted　to　his　righteousness。　A　patriot　will　lie　and　intrigue　for　his　country's　sake。　Now　I　believe　that　to　Prince　Maiyo　Japan　stands　far　above　the　whole　world　of　womankind。　I　believe　that　for　her　sake　he　would　go　to　very　great　lengths　indeed。〃

〃Go　on；　please；〃　Penelope　murmured。

〃The　Prince　is　over　here　on　some　sort　of　an　errand　which　it　isn't　our　business　to　understand；〃　Mr。　Harvey　said。　〃I　have　heard　it　rumored　that　it　is　a　special　mission　entirely　concerned　with　the　renewal　of　the　treaty　between　England　and　Japan。　However　that　may　be；　I　have　sat　here；　and　I　have　thought；　and　I　have　come　to　this　conclusion；　ridiculous　though　it　may　seem　to　you　at　first。　I　believe　that　somewhere　behind　the　hand　which　killed　and　robbed　Hamilton　Fynes　and　poor　Dicky　stood　the　benevolent　shadow　of　our　friend　Prince　Maiyo。〃

〃You　have　no　proof？〃　she　asked　breathlessly。

〃No　proof　at　all；〃　the　Ambassador　admitted。　〃I　am　scarcely　in　a　position　to　search　for　any。　The　conclusion　I　have　come　to　has　been　simply　arrived　at　through　putting　a　few　facts　together　and　considering　them　in　the　light　of　certain　events。　In　the　first　place；　we　cannot　doubt　that　the　secret　of　those　despatches　reached　at　once　the　very　people　whom　we　should　have　preferred　to　remain　in　ignorance　of　them。　Haven't　I　told　you　of　the　sudden　cessation　of　the　war　alarm　in　Japan；　when　once　she　was　assured；　by　means　which　she　could　not　mistrust；　that　it　was　not　the　intention　of　the　American　nation　to　make　war　upon　her？　The　subtlety　of　those　murders；　and　the　knowledge　by　which　they　were　inspired；　must　have　come　from　some　one　in　an　altogether　unique　position。　You　may　be　sure　that　no　one　connected　with　the　Japanese　Embassy　here　would　be　permitted　for　one　single　second　to　take　part　in　any　such　illegal　act。　They　know　better　than　that；　these　wily　Orientals。　They　will　play　the　game　from　Grosvenor　Place　right　enough。　But　Prince　Maiyo　is　here；　and　stands　apart　from　any　accredited　institution；　although　he　has　the　confidence　of　his　Ambassador　and　can　command　the　entire　devotion　of　his　own　secret　service。　I　have　not　come　to　this　conclusion　hastily。　I　have　thought　it　out；　step　by　step；　and　in　my　own　mind　I　am　now　absolutely　convinced　that　both　these　murders　were　inspired　by　Prince　Maiyo。〃

〃Even　if　this　were　so；〃　Penelope　said；　〃what　can　I　do？　Why　have　you　sent　for　me？　The　Prince　and　I　are　not　on　especially　friendly　terms。　It　is　only　just　lately　that　we　have　been　decently　civil　to　one　another。〃

The　Ambassador　looked　at　her　with　some　surprise。

〃My　dear　Penelope；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　seen　you　together　the　last　three　or　four　evenings。　The　Prince　looks　at　no　one　else　while　you　are　there。　He　talks　to　you；　I　know；　more　freely　than　to　any　other　woman。〃

〃It　is　by　chance；〃　Penelope　protested。　〃I　have　tried　to　avoid　him。〃

〃Then　I　cannot　congratulate　you　upon　your　success；〃　Mr。　Harvey　said　grimly。

〃Things　have　changed　a　little　between　us；　perhaps；〃　Penelope　said。　〃What　is　it　that　you　really　want？〃

〃I　want　to　know　this；〃　the　Ambassador　said　slowly。　〃I　want　to　know　how　Japa