the illustrious prince-第36节

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try；　and　I　believe　that　he　would　consider　it　sacrilege　if　he　allowed　any　slighter　things　to　divert　at　any　time　his　mind　from　its　main　purpose。　He　would　feel　like　a　priest　who　has　broken　his　ordination　vows。〃

〃That's　all　very　well；〃　Somerfield　said　coolly；　〃but　there's　nothing　in　life　nowadays　to　make　us　quite　so　strenuous　as　that。〃

〃Isn't　there？〃　Penelope　answered。　〃You　are　an　Englishman；　and　you　should　know。　Are　you　convinced；　then；　that　your　country　today　is　at　the　height　of　her　prosperity；　safe　and　sound；　bound　to　go　on　triumphant；　prosperous；　without　the　constant　care　of　her　men？〃

Somerfield　looked　up　at　her　in　growing　amazement。

〃What　on　earth's　got　hold　of　you；　Penelope？〃　he　asked。　〃Have　you　been　reading　the　sensational　papers；　or　stuffing　yourself　up　with　jingoism；　or　what？〃

She　laughed。

〃None　of　those　things；　I　can　assure　you；〃　she　said。　〃A　man　like　the　Prince　makes　one　think；　because；　you　see；　every　standard　of　life　we　have　is　a　standard　of　comparison。　When　one　sees　the　sort　of　man　he　is；　one　wonders。　When　one　sees　how　far　apart　he　is　from　you　Englishmen　in　his　ideals　and　the　way　he　spends　his　life；　one　wonders　again。

Somerfield　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃We　do　well　enough；〃　he　said。　〃Japan　is　the　youngest　of　the　nations。　She　has　a　long　way　to　go　to　catch　us　up。〃

〃We　do　well　enough！〃　she　repeated　under　her　breath。　〃There　was　a　great　city　once　which　adopted　that　as　her　motto；people　dig　up　mementoes　of　her　sometimes　from　under　the　sands。〃

Somerfield　looked　at　her　in　an　aggrieved　fashion。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　that　this　was　to　be　an　amusing　luncheon　party。〃

〃You　should　have　talked　more　to　Lady　Grace；〃　she　answered。　〃I　am　sure　that　she　is　quite　ready　to　believe　that　you　are　perfection；　and　the　English　army　the　one　invincible　institution　in　the　world。　You　mustn't　take　me　too　seriously　today；　Charlie。　I　have　a　headache；　and　I　think　that　it　has　made　me　dull。〃　。　。　。

They　trooped　out　into　the　foyer　in　irregular　fashion　to　take　their　coffee。　The　Prince　and　Penelope　were　side　by　side。

〃What　I　like　about　your　restaurant　life；〃　the　Prince　said；　〃is　the　strange　mixture　of　classes　which　it　everywhere　reveals。〃

〃Those　two；　for　instance；〃　Penelope　said；　and　then　stopped　short。

The　Prince　followed　her　slight　gesture。　Inspector　Jacks　and　Dr。　Spencer　Whiles　were　certainly　just　a　little　out　of　accord　with　their　surroundings。　The　detective's　clothes　were　too　new　and　his　companion's　too　old。　The　doctor's　clothes　indeed　were　as　shabby　as　his　waiting　room；　and　he　sat　where　the　sunlight　was　merciless。

〃How　singular；〃　the　Prince　remarked　with　a　smile；　〃that　you　should　have　pointed　those　two　men　out！　One　of　them　I　know；　and；　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　a　moment；　I　should　like　to　speak　to　him。〃

Penelope　was　not　capable　of　any　immediate　answer。　The　Prince；　with　a　kindly　and　yet　gracious　smile；　walked　over　to　Inspector　Jacks；　who　rose　at　once　to　his　feet。

〃I　hope　you　have　quite　recovered；　Mr。　Inspector；〃　the　Prince　said；　holding　out　his　hand　in　friendly　fashion。　〃I　have　felt　very　guilty　over　your　indisposition。　I　am　sure　that　I　keep　my　rooms　too　close　for　English　people。〃

〃Thank　you；　Prince；〃　the　Inspector　answered；　〃I　am　perfectly　well　again。　In　fact；　I　have　not　felt　anything　of　my　little　attack　since。〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃I　am　glad；〃　he　said。　〃Next　time　you　are　good　enough　to　pay　me　a　visit；　I　will　see　that　you　do　not　suffer　in　the　same　way。〃

He　nodded　kindly　and　rejoined　his　friends。　The　Inspector　resumed　his　seat　and　busied　himself　with　relighting　his　cigar。　He　purposely　did　not　even　glance　at　his　companion。

〃Who　was　that？〃　the　doctor　asked　curiously。　〃Did　you　call　him　Prince？〃

Inspector　Jacks　sighed。　This　was　a　disappointment　to　him！

〃His　name　is　Prince　Maiyo；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃He　is　a　Japanese。

The　doctor　looked　across　the　restaurant　with　puzzled　face。

〃It's　queer；〃　he　said；　〃how　all　these　Japanese　seem　to　one　to　look　so　much　alike；　and　yet〃

He　broke　off　in　the　middle　of　his　sentence。

〃You　are　thinking　of　your　friend　of　the　other　night？〃　the　Inspector　remarked。

〃I　was；〃　the　doctor　admitted。　〃For　a　moment　it　seemed　to　me　like　the　same　man　with　a　different　manner。〃

Inspector　Jacks　was　silent。　He　puffed　steadily　at　his　cigar。

〃You　don't　suppose；〃　he　asked　quietly；　〃that　it　could　have　been　the　same　man？〃

The　doctor　was　still　looking　across　the　room。

〃I　could　not　tell；〃　he　said。　〃I　should　like　to　see　him　again。　I　wasn't　prepared；　and　there　was　something　so　altered　in　his　tone　and　the　way　he　carried　himself。　And　yet〃

The　pause　was　expressive。　Inspector　Jacks'　eyes　brightened。　He　hated　to　feel　that　his　day　had　been　altogether　wasted。



CHAPTER　XXIV。　PRINCE　MAIYO　BIDS　HIGH

Inspector　Jacks　was　in　luck　at　last。　Eleven　times　he　had　called　at　St。　Thomas's　Hospital　and　received　the　same　reply。　Today　he　was　asked　to　wait。　The　patient　was　betterwould　be　able　to　see　him。　Soon　a　nurse　in　neat　uniform　came　quietly　down　the　corridor　and　took　charge　of　him。

〃Ten　minutes；　no　more；〃　she　insisted　good…humoredly。

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃One　question；　if　you　please；　nurse；〃　he　asked。　〃Is　the　man　going　to　live？〃

〃Not　a　doubt　about　it；〃　she　declared。　〃Why？〃

〃　A　matter　of　depositions；〃　the　Inspector　exclaimed。　〃I'd　rather　let　it　go；　though；　if　he's　sure　to　recover。〃

〃It's　a　simple　case；〃　she　answered；　〃and　his　constitution　is　excellent。　There　isn't　the　least　need　for　your　to　think　about　depositions。　Here　he　is。　Don't　talk　too　long。〃

The　Inspector　sat　down　by　the　bedside。　The　patient；　a　young　man；　welcomed　him　a　little　shyly。

〃You　have　come　to　ask　me　about　what　I　saw　in　Pall　Mall　and　opposite　the　Hyde　Park　Hotel？〃　he　said；　speaking　slowly　and　in　a　voice　scarcely　raised　above　a　whisper。　〃I　told　them　all　before　the　operation；　but　they　couldn't　send　for　you　then。　There　wasn't　time。〃

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃Tell　me　your　own　way；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　hurry。　We　can　get　the　particulars　later　on。　Glad　you're　going　to　be　mended。〃

〃It　was　touch　and　go；〃　the　young　man　declared　with　a　note　of　awe　in　his　tone。　〃If　the　omnibus　wheel　had　turned　a　foot　more；　I　should　have　lost　both　my　legs。　It　was　all　through　watching　that　chap　hop　out　of　the　taxicab；　too。〃

The　Inspector　inclined　his　head　gravely。

〃You　saw　him　get　in；　didn't　you？〃　he　asked。

〃That's　so；〃　the　patient　admitted。　〃I　was　on　my　wayCharing　Cross　to　the　Kensington　Palace　Hotel；　on　a　bicycle。　There　was　a　blockcorner　of　Pall　Mall　and　Haymarket。　I　caught　holdtaxi　in　frontto　steady　me。〃

The　nurse　bent　over　him　with　a　glass　in　her　hand。　She　raised　him　a　little　with　the　other　arm。

〃Not　too　much　of　this；　you　know；　young　man；〃　she　said　with　a　pleasant　smile。　〃Here's　something　to　make　you　strong。〃

〃Right　you　are！〃

He　drained　the　contents　of　the　glass　and　smacked　his　lips。

〃Jolly　good　stuff；〃　he　declared。　〃Where　was　I；　Mr。　Inspector？〃

〃Holding　the　back　of　a　taxicab；　corner　of　Regent　Street　and　Haymarket；〃　Inspector　Jacks　reminded　him。

The　patient　nodded。

〃There　was　an　electric　brougham；〃　he　continued；　drawn　up　alongside　the　taxi。　While　we　were　there；　waiting；　I　saw　a　chap　get　out；　speak　to　some　one　through　the　window　of　the　taxi；　open　the　door；　and　step　in。　When　we　moved　on；　he　stayed　in　the　taxi。　Dark；　slim　chap　he　was；〃　the　patient　continued；　〃a　regular　howling　swell；silk　hat；　white　muffler；　white　kid　gloves；all　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃And　afterwards？〃　the　Inspector　asked。

〃I　kept　behind　the　taxi；〃　the　youth　continued。　〃We　got　blocked　again　at　Hyde　Park　Corner。　I　saw　him　step　out　of　the　taxi　and　disappear　amongst　the　vehicles。　〃A　moment　or　two　later；　I　passed　the　taxi　and　looked　insaw　something　had　happenedthe　fellow　was　lying　side…ways。　It　gave　me　a　bit　of　a　start。　I　skidded；　and　over　I　went。　Sort　of　had　an　idea　that　every　one　in　the　world　had　started　shouting　to　me；　and　felt　that　I　was　half　underneath　an　omnibus。　Woke　up　to　find　myself　here。〃

〃Should　you　know　the　man　again？〃　the　Inspector　asked。　〃I　mean　the　man　whom　you　saw　enter　and　leave　the　taxi？〃

〃I　think　sopretty　sure！〃

The　nurse　came　up；　shaking　her　head。　Inspector　Jacks　rose　from　his　seat。

〃Right；　nurse；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　off。　Take　care　of　our　young　friend。　He　is　going　to　be　very　useful　to　us　as　soon　as　he　can　use　his　feet　and　get　about。　I'll　come　and　sit　with　you　for　half　an　hour　next　visiting　day；　if　I　may？〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　patient。

〃Glad　to　see　you；〃　the　youth　answered。　〃My　people　live　down　in　the　country；　and　I　haven't　many　pals。〃

Inspector　Jacks　left　the　hospital　thoughtfully。　The　smell　of　anaesthetics　somehow　reminded　him　of　the　library　in　the　house　at　the　corner　of　St。　James'　Square。　It　was　not　altogether　by　chance；　perhaps；　that　he　found　himself　walking　in　that　direction。　He　was　in　Pall　Mall；　in　fact；　before　he　realized　where　he　was；　and　at　the　corner　of　St。　James'　Square　and　Pall　Mall　he　came　face　to　face　with　Prince　Maiyo；　walking　slowly　westwards。

The　meeting　between　the　two　men　was　a　characteristic　one。　The　Inspector　suffered　no　signs　of　surprise　or　even　interest　to　creep　into　his　expressionless　face。　The　Prince；　on　the　other　hand；　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　his　pleasure　at　this　unexpected　encounter。　His　lips　parted　in　a　delightful　smile。　He　ignored　the　Inspector's　somewhat　st