the illustrious prince-第39节

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ur　restaurants。　You　see；　that　side　of　your　life　represents　something　we　are　altogether　ignorant　of　in　Japan。〃

〃It　is　a　very　wonderful　place；〃　the　doctor　admitted。　〃We　had　luncheon；　my　friend　and　I；　in　the　grillroom；　but　we　came　for　a　few　minutes　into　the　foyer　to　watch　the　people　from　the　restaurant。〃

The　Prince　nodded　genially。

〃By　the　bye；〃　he　remarked；　〃it　is　strange　that　my　very　good　friendMr。　Inspector　Jacksshould　also　be　a　friend　of　yours。〃

〃He　is　scarcely　that；〃　the　doctor　objected。　〃I　have　known　him　for　a　very　short　time。〃

The　Prince　raised　his　eyebrows。　The　whiskey　and　soda　were　brought；　and　the　doctor　helped　himself。　How　curiously　deficient　these　Westerners　were；　the　Prince　thought；　in　every　instinct　of　duplicity！　As　clearly　as　possible　the　doctor　had　revealed　the　fact　that　his　acquaintance　with　Inspector　Jacks　was　of　precisely　that　nature　which　might　have　been　expected。

The　Prince　sighed。　There　was　but　one　course　open　to　him。

〃Now；　Dr。　Whiles；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　you　something。　You　must　listen　to　me　very　carefully；　please。　I　sent　for　you　not　so　much　on　account　of　any　immediate　pain　but　because　my　general　health　has　been　giving　me　a　little　trouble　lately。　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　I　require　the　services　of　a　medical　attendant　always　at　hand。〃

The　doctor　looked　at　his　prospective　patient　skeptically。

〃You　have　not　the　appearance；〃　he　remarked；　〃of　being　in　ill　health。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃Perhaps　even；　there　is　not　for　the　moment　very　much　the　matter　with　me。　One　has　humors；　you　know；　my　dear　doctor。　I　have　a　somewhat　large　suite　here　with　me　in　England；　but　I　do　not　number　amongst　them　a　physician。　I　wanted　to　ask　you　to　accept　that　position　in　my　household　for　two　months。〃

〃Do　you　mean　come　and　live　here？〃　the　doctor　asked。

〃That　is　exactly　what　I　do　mean；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃I　am　thankful　to　observe　that　your　apprehensions　are　so　acute。　I　warn　you　that　I　am　going　to　make　some　very　curious　conditions。　I　do　not　know　whether　money　is　an　object　to　you。　If　not；　I　am　powerless。　If　it　is；　I　propose　to　make　it　worth　your　while。〃

The　doctor　did　not　hesitate。

〃Money；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　greatest　object　in　life　to　me。　I　have　none；　and　I　want　some　very　badly。〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃I　find　your　candor　delightful；〃　he　declared。　〃Now　tell　me；　Dr。　Whiles；　how　many　patients　have　you　in　your　neighborhood　absolutely　dependent　upon　your　services？〃

The　doctor　hesitated；　opened　his　mouth　and　closed　it　again。

〃Not　one！〃　he　declared。

Once　more　the　Prince's　lips　parted。　His　smile　this　time　was　definite；　transfiguring。

〃I　find　you；　Dr。　Whiles；〃　he　announced；　〃a　most　charmingly　reasonable　person。　I　make　you　my　offer；　then；　with　every　confidence；　although　I　warn　you　that　there　will　be　some　strange　conditions　attached　to　it。　I　ask　you　to　accept　the　post　of　private　physician　to　this　household　for　the　space　of　oneit　may　be　two　months；　and　I　offer　you　also；　as　an　honorarium；　the　fee　of　one　thousand　guineas。〃

The　doctor　sat　quite　still　for　a　moment。　He　was　in　a　condition　when　speech　was　difficult。　Then　his　eyes　fell　upon　his　tumbler　of　whiskey　and　soda　still　half　filled。　He　emptied　it　at　a　draught。

〃A　thousand　guineas！〃　he　repeated　hoarsely。

〃I　trust　that　you　will　find　the　sum　attractive；〃　the　Prince　said　smoothly；　〃because；　as　I　have　warned　you　before；　there　are　one　or　two　curious　conditions　coupled　with　the　post。〃

〃I　don't　care　what　the　conditions　are；〃　the　doctor　said　slowly。　〃I　accept！〃

The　Prince　nodded。

〃You　are　the　man　I　thought　you　were；　doctor；〃　he　said。　〃The　first　condition；　then；　is　this。　You　see　the　sitting　room　we　are　now　ina　pleasant　little　apartment；　I　think；books；　you　see；　papers；　a　smoking　cabinet　in　which　I　can　assure　you　that　you　will　find　the　finest　Havana　cigars　and　the　best　cigarettes　to　be　procured　in　London。　Through　here〃the　Prince　threw　open　an　inner　door〃is　a　small　sleeping　apartment。　It　has；　as　you　see；　the　same　outlook。　It　is　comfortable　if　not　luxurious。〃

The　doctor　sighed。

〃I　am　not　used　to　luxury；〃　he　said。

〃These　two　rooms　will　be　yours；〃　the　Prince　announced；　〃and　the　first　condition　of　our　arrangement　is　that　until　two　months　are　up；　or　our　engagement　is　finished；　you　do　not　leave　them。〃

The　doctor　stared　at　him　blankly。

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　sir？〃　he　asked。

〃In　absolute　earnest；〃　the　Prince　assured　him。　〃Not　only　that；　but　I　require　you　to　keep　your　whereabouts；　until　after　the　period　of　time　I　have　mentioned；　an　entire　secret　from　every　one。　I　gather　that　you　are　not　married；　and　that　there　is　no　one　living　in　your　house　to　whom　it　would　seem　necessary　to　disclose　your　movements。　In　any　case；　this　is　another　of　my　conditions。　You　are　neither　to　write　nor　receive　any　letters　whilst　here。　You　are　to　figure　in　the　neighborhood　from　which　you　came　as　a　man　who　has　disappeared；as　a　man；　in　short；　who　has　found　it　impossible　to　pay　his　way　and　has　preferred　simply　to　slip　out　of　his　place。　At　the　end　of　two　months　you　can　reappear　or　not；　as　you　choose。　That　rests　with　yourself。〃

The　doctor　smiled　faintly。　To　make　some　sort　of　disappearance　had　been　his　precise　intention；　but　to　disappear　in　this　fashion　and　make　his　return　to　the　world　with　a　thousand　guineas　in　his　pocket；　had　not　exactly　come　within　the　scope　of　his　imagination。　It　was　a　situation　full　of　allurements。　Nevertheless　he　was　bewildered。

〃I　am　to　live　in　these　two　rooms？〃　he　demanded。　〃I　am　to　let　no　one　know　where　I　am；　to　write　no　letters；　to　receive　none？　My　duties　are　to　be　simply　to　treat　you？〃

〃When　required；〃　the　Prince　remarked　dryly。

〃I　suppose；〃　the　doctor　asked；　〃my　friend　Mr。　Jacks　was　speaking　the　truth　when　he　told　me　your　name？〃

〃My　name　is　Prince　Maiyo；〃　the　Prince　said。

Mechanically　the　doctor　helped　himself　to　another　whiskey　and　soda。

〃You　are　to　be　my　only　patient；〃　he　said　thoughtfully。　〃May　I　take　the　liberty　of　feeling　your　pulse；　Prince？〃

The　Prince　extended　his　hand。　The　doctor　felt　it　and　resumed　his　seat。

〃There　is；　of　course；　nothing　whatever　the　matter　with　you；〃　he　declared。　〃You　are；　I　should　say；　in　absolutely　perfect　health。　You　have　no　need　of　a　physician。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　the　Prince　protested；　smiling；　〃I　need　you；　Dr。　Whiles；　so　much　that　I　am　paying　you　a　thousand　guineas〃

〃To　remain　in　these　two　rooms；〃　the　doctor　remarked　quietly。

〃It　is　not　your　business　to　think　that　or　to　know　that；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃Do　you　accept　my　offer？〃

〃If　I　should　refuse？〃　the　doctor　asked。

The　Prince　hesitated。

〃Do　not　let　us　suppose　that；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　not　a　pleasant　suggestion。　I　do　not　think　that　you　mean　to　refuse。〃

〃Frankly；　I　do　not；〃　the　doctor　answered。　〃And　yet　treat　it　as　a　whim　of　mine　and　answer　my　question。　Supposing　I　should？〃

〃The　matter　would　arrange　itself　in　precisely　the　same　way；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃You　would　not　leave　these　rooms　for　two　months。〃

The　doctor　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　laughed　shortly。

〃This　is　rather　hard　luck　on　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said。　〃He　paid　me　ten　guineas　the　other　day　to　lunch　with　him。〃

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　〃is　scarcely　in　a　position　to　bid　you　an　adequate　sum　for　your　services。〃

〃It　appears　to　me；〃　the　doctor　continued；　〃that　I　am　kidnapped。〃

〃An　admirable　word；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃At　what　time　do　you　usually　lunch？〃

The　doctor　smiled。

〃I　am　not　used　to　motoring；〃　he　said；　〃or　interviews　of　this　exciting　character。　I　lunch；　as　a　rule；　when　I　can　get　anything　to　eat。　The　present　seems　to　me　to　be　a　most　suitable　hour。〃

The　Prince　nodded；　and　rose　to　his　feet。

〃I　will　send　my　servant；〃　he　said；　〃to　take　your　orders。　My　cook　is　very　highly　esteemed　here；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　you　will　not　be　starved。　Please　also　make　out　a　list　of　the　newspapers；　magazines；　and　books　with　which　you　would　like　to　be　supplied。　I　fear　that；　for　obvious　reasons；　my　people　would　hardly　be　able　to　anticipate　your　wants。〃

〃And　about　that　examination？〃　the　doctor　remarked。

〃I　shall　do　myself　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　every　day；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃There　will　be　time　enough　for　that。〃

With　an　amiable　word　of　farewell　the　Prince　departed。　The　doctor　threw　himself　into　an　easy　chair。　His　single　exclamation　was　laconic　but　forcible。



CHAPTER　XXVI。　SOME　FAREWELLS

Never　did　Prince　Maiyo　show　fewer　signs　of　his　Japanese　origin　than　when　in　the　company　of　other　men　of　his　own　race。　Side　by　side　with　His　Excellency　the　Baron　Hesho；　the　contrasts　in　feature　and　expression　were　so　marked　as　to　make　it　hard；　indeed；　to　believe　that　these　two　men　could　belong　to　the　same　nation。　The　Baron　Hesho　had　high　cheekbones；　a　yellow　skin；　close…cropped　black　hair；　and　wore　gold…rimmed　spectacles　through　which　he　beamed　upon　the　whole　world。　The　Prince；　as　he　lounged　in　his　wicker　chair　and　watched　the　blue　smoke　of　his　cigarette　curl　upwards；　looked　more　like　an　Italianperhaps　a　Spaniard。　The　shape　of　his　head　was　perfectly　Western；　perfectly　and　typically　Romanesque。　The　carriage　of　his　body　must　have　been　inherited　from　his　mother；　of　whom　it　was　said　that　no　more　graceful　woman　ever　walked。　Yet　between　these　two　men；　so　different　in　all　externals；　there　was　the　strongest　sympathy；　althoug