the indiscretion of elsbeth-第3节
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to have her show you the dairy； shall I call her？〃
The figure in question was very short and stout； with voluminous
petticoats。
〃Please don't； I'll stay without your setting that paperweight on
me。 But here's the dairy。 Don't let her come inside among those
pans of fresh milk with that smile； or there'll be trouble。〃
The young girl paused too； made a slight gesture with her hand； and
the figure passed on as they entered the dairy。 It was beautifully
clean and fresh。 With a persistence that he quickly recognized as
mischievous and ironical； and with his characteristic adaptability
accepted with even greater gravity and assumption of interest； she
showed him all the details。 From thence they passed to the
farmyard； where he hung with breathless attention over the names of
the cows and made her repeat them。 Although she was evidently
familiar with the subject； he could see that her zeal was fitful
and impatient。
〃Suppose we sit down；〃 he said； pointing to an ostentatious rustic
seat in the center of the green。
〃Sir down？〃 she repeated wonderingly。 〃What for？〃
〃To talk。 We'll knock off and call it half a day。〃
〃But if you are not looking at the farm you are； of course； going；〃
she said quickly。
〃Am I？ I don't think these particulars were in my invitation。〃
She again broke into a fit of laughter； and at the same time cast a
bright eye around the field。
〃Come；〃 he said gently； 〃there are no other sightseers waiting； and
your conscience is clear；〃 and he moved toward the rustic seat。
〃Certainly notthere；〃 she added in a low voice。
They moved on slowly together to a copse of willows which overhung
the miniature stream。
〃You are not staying long in Alstadt？〃 she said。
〃No； I only came to see the old town that my ancestors came from。〃
They were walking so close together that her skirt brushed his
trousers； but she suddenly drew away from him； and looking him
fixedly in the eye said：
〃Ah； you have relations here？〃
〃Yes； but they are dead two hundred years。〃
She laughed again with a slight expression of relief。 They had
entered the copse and were walking in dense shadow when she
suddenly stopped and sat down upon a rustic bench。 To his surprise
he found that they were quite alone。
〃Tell me about these relatives；〃 she said； slightly drawing aside
her skirt to make room for him on the seat。
He did not require a second invitation。 He not only told her all
about his ancestral progenitors； but； I fear； even about those more
recent and more nearly related to him； about his own life； his
vocationhe was a clever newspaper correspondent with a roving
commissionhis ambitions； his beliefs and his romance。
〃And then； perhaps； of this visityou will also make 'copy'？〃
He smiled at her quick adaptation of his professional slang； but
shook his head。
〃No；〃 he said gravely。 〃Nothis is YOU。 The CHICAGO INTERVIEWER
is big pay and is rich； but it hasn't capital enough to buy you
from me。
He gently slid his hand toward hers and slipped his fingers softly
around it。 She made a slight movement of withdrawal； but even
thenas if in forgetfulness or indifferencepermitted her hand to
rest unresponsively in his。 It was scarcely an encouragement to
gallantry； neither was it a rejection of an unconscious
familiarity。
〃But you haven't told me about yourself；〃 he said。
〃Oh； I〃she returned； with her first approach to coquetry in a
laugh and a sidelong glance； 〃of what importance is that to you？
It is the Grand Duchess and Her Highness the Princess that you
Americans seek to know。 I amwhat I amas you see。〃
〃You bet；〃 said Hoffman with charming decision。
〃I WHAT？〃
〃You ARE； you know； and that's good enough for me； but I don't even
know your name。〃
She laughed again； and after a pause； said： 〃Elsbeth。〃
〃But I couldn't call you by your first name on our first meeting；
you know。〃
〃Then you Americans are really so very formaleh？〃 she said slyly；
looking at her imprisoned hand。
〃Well； yes；〃 returned Hoffman； disengaging it。 〃I suppose we are
respectful； or mean to be。 But whom am I to inquire for？ To write
to？〃
〃You are neither to write nor inquire。〃
〃What？〃 She had moved in her seat so as to half…face him with eyes
in which curiosity； mischief； and a certain seriousness alternated；
but for the first time seemed conscious of his hand； and accented
her words with a slight pressure。
〃You are to return to your hotel presently； and say to your
landlord： 'Pack up my luggage。 I have finished with this old town
and my ancestors； and the Grand Duke； whom I do not care to see；
and I shall leave Alstadt tomorrow！'〃
〃Thank you！ I don't catch on。〃
〃Of what necessity should you？ I have said it。 That should be
enough for a chivalrous American like you。〃 She again
significantly looked down at her hand。
〃If you mean that you know the extent of the favor you ask of me； I
can say no more；〃 he said seriously； 〃but give me some reason for
it。〃
〃Ah so！〃 she said； with a slight shrug of her shoulders。 〃Then 1
must tell you。 You say you do not know the Grand Duke and Duchess。
Well！ THEY KNOW YOU。 The day before yesterday you were wandering
in the park； as you admit。 You say； also； you got through the
hedge and interrupted some ceremony。 That ceremony was not a Court
function； Mr。 Hoffman； but something equally sacredthe
photographing of the Ducal family before the Schloss。 You say that
you instantly withdrew。 But after the photograph was taken the
plate revealed a stranger standing actually by the side of the
Princess Alexandrine； and even taking the PAS of the Grand Duke
himself。 That stranger was you！〃
〃And the picture was spoiled；〃 said the American； with a quiet
laugh。
〃I should not say that；〃 returned the lady； with a demure glance at
her companion's handsome face； 〃and I do not believe that the
Princesswho first saw the photographthought so either。 But she
is very young and willful； and has the reputation of being very
indiscreet； and unfortunately she begged the photographer not to
destroy the plate； but to give it to her； and to say nothing about
it； except that the plate was defective； and to take another。
Still it would have ended there if her curiosity had not led her to
confide a description of the stranger to the Police Inspector； with
the result you know。〃
〃Then I am expected to leave town because I accidentally stumbled
into a family group that was being photographed？〃
〃Because a certain Princess was indiscreet enough to show her
curiosity about you；〃 corrected the fair stranger。
〃But look here！ I'll apologize to the Princess； and offer to pay
for the plate。〃
〃Then you do want to see the Princess？〃 said the young girl
smiling； 〃you are like the others。〃
〃Bother the Princess！ I want to see YOU。 And I don't see how they
can prevent it if I choose to remain。〃
〃Very easily。 You will find that there is something wrong with
your passport； and you will be sent on to Pumpernickel for
examination。 You will unwittingly transgress some of the laws of
the town and be ordered to leave it。 You will be shadowed by the
police until you quarrel with themlike a free Americanand you
are conducted to the frontier。 Perhaps you will strike an officer
who has insulted you； and then you are finished on the spot。〃
The American's crest rose palpably until it cocked his straw hat
over his curls。
〃Suppose I am content to risk ithaving first laid the whole
matter and its trivial cause before the American Minister； so that
he could make it hot for this whole caboodle of a country if they
happened to 'down me。' By Jove！ I shouldn't mind being the martyr
of an international episode if they'd spare me long enough to let
me get the first 'copy' over to the other side。〃 His eyes
sparkled。
〃You could expose them； but they would then deny the whole story；
and you have no evidence。 They would demand to know your
informant； and I should be disgraced； and the Princess； who is
already talked about； made a subject of scandal。 But no matter！
It is right that an American's independence shall not be interfered
with。〃
She raised the hem of her handkerchief to her blue eyes and
slightly turned her head aside。 Hoffman gently drew the
handkerchief away； and in so doing possessed himself of her other
hand。
〃Look here； MissMissElsbeth。 You know I wouldn't give you
away； whatever happened。 But couldn't I get hold of that
photographerI saw him； he wanted me to sit to himand make him
tell me？〃
〃He wanted you to sit to him；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃and did you？〃
〃No；〃 he replied。 〃He was a little too fresh and previous； though
I thought he fancied some resemblance in me to somebody else。〃
〃Ah！〃 She said something
