little novels-第22节

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m　the　Princess's　extraordinary　kindness　to　the　second　secretary　of　the　English　legation；　and　he　is　only　waiting　for　a　little　plainer　evidence　to　communicate　his　suspicions　to　the　Prince。　It　rests　with　you　to　save　the　Princess。〃

〃Only　tell　me　how　I　am　to　do　it！〃　I　said。

〃There　is　but　one　way　of　doing　it；〃　she　answered；　〃and　that　way　has　（comically　enough）　been　suggested　to　me　by　the　Doctor　himself。〃

Her　tone　and　manner　tried　my　patience。

〃Come　to　the　point！〃　I　said。

She　seemed　to　enjoy　provoking　me。

〃No　hurry；　Mr。　Ernestno　hurry！　You　shall　be　fully　enlightened；　if　you　will　only　wait　a　little。　The　Prince；　I　must　tell　you；　believes　in　his　daughter's　indisposition。　When　he　visited　her　this　morning；　he　was　attended　by　his　medical　adviser。　I　was　present　at　the　interview。　To　do　him　justice；　the　Doctor　is　worthy　of　the　trust　reposed　in　himhe　boldly　attempted　to　verify　his　suspicions　of　the　daughter　in　the　father's　presence。〃

〃How？〃

〃Oh；　in　the　well…known　way　that　has　been　tried　over　and　over　again；　under　similar　circumstances！　He　merely　invented　a　report　that　you　were　engaged　in　a　love…affair　with　some　charming　person　in　the　town。　Don't　be　angry；　there's　no　harm　done。〃

〃But　there　_is_　harm　done；〃　I　insisted。　〃What　must　the　Princess　think　of　me？〃

〃Do　you　suppose　she　is　weak　enough　to　believe　the　Doctor？　Her　Highness　beat　him　at　his　own　weapons；　not　the　slightest　sign　of　agitation　on　her　part　rewarded　his　ingenuity。　All　that　you　have　to　do　is　to　help　her　to　mislead　this　medical　spy。　It's　as　easy　as　lying：　and　easier。　The　Doctor's　slander　declares　that　you　have　a　love…affair　in　the　town。　Take　the　hintand　astonish　the　Doctor　by　proving　that　he　has　hit　on　the　truth。〃

It　was　a　hot　day；　the　Baroness　was　beginning　to　get　excited。　She　paused　and　fanned　herself。

〃Do　I　startle　you？〃　she　asked。

〃You　disgust　me。〃

She　laughed。

〃What　a　thick…headed　man　this　is！〃　she　said；　pleasantly。　〃Must　I　put　it　more　plainly　still？　Engage　in　what　your　English　prudery　calls　a　'flirtation；'　with　some　woman　herethe　lower　in　degree　the　better；　or　the　Princess　might　be　jealousand　let　the　affair　be　seen　and　known　by　everybody　about　the　Court。　Sly　as　he　is；　the　Doctor　is　not　prepared　for　that！　At　your　age；　and　with　your　personal　advantages；　he　will　take　appearances　for　granted；　he　will　conclude　that　he　has　wronged　you；　and　misinterpreted　the　motives　of　the　Princess。　The　secret　of　her　Highness's　weakness　will　be　preservedthanks　to　that　sacrifice；　Mr。　Ernest；　which　you　are　so　willing　and　so　eager　to　make。〃

It　was　useless　to　remonstrate　with　such　a　woman　as　this。　I　simply　stated　my　own　objection　to　her　artfully　devised　scheme。

〃I　don't　wish　to　appear　vain；〃　I　said；　〃but　the　woman　to　whom　I　am　to　pay　these　attentions　may　believe　that　I　really　admire　herand　it　is　just　possible　that　she　may　honestly　return　the　feeling　which　I　am　only　assuming。〃

〃Welland　what　then？〃

〃It's　hard　on　the　woman；　surely？〃

The　Baroness　was　shocked；　unaffectedly　shocked。

〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃how　can　anything　that　you　do　for　the　Princess　be　hard　on　a　woman　of　the　lower　orders？　There　must　be　an　end　of　this　nonsense；　sir！　You　have　heard　what　I　propose；　and　you　know　what　the　circumstances　are。　My　mistress　is　waiting　for　your　answer。　What　am　I　to　say？〃

〃Let　me　see　her　Highness；　and　speak　for　myself；〃　I　said。

〃Quite　impossible　to…day；　without　running　too　great　a　risk。　Your　reply　must　be　made　through　me。〃

There　was　to　be　a　Court　concert　at　the　end　of　the　week。　On　that　occasion　I　should　be　able　to　make　my　own　reply。　In　the　meanwhile　I　only　told　the　Baroness　I　wanted　time　to　consider。

〃What　time？〃　she　asked。

〃Until　to…morrow。　Do　you　object？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　cordially　agree。　Your　base　hesitation　may　lead　to　results　which　I　have　not　hitherto　dared　to　anticipate。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Between　this　and　to…morrow；〃　the　horrid　woman　replied；　〃the　Princess　may　end　in　seeing　you　with　my　eyes。　In　that　hope　I　wish　you　good…morning。〃

VI。

MY　enemies　say　that　I　am　a　weak　man；　unduly　influenced　by　persons　of　rankbecause　of　their　　rank。　If　this　we　re　true；　I　should　have　found　little　difficulty　in　consenting　to　adopt　the　Baroness's　suggestion。　As　it　was；　the　longer　I　reflected　on　the　scheme　the　less　I　liked　it。　I　tried　to　think　of　some　alternative　that　might　be　acceptably　proposed。　The　time　passed；　and　nothing　occurred　to　me。　In　this　embarrassing　position　my　mind　became　seriously　disturbed；　I　felt　the　necessity　of　obtaining　some　relief；　which　might　turn　my　thoughts　for　a　while　into　a　new　channel。　The　secretary　called　on　me；　while　I　was　still　in　doubt　what　to　do。　He　reminded　me　that　a　new　prima　donna　was　advertised　to　appear　on　that　night；　and　he　suggested　that　we　should　go　to　the　opera。　Feeling　as　I　did　at　the　time；　I　readily　agreed。

We　found　the　theater　already　filled；　before　the　performance　began。　Two　French　gentlemen　were　seated　in　the　row　of　stalls　behind　us。　They　were　talking　of　the　new　singer。

〃She　is　advertised　as　'Mademoiselle　Fontenay；'〃　one　of　them　said。　〃That　sounds　like　an　assumed　name。〃

〃It　_is_　an　assumed　name；〃　the　other　replied。　〃She　is　the　daughter　of　a　French　singing…master；　named　Bonnefoy。〃

To　my　friend's　astonishment　I　started　to　my　feet；　and　left　him　without　a　word　of　apology。　In　another　minute　I　was　at　the　stage…door；　and　had　sent　in　my　card　to　〃Mademoiselle　Fontenay。〃　While　I　was　waiting；　I　had　time　to　think。　Was　it　possible　that　Jeanne　had　gone　on　the　stage？　Or　were　there　two　singing…masters　in　existence　named　Bonnefoy？　My　doubts　were　soon　decided。　The　French　woman…servant　whom　I　remembered　when　I　was　Monsieur　Bonnefoy's　pupil；　made　her　appearance；　and　conducted　me　to　her　young　mistress's　dressing…room。　Dear　good　Jeanne；　how　glad　she　was　to　see　me！

I　found　her　standing　before　the　glass；　having　just　completed　her　preparations　for　appearing　on　the　stage。　Dressed　in　her　picturesque　costume；　she　was　so　charming　that　I　expressed　my　admiration　heartily；　as　became　her　old　friend。　〃Do　you　really　like　me？〃　she　said；　with　the　innocent　familiarity　which　I　recollected　so　well。　〃See　how　I　look　in　the　glassthat　is　the　great　test。〃　It　was　not　easy　to　apply　the　test。　Instead　of　looking　at　her　image　in　the　glass；　it　was　far　more　agreeable　to　look　at　herself。　We　were　interruptedtoo　soon　interruptedby　the　call…boy。　He　knocked　at　the　door；　and　announced　that　the　overture　had　begun。

〃I　have　a　thousand　things　to　ask　you；〃　I　told　her。　〃What　has　made　this　wonderful　change　in　your　life？　How　is　it　that　I　don't　see　your　father〃

Her　face　instantly　saddened；　her　hand　trembled　as　she　laid　it　on　my　arm　to　silence　me。

〃Don't　speak　of　him　now；〃　she　said；　〃or　you　will　unnerve　me。　Come　to　me　to…morrow　when　the　stage　will　not　be　waiting；　Annette　will　give　you　my　address。〃　She　opened　the　door　to　go　out；　and　returned。　〃Will　you　think　me　very　unreasonable　if　I　ask　you　not　to　make　one　of　my　audience　to…night？　You　have　reminded　me　of　the　dear　old　days　that　can　never　come　again。　If　I　feel　that　I　am　singing　to　_you_〃　She　left　me　to　understand　the　rest；　and　turned　away　again　to　the　door。　As　I　followed　her　out；　to　say　good…by；　she　drew　from　her　bosom　the　little　brooch　which　had　been　my　parting　gift；　and　held　it　out　to　me。　〃On　the　stage；　or　off；　〃　she　said；　〃I　always　wear　it。　Good…night；　Ernest。〃

I　was　prepared　to　hear　sad　news　when　we　met　the　next　morning。

My　good　old　friend　and　master　had　died　suddenly。　To　add　to　the　bitterness　of　that　affliction；　he　had　died　in　debt　to　a　dear　and　intimate　friend。　For　his　daughter's　sake　he　had　endeavored　to　add　to　his　little　savings　by　speculating　with　borrowed　money　on　the　Stock　Exchange。　He　had　failed；　and　the　loan　advanced　had　not　been　repaid；　when　a　fit　of　apoplexy　struck　him　down。　Offered　the　opportunity　of　trying　her　fortune　on　the　operatic　stage；　Jeanne　made　the　attempt；　and　was　now　nobly　employed　in　earning　the　money　to　pay　her　father's　debt。

〃It　was　the　only　way　in　which　I　could　do　justice　to　his　memory；〃　she　said；　simply。　〃I　hope　you　don't　object　to　my　going　on　the　stage？〃

I　took　her　hand；　poor　childand　let　that　simple　action　answer　for　me。　I　was　too　deeply　affected　to　be　able　to　speak。

〃It　is　not　in　me　to　be　a　great　actress；〃　she　resumed；　〃but　you　know　what　an　admirable　musician　my　father　was。　He　has　taught　me　to　sing；　so　that　I　can　satisfy　the　critics；　as　well　as　please　the　public。　There　was　what　they　call　a　great　success　last　night。　It　has　earned　me　an　engagement　for　another　year　to　come；　and　an　increase　of　salary。　I　have　already　sent　some　money　to　our　good　old　friend　at　home；　and　I　shall　soon　send　more。　It　is　my　one　consolationI　feel　almost　happy　again　when　I　am　paying　my　poor　father's　debt。　No　more　now　of　my　sad　story！　I　want　to　hear　all　that　you　can　tell　me　of　yourself。〃　She　moved　to　the　window；　and　looked　out。　〃Oh；　the　beautiful　blue　sky！　We　used　sometimes　to　take　a　walk；　when　we　were　in　London；　on　fine　days　like　this。　Is　there　a　park　here？〃

I　took　her　to　the　palace　gardens；　famous　for　their　beauty　in　that　part　of　Germany。

Arm　in　arm　we　loitered　along　the　pleasant　walks。　The　lovely　flowers；　the　bright　sun；　the　fresh　fragrant　breeze；　all　helped　her　to　recover　her　spirits。　She　began　to　be　like　the　happy　Jeanne　of　my　past　experience；　as　easily　pleased　as　a　ch