little novels-第24章

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　colleague's　strong　prejudice　against　him　instantly　declared　itself。

〃Be　on　your　guard　with　that　man；〃　he　said。

〃Why？〃　I　asked。

〃Haven't　you　noticed；〃　he　replied；　〃that　when　the　Princess　is　talking　to　you；　the　Doctor　always　happens　to　be　in　that　part　of　the　room？〃

〃What　does　it　matter　where　the　Doctor　is？〃

My　friend　looked　at　me　with　an　oddly　mingled　expression　of　doubt　and　surprise。　〃Do　you　really　not　understand　me？〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　indeed。〃

〃My　dear　Ernest；　you　are　a　rare　and　admirable　example　to　the　rest　of　usyou　are　a　truly　modest　man。〃

What　did　he　mean？

V。

EVENTS　followed；　on　the　next　day；　which　（as　will　presently　be　seen）　I　have　a　personal　interest　in　relating。

The　Baroness　left　us　suddenly；　on　leave　of　absence。　The　Prince　wearied　of　his　residence　in　the　country；　and　the　Court　returned　to　the　capital。　The　charming　Princess　was　reported　to　be　〃indisposed；〃　and　retired　to　the　seclusion　of　her　own　apartments。

A　week　later；　I　received　a　note　f　rom　the　Baroness；　marked　〃private　and　confidential。〃　It　informed　me　that　she　had　resumed　her　duties　as　lady…in…waiting；　and　that　she　wished　to　see　me　at　my　earliest　convenience。　I　obeyed　at　once；　and　naturally　asked　if　there　were　better　accounts　of　her　Highness's　health。

The　Baroness's　reply　a　little　surprised　me。　She　said；　〃The　Princess　is　perfectly　well。〃

〃Recovered　already！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃She　has　never　been　ill；〃　the　Baroness　answered。　〃Her　indisposition　was　a　sham；　forced　on　her　by　me；　in　her　own　interests。　Her　reputation　is　in　peril；　and　youyou　hateful　Englishmanare　the　cause　of　it。〃

Not　feeling　disposed　to　put　up　with　such　language　as　this；　even　when　it　was　used　by　a　lady；　I　requested　that　she　would　explain　herself。　She　complied　without　hesitation。　In　another　minute　my　eyes　were　opened　to　the　truth。　I　knewno；　that　is　too　positivelet　me　say　I　had　reason　to　believe　that　the　Princess　loved　me！

It　is　simply　impossible　to　convey　to　the　minds　of　others　any　idea　of　the　emotions　that　overwhelmed　me　at　that　critical　moment　of　my　life。　I　was　in　a　state　of　confusion　at　the　time；　and；　when　my　memory　tries　to　realize　it；　I　am　in　a　state　of　confusion　now。　The　one　thing　I　can　do　is　to　repeat　what　the　Baroness　said　to　me　when　I　had　in　some　degree　recovered　my　composure。

〃I　suppose　you　are　aware；〃　she　began；　〃of　the　disgrace　to　which　the　Princess's　infatuation　exposes　her；　if　it　is　discovered？　On　my　own　responsibility　I　repeat　what　I　said　to　you　a　short　time　since。　Do　you　refuse　to　leave　this　place　immediately？〃

Does　the　man　live；　honored　as　I　was；　who　would　have　hesitated　to　refuse？　Find　him　if　you　can！

〃Very　well；〃　she　resumed。　〃As　the　friend　of　the　Princess；　I　have　no　choice　now　but　to　take　things　as　they　are；　and　to　make　the　best　of　them。　Let　us　realize　your　position　to　begin　with。　If　you　were　（like　your　elder　brother）　a　nobleman　possessed　of　vast　estates；　my　royal　mistress　might　be　excused。　As　it　is；　whatever　you　may　be　in　the　future；　you　are　nothing　now　but　an　obscure　young　man；　without　fortune　or　title。　Do　you　see　your　duty　to　the　Princess？　or　must　I　explain　it　to　you？〃

I　saw　my　duty　as　plainly　as　she　did。　〃Her　Highness's　secret　is　a　sacred　secret；〃　I　said。　〃I　am　bound　to　shrink　from　no　sacrifice　which　may　preserve　it。〃

The　Baroness　smiled　maliciously。　〃I　may　have　occasion；〃　she　answered；　〃to　remind　you　of　what　you　have　just　said。　In　the　meanwhile　the　Princess's　secret　is　in　danger　of　discovery。〃

〃By　her　father？〃

〃No。　By　the　Doctor。〃

At　first；　I　doubted　whether　she　was　in　jest　or　in　earnest。　The　next　instant；　I　remembered　that　the　secretary　had　expressly　cautioned　me　against　that　man。

〃It　is　evidently　one　of　your　virtues；〃　the　Baroness　proceeded；　〃to　be　slow　to　suspect。　Prepare　yourself　for　a　disagreeable　surprise。　The　Doctor　has　been　watching　the　Princess；　on　every　occasion　when　she　speaks　to　you；　with　some　object　of　his　own　in　view。　During　my　absence；　young　sir；　I　have　been　engaged　in　discovering　what　that　object　is。　My　excellent　mother　lives　at　the　Court　of　the　Grand　Duke；　and　enjoys　the　confidence　of　his　Ministers。　He　is　still　a　bachelor；　and；　in　the　interests　of　the　succession　to　the　throne；　the　time　has　arrived　when　he　must　marry。　With　my　mother's　assistance；　I　have　found　out　that　the　Doctor's　medical　errand　here　is　a　pretense。　Influenced　by　the　Princess's　beauty　the　Grand　Duke　has　thought　of　her　first　as　his　future　duchess。　Whether　he　has　heard　slanderous　stories；　or　whether　he　is　only　a　cautious　man；　I　can't　tell　you。　But　this　I　know：　he　has　instructed　his　physicianif　he　had　employed　a　professed　diplomatist　his　motive　might　have　been　suspectedto　observe　her　Highness　privately；　and　to　communicate　the　result。　The　object　of　the　report　is　to　satisfy　the　Duke　that　the　Princess's　reputation　is　above　the　reach　of　scandal；　that　she　is　free　from　entanglements　of　a　certain　kind；　and　that　she　is　in　every　respect　a　person　to　whom　he　can　with　propriety　offer　his　hand　in　marriage。　The　Doctor；　Mr。　Ernest；　is　not　disposed　to　allow　you　to　prevent　him　from　sending　in　a　favorable　report。　He　has　drawn　his　conclusions　from　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；　si