frances waldeaux-第13章

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value　us　by　other　standards　than　birth。〃

〃I　have　money；　if　you　mean　that；　Jean；〃　said　Lucy　cheerfully。

〃I　think　you　had　better　go　away；　girls；　if　you　have　finished　your　dejeuner。　　He　may　be　here　at　any　moment　now；〃　said　Clara；　looking　anxiously　at　her　watch。

Lucy　went　to　her　little　chamber　and　sat　down　to　work　at　a　monstrous　caricature　which　she　was　painting　of　the　church。　　Jean　paced　up　and　down　the　stone　corridor；　looking　out　of　the　window　into　the　Platz。

〃He　has　come；〃　she　said　excitedly；　appearing　at　Lucy's　door。　　〃He　went　into　the　church　first；　to　say　an　ave　for　help；　poor　little　man！　　His　fat　face　is　quite　pale　and　stern。　　It　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death　to　him。　　And　it's　no　more　to　you　than　the　choosing　of　a　new　coat。〃

Lucy　smiled　and　sketched　in　a　priest　on　the　church　steps。　　Her　hand　shook；　but　Jean　could　not　see　that。　　She　went　to　the　window　again　with　something　like　an　inward　oath　at　the　dolts　of　commonplace　women　who　had　all　the　best　chances；　but　was　back　in　a　moment；　laughing　nervously。

〃Do　you　know　he　has　on　that　old　brown　suit？〃　　She　leaned　against　the　jamb　of　the　door。　　〃If　I　were　a　prince；　and　came　a…wooing；　I　would　have　troops　of　my　Jagers；　and　trumpets　and　banners　with　the　arms　of　my　House；　and　I'd　wear　all　my　decorations。　　Of　course　we　Americans　are　bound　to　say　that　rank　and　royalty　are　dead　things。　　But　if　I　had　them；　I'd　galvanize　the　corpses！　　If　they　are　useful　as　shows；　I'd　make　the　show　worth　seeing。　　I'd　cover　myself　with　jewels　like　the　old　Romanoffs。　　You　would　never　see　Queen　Jean　in　a　slouchy　alpaca　and　pork…pie　hat　like　Victoria。〃　　While　her　tongue　chattered；　her　eyes　watched　Lucy　keenly。　　〃You　don't　hear　me！　　You　are　deciding　what　to　do。　　Why　on　earth　should　you　hesitate？　　He　is　a　gentlemanhe　loves　you！〃　and　then　to　Lucy's　relief　she　suddenly　threw　on　her　hat　and　rushed　off　for　a　walk。

Miss　Dunbar　painted　the　priest's　robe　yellow；　in　her　agitation。　　But　the　agitation　was　not　deep。　　There　really　seemed　no　reason　why　she　should　hesitate。　　He　would　be　kind；　he　was　well…bred　and　agreeable。　　A　princess？　　She　had　a　vague　idea　of　a　glorified　region　of　ancestral　castles　and　palaces　in　which　dukes　and　royalties　dwelt　apart　and　discoursed　of　high　matters。　　She　would　be　one　of　them。

The　other　day　there　seemed　to　be　no　reason　why　she　should　not　marry　Mr。　Perry。　　In　marriage　then　one　must　only　consider　the　suitability　of　the　man？　　There　was　nothing　else　to　consider


With　a　queer；　hunted　look　in　her　soft　eyes　she　worked　on；　daubing　on　paint　liberally。

Meanwhile；　in　the　little　salle　below；　Miss　Vance　sat　stiffly　erect；　while　the　prince　talked　in　his　shrill　falsetto。　　Although　he　set　forth　his　affection　for　the　engelreine　Madchen　as　simply　as　the　little　German　baker　in　Weir　（whom　he　certainly　did　resemble）　might　have　done；　she　could　find；　in　her　agitation；　no　fitting　words　in　which　to　answer　him。　　That　she；　Clara　Vance；　should　be　the　arbiter　in　a　princely　alliance！　　At　last　she　managed　to　ask　whether　Miss　Dunbar　had　given　him　any　encouragement　on　which　to　found　his　claim。

〃Ah；　Fraulein　Vance！〃　he　cried；　laughing。　　〃The　hare　does　not　call　to　the　hounds！　　But　I　have　no　fear。　　She　speaks　to　me　in　other　ways　than　by　words。


　　〃‘Mein　Herz　und　seine　Augen　　　　Verstehen　sich　gar　so　gut！'


You　know　the　old　song。　　Ah；　ja！　　I　understand　what　she　would　sayhere！〃　touching　his　heart。

He　paced　up　and　down；　smiling　to　himself。　　Suddenly　he　drew　up　before　her；　tossing　his　hands　out　as　if　to　throw　away　some　pleasant　dream。　　〃I　have　come　to　you；　gracious　lady；　as　I　would　to　the　mother　of　Miss　Dunbar。　　I　show　to　you　the　heart！　　But　before　I　address　her　it　is　necessary　that　I　shall　consult　her　guardian　with　regard　to　business。〃

It　was　precisely；　Clara　said　afterward；　as　if　the　baker　from　Weir　had　stopped　singing；　and　presented　his　bill。

〃Business？〃　she　gasped。　　〃Oh；　I　see！　　Settlements。　　We　don't　have　such　things　in　the　States。　　But　I　quite　understand　all　those　European　social　traits。　　I　have　lived　abroad　for　years。　　I〃

〃Who　is　Miss　Dunbar's　guardian？〃　the　prince　demanded　alertly。　　He　sat　down　by　the　table　and　took　out　a　notebook　and　papers。

〃Butsettlements？　　Is　not　that　a　little　premature？〃　she　ventured。　　〃She　has　not　accepted　you。〃

〃HE　may　not　accept　my　financial　proposals。　　It　is　business；　you　see。　　The　gentle　ladies；　even　die　Amerikaner；　do　not　comprehend　business。　　It　is　not；　you　perceive；　dear　lady；　the　same　when　the　head　of　the　House　of　Wolfburgh　allies　himself　with　a　hochgeboren　Fraulein　as　when　the　tailors　marry〃

〃Nor　bakers。　　I　see；〃　stammered　Clara。

〃Miss　Dunbar's　properties　are　valuable。　　Her　estate　in　Del…aware；〃　glancing　at　his　notebook；　〃is　larger　than　some　of　our　German　kingdoms。　　Her　investments　in　railway　and　mining　securities；　if　put　on　the　market；　should　be　worth　a　million　of　florins。　　These　are　solid　matters；　and　must　be　dealt　with　carefully。〃

〃But；　good　gracious；　Prince　Wolfburgh！　cried　Miss　Vance；　〃how　did　you　find　out　about　Lucy's　investments？〃

He　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　　〃Meine　gnadigste　Fraulein！　　It　is　not　possible　that　you　supposed　that　in　such　a　matter　as　this　men　leap　into　the　darkthe　men　of　rank；　princes；　counts；　English　barons；　who　marry　the　American　mees？　　That　they　do　not　know　for　what　they　exchange　theirall　that　they　give？　　I　will　tell　you；〃　with　a　condescending　smile。　　〃There　are　agents　in　the　Statesin　New　Yorkin　Chicagoinhow　do　you　name　it？　　St。　Sanata。　　They　furnish　exact　information　as　to　the　dot　of　the　lady　who　will；　perhaps；　marry　here。　　Oh；　no！　　We　do　not　leap　into　the　dark！〃

〃So　I　perceive；〃　said　Clara　dryly。　　〃And　may　I　inquire；　your　Highness；　what　financial　arrangement　you　propose；　in　case　she　becomes　your　wife？〃

〃Assuredly。〃　　He　hastily　unfolded　a　large　paper。　　〃This　must　be　accepted　by　her　guardian　before　the　betrothal　can　take　place。　　I　will　translate；　in　brief。　　The　whole　estate　passes　to　me；　and　is　secured　to　me　in　case　of　my　wife's　death　without　issue。　　I　inserted　that　clause；〃　he　said；　looking　up；　smiling；　for　approval；　〃because　American　Frauleins　are　so　fragilenot　like　our　women。　　I　will；　of　course；　if　we　have　issue；　try　to　preserve　the　real　estate　for　my　heir；　and　the　remaining　property　for　my　other　children。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　a　good　deal　is　taken　for　granted　there；〃　said　Clara；　whose　cheeks　were　very　hot。　　〃And　where　does　Miss　Dunbar　come　into　this　arrangement？　　Is　she　not　to　have　any　money　at　all？〃

〃My　widow；　should　I　die　first；　will　be　paid　an　annuity　from　my　estate。　　But　while　Mees　Lucy　is　my　wife；　_I_　will　buy　all　that　she　needs。　　I　will　delight　to　dress　her；　to　feed　her　well。　　With　discretion；　of　course。　　For　there　are　many　channels　into　which　my　income　must　flow。　　But　I　will　not　be　a　niggardly　husband　to　her！　　No；　no！〃　cried　the　little　man　in　a　glow。

〃That　is　very　kind　of　you。　　But　she　will　not　have　any　of　her　own　money　to　spend？　　In　her　own　purse？　　To　fling　into　the　gutter　if　she　chooses？〃

The　prince　laughed　gayly。　　〃How　American　you　are；　gracious　lady！　　A　German　wife　does　not　ask　for　her　‘own　purse。'　　My　wife　will　cease　to　be　American；　she　will　be　German；〃　patting　his　soft　hands　ecstatically。　　〃But　you　have　not　told　me　the　name　of　her　guardian？〃

〃Lucy；〃　said　Miss　Vance　reluctantly；　〃is　of　age。　　She　has　full　control　of　her　property。　　A　Trust　Company　manages　it　for　her；　but　they　have　no　authority　to　stop　her　if　she　chooses　tothrow　it　into　the　gutter。〃

The　prince　looked　up　sharply。　　Could　this　be　a　trick？　　But　if　it　were；　the　agent　would　find　out　for　him。　　He　rose。


〃To　have　the　sole　disposal　of　her　own　hand　and　of　her　fortune？　　That　seems　strange　to　us；〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃But　I　have　your　consent；　most　dear　lady；　to　win　both；　if　I　can？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　prince。　　If　you　can。〃

He　took　her　hand　and　bowed　profoundly　over　it；　but　no　courtly　grace　nor　words　could　bring　back　Clara's　awe　of　him。　　She　had　a　vague　impression　that　the　Weir　baker　had　been　wrangling　with　her　about　his　bill。

〃Your　Highness　has　asked　a　good　many　questions；〃　she　said。　　〃May　I　put　one　to　you？　　Did　you　inquire　concerning　Miss　Hassard's　dot；　also？〃　〃Ah；　certainly！　　Why　not？　　It　is　very　large。　　I　have　spoken　of　it　to　my　cousin　Count　Odo。　　But　the　drawbackher　father　still　lives。　　He　may　marry　again。　　Her