frances waldeaux-第15章

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take　her　place　and　hold　it。〃　　Jean's　black　eyes　snapped　and　the　blood　flamed　up　her　cheeks。　　〃If　I　were　she　I'd　make　my　money　tell！　　I'd　buy　poor　King　Ludwig's　residence　at　Binderhof；　with　the　cascades　and　jewelled　peacocks　and　fairy　grottos；　for　my　country　seat。　　The　Bavarian　nobility　are　a　beggarly　lot。　　If　they　knew　that　Lucy　and　her　millions　were　coming　to　town　in　this　cab；　they'd　blow　their　trumpets　for　joy。　　‘Wave；　Munich；　all　thy　banners　wave！'〃　　Lucy's　impatient　shrug　silenced　her；　but　she　was　preoccupied　and　excited　throughout　the　day。　　Miss　Vance　watched　her　curiously。　　Could　it　be　that　she　had　heard　of　the　prince's　plan　of　marrying　her　to　his　cousin；　and　that　she　was　building　these　air　castles　for　herself？


A　day　or　two　sufficed　to　make　Miss　Vance's　cheery　apartments　the　rendezvous　of　troops　of　Americans　of　all　kinds：　from　the　rich　lounger；　bored　by　the　sight　of　pictures；　which　he　did　not　understand；　and　courts　which　he　could　not　enter；　to　the　half…starved；　eager…eyed　art　students；　who　smoked；　and　drank　beer；　and　chattered　in　gutturals；　hoping　to　pass　for　Germans。

There　were　plenty　of　idle　young　New　Yorkers　and　Bostonians　too；　hovering　round　Lucy　and　Jean；　overweighted　by　their　faultless　London　coats　and　trousers　and　fluent　French。　　But　they　deceived　nobody；　they　all　had　that　nimble　brain；　and　that　unconscious　swagger　of　importance　and　success　which　stamps　the　American　in　every　country。　　Prince　Hugo；　in　his　old　brown　suit；　came　and　went　quietly　among　them。

〃The　genuine　article！〃　Jean　declared　loudly。　　〃There　is　something　royal　in　his　hospitality！　　He　lays　all　Munich　at　Lucy's　feet；　as　if　it　were　his　own　estate；　and　the　museums　and　palaces　were　the　furniture　of　his　house。　　That　homely　simplicity　of　his　is　tremendously　fine；　if　she　could　understand　it！〃

The　homely　genuineness　had　its　effect　even　upon　Lucy。　　The　carriage　which　he　brought　to　drive　them　to　Isar…anen　was　scaly　with　age；　but　the　crest　upon　it　was　the　noblest　in　Bavaria；　in　the　cabinet　of　portraits　of　ancient　beauties　in　the　royal　palace　he　showed　her　indifferently　two　or　three　of　his　aunts　and　grandmothers；　and　in　the　historical　picture　of　the　anointing　of　the　great　Charlemagne；　one　of　his　ancestors；　stout　and　good…humored　as　Hugo　himself；　supported　the　emperor。　〃The　pudgy　little　man；〃　said　Jean　one　day；　somehow　belongs　to　the　old　world　of　knights　and　crusadersSintram　and　his　companions。　　He　will　make　it　all　real　to　Lucy　when　she　marries　him。　　He　is　like　Ali　Baba；　standing　at　the　shut　door　of　the　cave　full　of　jewels　and　treasures　with　the　key　in　his　hand。〃

〃Those　Arabian　Night　stories　are　simply　silly；〃　said　Lucy　severely。　　〃I　am　astonished　that　any　woman　in　this　age　of　the　world　should　read　that　kind　of　trash。〃

〃But　the　prince's　cave？〃　persisted　Jean。　　〃When　are　we　to　look　into　it？　　I　want　to　be　sure　of　the　treasures　inside。　　When　are　we　to　go　to　his　palace？　　When　will　his　sisters　ask　us　to　dinner？〃

Miss　Vance　looked　anxious。　　〃That　is　a　question　of　great　importance；〃　she　said。　　〃The　princesses　have　invited　me　through　their　brother　to　call。　　It　is　of　course　etiquette　here　for　the　stranger　to　call　first；　but　I　don't　wish　to　compromise　Lucy　by　making　advances。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　then　Lucy　said；　blushing　and　faltering　a　little；　〃It　would　be　better　perhaps　to　call；　and　not　prejudice　them；　by　any　discourtesy；　against　us。　　The　prince　is　very　kind。〃

〃So！　　The　wind　is　in　that　quarter？〃　Jean　said；　with　a　harsh　laugh。

She　jumped　up　and　went　to　her　own　room。　　She　was　in　a　rage　at　herself。　　Why　had　she　not　run　away　to　Paris　months　ago　and　begun　her　great　picture　of　the　World's　mother；　　Eve？　　There　was　a　career　for　her！　　And　thinkingperhaps　of　Eveshe　cried　hot　salt　tears。


　　CHAPTER　XI

A　week　passed；　but　the　question　of　the　first　call　was　not　yet　settled。　　It　required　as　much　diplomacy　as　an　international　difficulty。　　Furst　Hugo　represented　the　princesses　as　〃burning　with　impatience　to　behold　the　engelreine　Madchen　whom　they　hoped　to　embrace　as　a　sister；〃　but　no　visible　sign　of　their　ardor　reached　Miss　Vance。

On　Monday　Jean　went　to　spend　the　day　with　some　of　her　artist　friends；　but　at　noon　she　dashed　into　the　room　where　Clara　and　Lucy　sat　sewing；　her　dark　face　blotched　red；　and　her　voice　stuttering　with　excitement。

〃I　have　seen　into　the　cave！〃　she　shouted。　　I　have　got　at　the　truth！　　It's　a　rather　stagy　throne；　the　Wolfburghs！　　Plated；　cheap！〃

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　said　Miss　Vance。

〃Nothing　is　the　matter　with　ME。　　It　is　Lucy's　tragedy。　　I've　seen　the　magnificent　ancient　palace　of　the　Wolfburghs。　　It　is　a　flat！　　In　the　very　house　where　I　went　to…day。　　The　third　story　flat　just　under　the　attics　where　the　poor　Joneses　daub　portraits。　　I　passed　the　open　doors　and　I　saw　the　shabby　old　tables　and　chairs　and　the　princessestwo　fat　old　women　in　frowzy　wrappers；　and　their　hair　in　papers；　eating　that　soup　of　pork　and　cabbages　and　raisinsthe　air　was　thick　with　the　smell！　　And　that　is　not　the　worst！〃

〃Take　breath；　Jean；〃　said　Lucy　calmly。

〃The　prince　himselfthe　Joneses　told　me；　there　can　be　no　doubtthe　prince　makes　soap　for　a　living！　　No　wonder　you　turn　pale；　Miss　Vance。　　Soap！　　He　is　the　silent　partner　in　the　firm　of　Woertz　und　Zimmer；　and　it　is　not　a　paying　business　either。〃

Jean　did　not　wait　for　an　answer；　but　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　laughing　angrily　to　herself。　　〃Yes；　soap！　　He　cannot　sneer　at　Lucy's　ancestral　saddles；　now。　　Nor　my　father's　saws！　　His　rank　is　the　only　thing　he　has　to　give　for　Lucy's　millions；　and　now　she　knows　what　it　is　worth！〃

Lucy　rose　and；　picking　up　her　work　basket；　walked　quietly　out　of　the　room。　　Jean　flashed　an　indignant　glance　after　her。

〃She　might　have　told　me　that　he　gave　himself！　　Surely　the　man　counts　for　something！　　Anyhow；　rank　like　his　is　not　smirched　by　poverty　or　trade。　　Bismarck　himself　brews　beer。〃

〃Your　temper　is　contradictory　to…day；〃　said　Clara　coldly。　　〃Did　you　know；〃　she　said　presently；　〃that　the　princesses　will　be　at　the　Countess　von　Amte's　to…morrow？〃

〃Then　we　shall　meet　them！〃　cried　Jean。　　〃Then　something　will　be　settled。〃

Lucy　locked　the　door　of　her　chamber　after　her。　She　found　much　comfort　in　the　tiny　bare　room　with　its　white　walls　and　blue　stove；　and　the　table　where　lay　her　worn　Bible　and　a　picture　of　her　old　home。　　The　room　seemed　a　warm　home　to　her　now。　　Above　the　wall　she　had　hung　photographs　of　the　great　Madonnas；　and　lately　she　had　placed　one　of　Frances　Waldeaux　among　them。　　That　was　the　face　on　which　she　looked　last　at　night。　　When　Clara　had　noticed　it；　Lucy　had　said；　〃I　am　as　fond　of　the　dear　lady　as　if　she　were　my　own　mother。〃

She　sat　down　before　it　now；　and　taking　out　her　sewing　began　to　work；　glancing　up　at　it；　half　smiling　as　to　a　friend　who　talked　to　her。　　She　thought　of　Furst　Hugo　boiling　soap；　with　a　gentle　pity；　and　of　Jean　with　hot　disdain。　　What　had　Jean　to　do　with　it？　　The　prince　was　her　own　lover；　as　her　gloves　were　her　own。

But　indeed；　the　prince　and　love　were　but　shadows　on　the　far　sky　line　to　the　little　girl；　the　real　things　were　her　work　and　her　Bible；　and　George's　mother　talking　to　her。　　She　often　traced　remembered　expressions　on　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　face；　the　gayety；　the　sympathy；　a　strange　foreboding　in　the　eyes。　　Finer　meanings；　surely；　than　any　in　the　features　of　these　immortal　insipid　Madonnas！

Sometimes　Lucy　could　not　decide　whether　she　had　seen　these　meanings　on　Frances　Waldeaux's　face；　or　on　her　son's。

She　sewed　until　late　in　the　afternoon。　　There　came　a　tap　at　the　door。　　She　opened　it；　and　there　stood　Mrs。　Waldeaux；　wrapped　in　a　heavy　cloak。　　Lucy　jumped　at　her；　trembling；　and　hugged　her。

〃Oh；　come　in！　　Come　in！〃　she　cried　shrilly。　　〃I　have　just　been　thinking　of　you　and　talking　to　you！〃

Frances　laughed；　bewildered。　　〃Oh；　it　is　Miss　Dunbar？　　The　man　sent　me　here　by　mistake　to　wait。　　Miss　Vance　is　out；　he　said。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　so。　　But　II　am　here。〃　　Lucy　threw　her　arms　around　her　again；　laying　her　head　down　on　her　shoulder。　　She　felt　as　if　something　that　she　had　waited　for　a　long　time　was　coming　to　her。　　〃Sit　by　the　stove。　　Your　hands　are　like　ice；〃　she　said。

〃Yes；　I　am　usually　cold　now；　I　don't　know　why。〃

Lucy　then　saw　a　curious　change　in　her　face。　　The　fine　meanings　were　not　in　it　now。