the indiscretion of elsbeth-第3章

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she　apparently　gave　it　up；　and　said　with　a　slanting　glint　of

mischief　in　her　eyes：



〃Then　you　come　here　like　the　other　Americans　in　hope　to　see　the

Grand　Duke　and　Duchess　and　the　Princesses？〃



〃No。　　The　fact　is　I　almost　tumbled　into　a　lot　of　'emstanding　like

wax　figuresthe　other　side　of　the　park　lodge；　the　other　dayand

got　away　as　soon　as　I　could。　　I　think　I　prefer　the　cows。〃



Her　head　was　slightly　turned　away。　　He　had　to　content　himself　with

looking　down　upon　the　strong　feet　in　their　serviceable　but　smartly

buckled　shoes　that　uplifted　her　upright　figure　as　she　moved　beside

him。



〃Of　course；〃　he　added　with　boyish　but　unmistakable　courtesy；　〃if

it's　part　of　your　show　to　trot　out　the　family；　why　I'm　in　that；

too。　　I　dare　say　you　could　make　them　interesting。〃



〃But　why；〃　she　said　with　her　head　still　slightly　turned　away　toward

a　figurea　sturdy…looking　woman；　which；　for　the　first　time；

Hoffman　perceived　was　walking　in　a　line　with　them　as　the　chasseur

had　done〃why　did　you　come　here　at　all？〃



〃The　first　time　was　a　fool　accident；〃　he　returned　frankly。　　〃I　was

making　a　short　cut　through　what　I　thought　was　a　public　park。　　The

second　time　was　because　I　had　been　rude　to　a　Police　Inspector　whom

I　found　going　through　my　things；　but　who　apologizedas　I　suppose

by　getting　me　an　invitation　from　the　Grand　Duke　to　come　here；　and　I

thought　it　only　the　square　thing　to　both　of　'em　to　accept　it。　　But

I'm　mighty　glad　I　came；　I　wouldn't　have　missed　YOU　for　a　thousand

dollars。　　You　see　I　haven't　struck　anyone　I　cared　to　talk　to

since。〃　　Here　he　suddenly　remarked　that　she　hadn't　looked　at　him；

and　that　the　delicate　whiteness　of　her　neck　was　quite　suffused　with

pink；　and　stopped　instantly。　　Presently　he　said　quite　easily：



〃Who's　the　chorus？〃



〃The　lady？〃



〃Yes。　　She's　watching　us　as　if　she　didn't　quite　approve；　you　know

just　as　if　she　didn't　catch　on。〃



〃She's　the　head　housekeeper　of　the　farm。　　Perhaps　you　would　prefer

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