the illustrious prince-第22部分

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〃Is　it　true　that　I　am　engaged　to　Sir　Charles　Somerfield；〃　she　answered。

〃I　must　wish　you　every　happiness；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Indeed；　that　wish　comes　from　my　heart；　and　I　think　that　you　know　it。　As　for　Sir　Charles　Somerfield；　I　cannot　imagine　that　he　has　anything　left　in　the　world　to　wish　for。〃

〃You　are　a　born　courtier；　Prince；〃　she　murmured。　〃Please　remember　that　in　my　democratic　country　one　has　never　had　a　chance　of　getting　used　to　such　speeches。〃

〃Your　country；〃　he　remarked；　〃prides　itself　upon　being　the　country　where　truth　prevails。　If　so；　you　should　have　become　accustomed　by　now　to　hearing　pleasant　things　about　yourself。　So　you　are　going　to　marry　Sir　Charles　Somerfield！〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that　over　to　yourself　so　doubtfully？〃　she　asked。　〃You　know　who　he　is；　do　you　not？　He　is　rich；　of　old　family；　popular　with　everybody；　a　great　sportsman；　a　mighty　hunter。　These　are　the　things　which　go　to　the　making　of　a　man；　are　they　not？〃

〃Beyond　a　doubt；〃　the　Prince　answered　gravely。　〃They　go　to　the　making　of　a　man。　It　is　as　you　say。〃

〃You　like　him　personally；　don't　you？〃　she　asked。

〃Sir　Charles　Somerfield　and　I　are　almost　strangers；〃　the　Prince　replied。　〃I　have　not　seen　much　of　him；　and　he　has　so　many　tastes　which　I　cannot　share　that　it　is　hard　for　us　to　come　very　near　together。　But　if　you　have　chosen　him；　it　is　sufficient。　I　am　quite　sure　that　he　is　all　that　a　man　should　be。〃

〃Tell　me　in　what　respect　your　tastes　are　so　far　apart？〃　she　asked。　〃You　say　that　as　though　there　were　something　in　the　manner　of　his　life　of　which　you　disapproved。〃

〃We　are　sons　of　different　countries；　Miss　Penelope；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃We　look　out　upon　life　differently；　and　the　things　which　seem　good　to　him　may　well　seem　idle　to　me。　Before　I　go；〃　he　added　a　little　hesitatingly；　〃we　may　speak　of　this　again。　But　not　now。〃

〃I　shall　remind　you　of　that　promise；　Prince；〃　she　declared。

〃I　will　not　fail　to　keep　it；〃　he　replied。　〃You　have；　at　least；〃　he　added　after　a　moment's　pause；　〃one　great　claim　upon　happiness。　You　are　the　son　and　the　daughter　of　kindred　races。〃

She　looked　at　him　as　though　not　quite　understanding。

〃I　was　thinking；〃　he　continued　simply；　〃of　my　own　father　and　mother。　My　father　was　a　Japanese　nobleman；　with　the　home　call　of　all　the　centuries　strong　in　his　blood。　He　was　an　enlightened　man；　but　he　saw　nothing　in　the　manner　of　living　or　the　ideals　of　other　countries　to　compare　with　those　of　the　country　of　his　own　birth。　I　sometimes　think　that　my　mother　and　father　might　have　been　happier　had　one　of　them　been　a　little　more　disposed　to　yield　to　the　other　I　think；　perhaps；　that　their　union　would　have　been　a　more　successful　one。　They　were　married；　and　they　lived　together；　but　they　lived　apart。〃

〃It　was　not　well　for　you；　this；〃　she　remarked。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Do　not　mistake　me；〃　he　begged。　〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　am　content。　I　am　Japanese。　The　English　blood　that　is　in　my　veins　is　but　as　a　drop　of　water　compared　to　the　call　of　my　own　country。　And　yet　there　are　some　things　which　have　come　to　me　from　my　motherthings　which　come　most　to　the　surface　when　I　am　in　this；　her　own　countrywhich　make　life　at　times　a　little　sad。　Forgive　me　if　I　have　been　led　on　to　speak　too　much　of　myself。　Today　one　should　think　of　nothing　but　of　you　and　of　your　happiness。〃

He　turned　to　accept　the　greeting　of　an　older　woman　who　had　lingered　for　a　moment；　in　passing；　evidently　anxious　to　speak　to　him。　Penelope　watched　his　kindly　air；　listened　to　the　courteous　words　which　flowed　from　his　lips；　the　interest　in　his　manner；　which　his　whole　bearing　denoted；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　the　woman　was　elderly　and　plain；　and　had　outlived　the　friends　of　her　day　and　received　but　scanty　consideration　from　the　present　generation。　It　was　typical　of　him；　too；　she　realized。　It　was　never　to　the　great　women　of　the　world　that　he　unbent　most　thoroughly。　Gray　hairs　seemed　to　inspire　his　respect；　to　command　his　attentions　in　a　way　that　youth　and　beauty　utterly　failed　to　do。　These　things　seemed　suddenly　clear　to　Penelope　as　she　stood　there　watching　him。　A　hundred　little　acts　of　graceful　kindness；　which　she　had　noticed　and　admired；　returned　to　her　memory。　It　was　this　man　whom　she　had　lifted　her　hand　to　betray！　It　was　this　man　who　was　to　be　accounted　guilty；　even　of　crime！　There　came　a　sudden　revulsion　of　feeling。　The　whole　mechanical　outlook　upon　life；　as　she　had　known　it；　seemed；　even　in　those　few　seconds；　to　become　a　false　and　meretricious　thing。　Whatever　he　had　done　or　countenanced　was　right。　She　had　betrayed　his　hospitality。　She　had　committed　an　infamous　breach　of　trust。　An　overwhelming　desire　came　over　her　to　tell　him　everything。　She　took　a　quick　step　forward　and　found　herself　face　to　face　with　Somerfield。　The　Prince　was　buttonholed　by　some　friends　and　led　away。　The　moment　had　passed。

〃Come　and　talk　to　the　Duchess；〃　Somerfield　said。　〃She　has　something　delightful　to　propose。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。　CONCERNING　PRINCE　MAIYO

The　Duchess　looked　up　from　her　writing　table　and　nodded　to　her　husband；　who　had　just　entered。

〃Good　morning；　Ambrose！〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　talk　to　me？〃

〃If　you　can　spare　me　five　minutes；〃　the　Duke　suggested。　〃I　don't　think　that　I　need　keep　you　longer。〃

The　Duchess　handed　her　notebook　to　her　secretary；　who　hastened　from　the　room。　The　Duke　seated　himself　in　her　vacant　chair。

〃About　our　little　party　down　in　Hampshire　next　week；〃　he　began。

〃I　am　waiting　to　hear　from　you　before　I　send　out　any　invitations；〃　the　Duchess　answered。

〃Quite　so；〃　the　Duke　assented。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　want　anything　in　the　nature　of　a　house　party。　What　I　should　really　like　would　be　to　get　Maiyo　there　almost　to　ourselves。〃

His　wife　looked　at　him　in　some　surprise。

〃You　seem　particularly　anxious　to　make　things　pleasant　for　this　young　man；〃　she　remarked。　〃If　he　were　the　son　of　the　Emperor　himself；　no　one　could　do　more　for　him　than　you　people　have　been　doing　these　last　few　weeks。〃

The　Duke　of　Devenham；　Chancellor　of　the　Duchy　of　Lancaster；　whose　wife　entertained　for　his　party；　and　whose　immense　income；　derived　mostly　from　her　American　relations；　was　always　at　its　disposal；　was　a　person　almost　as　important　in　the　councils　of　his　country　as　the　Prime　Minister　himself。　It　sometimes　occurred　to　him　that　the　person　who　most　signally　failed　to　realize　this　fact　was　the　lady　who　did　him　the　honor　to　preside　over　his　household。

〃My　dear　Margaret；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　take　my　word　for　it　that　we　know　what　we　are　about。　It　is　very　important　indeed　that　we　should　keep　on　friendly　terms　with　this　young　man；I　don't　mean　as　a　personal　matter。　It's　a　matter　of　politicsperhaps　of　something　greater；　even；　than　that。〃

The　Duchess　liked　to　understand　everything；　and　her　husband's　reticence　annoyed　her。

〃But　we　have　the　Japanese　Ambassador　always　with　us；〃　she　remarked。　〃A　most　delightful　person　I　call　the　Baron　Hesho；　and　I　am　sure　he　loves　us　all。〃

〃That　is　not　exactly　the　point；　my　dear；〃　the　Duke　explained。　〃Prince　Maiyo　is　over　here　on　a　special　mission。　We　ourselves　have　only　been　able　to　surmise　its　object　with　the　aid　of　our　secret　service　in　Tokio。　You　can　rest　assured　of　one　thing；　however。　It　is　of　vast　importance　to　the　interests　of　this　country　that　we　secure　his　goodwill。〃

The　Duchess　smiled　good　humoredly。

〃Well；　my　dear　Ambrose；〃　she　said；　〃I　don't　know　what　more　we　can　do　than　feed　him　properly　and　give　him　pleasant　people　to　talk　to。　He　doesn't　go　in　for　sports；　does　he？　All　I　can　promise　is　that　we　will　do　our　best　to　be　agreeable　to　him。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；　my　dear；〃　the　Duke　said。　〃You　haven't　committed　yourself　to　asking　any　one；　by　the　bye？〃

〃Not　a　soul；〃　his　wife　answered；　〃except　Sir　Charles。　I　had　to　ask　him；　of　course；　for　Penelope。〃

〃Naturally；〃　the　Duke　assented。　〃I　am　glad　Penelope　will　be　there。　I　only　wish　that　she　were　English　instead　of　American；　and　that　Maiyo　would　take　a　serious　fancy　to　her。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　the　Duchess　said　dryly；　〃you　would　like　him　to　take　a　fancy　to　Grace？〃

〃I　shouldn't　mind　in　the　least；〃　her　husband　declared。　〃I　never　met　a　young　man　whom　I　respected　and　admired　more。〃

〃Nor　I；　for　that　matter；〃　the　Duchess　agreed。　〃And　yet；　somehow　or　other〃

〃Somehow　or　other？〃　the　Duke　repeated　courteously。

〃Well；　I　never　altogether　trust　these　paragons；〃　his　wife　said。　〃In　all　the　ordinary　affairs　of　life　the　Prince　seems　to　reach　an　almost　perfect　standard。　I　sometimes　wonder　whether　he　would　be　as　trustworthy　in　the　big　things。　Nothing　else　you　want　to　talk　about；　Ambrose？〃

〃Nothing　at　all；〃　the　Duke　said；　rising　to　his　feet。　〃I　only　wanted　to　make　it　plain　that　we　don't　require　a　house　party　next　week。〃

〃I　shan't　ask　a　soul；〃　the　Duchess　answered。　〃Do　you　mind　ringing　the　bell　as　you　pass？　I'll　have　Miss　Smith　back　again　and　send　these　letters　off。〃

〃Good！〃　the　Duke　declared。　〃I'm　going　down　to　the　House；　but　I　don't　suppose　there'll　be　anything　doing。　By　the　bye；　we　shall　have　to　be　a　little　feudal　next　week。　Japan　is　a　country　of　many　ceremonies；　and；　after　all；　Maiyo　is　one　of　the　Royal　Family。　I　have　written　Perkins；　to　stir　him　up　a　little。〃

The　Duke　drove　down　to　the　House；　but　called　first　in　Downing　Street。　He　found　the　Prime　Minister　anxious　to　see　him。

〃You've　arranged　about　Maiyo　coming　down　to　you　next　week？〃　he　asked。

〃That's　all　right；〃　the　Duke　answered。　〃He　is　coming；　for　certain。　One　good　thing　about　that　young　manhe　never　breaks　an　engagement。〃

The　Prime　Minister　consulted　a　calendar　which　lay　open　before　him。

〃Do　you　mind；〃　he　asked；　〃if　I　come；　too；　and　Bransome？〃

〃Why；　of　course　not；〃　the　Duke　replied。　〃We　shall　be　delighted。　We　have　seventy　bedrooms；　and　only　half　a　dozen　or　so　of　us。　But　tell　meis　this　young　man　as　important　as　all　that？〃

〃We　shall　have　to　have　a　serious　talk；〃　the　Prime　Minister　said；　〃in　a　few　days'　time。　I　don't　think　that　even　you　grasp　the　exact　position　of　affairs　as　they　stand　today。　Just　now　I　am　bothered　to　death　about　other　things。　Heseltine　has　just　been　in　from　the　Home　Office。　He　is　simply　inundated　with　correspondence　from　America　about　those　two　murders。〃

The　Duke　nodded。

〃It's　an　odd　thing；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　they　should　both　have　been　Americans。〃

〃Heseltine　thinks　there's　someth