the illustrious prince-第31部分

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retary；　a　majordomo；　and　a　butler。　It　may　interest　you；　perhaps；　to　know　that　during　my　residence　in　this　country　not　one　of　my　retinue；　with　the　exception　of　my　secretary；　who　has　been　in　Paris　for　some　weeks；　has　left　this　house。〃

The　Inspector　stared　at　the　Prince　incredulously。

〃Never　left　the　house？〃　he　repeated。　〃Do　you　mean；　sir；　that　they　do　not　go　out　for　holidays；　for　exercise；　to　the　theatre？〃

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃Such　things　are　not　the　custom　with　us；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　my　servants。　The　duty　of　their　life　is　service。　London　is　a　world　unknown　to　themLondon　and　all　these　Western　cities。　They　have　no　desire　to　be　made　mock　of　in　your　streets。　Their　life　is　given　to　my　interests。　They　do　not　need　distractions。〃

Inspector　Jacks　was　dumfounded。　Such　a　state　of　affairs　seemed　to　him　impossible。

〃Do　you　mean　that　they　do　not　take　exercise；〃　he　asked；　〃that　they　never　breathe　the　fresh　air？〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃Such　fresh　air　as　your　city　can　afford　them；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　be　found　in　the　garden　there；　into　which　I　never　penetrate　and　which　is　for　their　use。　I　see　that　you　look　amazed；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks。　This　thing　which　I　have　told　you　seems　strange；　no　doubt；　but　you　must　not　confuse　the　servants　of　my　country　with　the　servants　of　yours。　I　make　no　comment　upon　the　latter。　You　know　quite　well　what　they　are；　so　do　I。　With　us；　service　is　a　religion；service　to　country　and　service　to　master。　These　men　who　perform　the　duties　of　my　household　would　give　their　lives　for　me　as　cheerfully　as　they　would　for　their　country；　should　the　occasion　arise。〃

〃But　their　health？〃　the　Inspector　protested。　〃It　is　not；　surely；　well　for　them　to　be　herded　together　like　this？〃

The　Prince　smiled。

〃I　am　not　what　is　called　a　sportsman　in　this　country；　Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　shall　go　to　the　house　of　any　nobleman　you　choose；　and　if　you　will　bring　me　an　equal　number　of　your　valets　or　footmen　or　chefs；　who　can　compete　with　mine　in　running　or　jumping　or　wrestling；　then　I　will　give　you　a　prize　what　you　willa　hundred　pounds；　or　more。　You　see；　my　servants　have　learned　the　secret　of　diet。　They　drink　nothing　save　water。　Sickness　is　unknown　to　them。〃

The　Inspector　was　silent　for　some　time。　　Then　he　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Prince；〃　he　said；　〃what　should　you　declare；　then；　if　I　told　you　that　a　man　of　obvious　Japanese　extraction　was　seen　to　enter　your　house　on　the　morning　after　the　murder；　and　that　he　was　a　person　to　whom　certain　circumstances　pointed　as　being　concerned　in　that　deed？〃

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　the　Prince　said　calmly；　〃I　was　the　only　person　of　my　race　who　entered　my　house　that　morning。〃

The　Inspector　moved　toward　the　door。

〃Your　Highness；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you　for　your　courteous　attention；　and　for　your　kindness　after　my　unfortunate　indisposition。〃

The　Prince　smiled　graciously。

〃Mr。　Inspector　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃your　visit　has　been　of　great　interest　to　me。　If　I　can　be　of　any　further　assistance；　pray　do　not　hesitate　to　call　upon　me。〃



CHAPTER　XXIII。　ON　THE　TRAIL

Inspector　Jacks　studied　the　brass　plate　for　a　moment；　and　then　rang　the　patients'　bell。　The　former；　he　noticed　was　very　much　in　want　of　cleaning；　and　for　a　doctor's　residence　there　was　a　certain　lack　of　smartness　about　the　house　and　its　appointments　which　betokened　a　limited　practice。　The　railing　in　front　was　broken；　and　no　pretence　had　been　made　at　keeping　the　garden　in　order。　Inspector　Jacks　had　time　to　notice　these　things；　for　it　was　not　until　after　his　second　summons　that　the　door　was　opened　by　Dr。　Whiles　himself。

〃Good　morning！〃　the　latter　said　tentatively。　Then；　with　a　slight　air　of　disappointment；　he　recognized　his　visitor。

〃Good　morning；　doctor！〃　Inspector　Jacks　replied。　〃You　haven't　forgotten　me；　I　hope？　I　came　down　to　see　you　a　short　time　ago；　respecting　the　man　who　was　knocked　down　by　a　motor　car　and　treated　by　you　on　a　certain　evening。〃

The　doctor　nodded。

〃Will　you　come　in？〃　he　asked。

He　led　the　way　into　a　somewhat　dingy　waiting　room。　A　copy　of　the　FIELD；　a　month　old；　a　dog…eared　magazine；　and　a　bound　volume　of　GOOD　WORDS　were　spread　upon　the　table。　The　room　itself；　except　for　a　few　chairs；　was　practically　bare。

〃I　do　not　wish　to　take　up　too　much　of　your　time；　Dr。　Whiles；〃　the　Inspector　began；

The　doctor　laughed　shortly。

〃You　needn't　bother　about　that；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　tired　of　making　a　bluff。　My　time　isn't　any　too　well　occupied。〃

The　Inspector　glanced　at　his　watch；it　was　a　few　minutes　past　twelve。

〃If　you　are　really　not　busy；〃　he　said；　〃I　was　about　to　suggest　to　you　that　you　should　come　back　to　town　with　me　and　lunch。　I　do　not　expect；　of　course；　to　take　up　your　day　for　nothing；〃　he　continued。　〃You　will　understand；　as　a　professional　man；　that　when　your　services　are　required　by　the　authorities；　they　expect　and　are　willing　to　pay　for　them。〃

〃But　what　use　can　I　be　to　you？〃　the　doctor　asked。　〃You　know　all　about　the　man　whom　I　fixed　up　on　the　night　of　the　murder。　There's　nothing　more　to　tell　you　about　that。　I'd　as　soon　go　up　to　town　and　lunch　with　you　as　not；　but　if　you　think　that　I've　anything　more　to　tell　you；　you'll　only　be　disappointed。〃

The　Inspector　nodded。

〃I'm　quite　content　to　run　the　risk　of　that；〃　he　said。　〃Of　course；〃　he　continued；　〃it　does　not　follow　in　the　least　that　this　person　was　in　any　way　connected　with　the　murder。　In　fact；　so　far　as　I　can　tell　at　present；　the　chances　are　very　much　against　it。　But　at　the　same　time　it　would　interest　my　chief　if　you　were　able　to　identify　him。〃

The　doctor　nodded。

〃I　begin　to　understand；〃　he　said。

〃If　you　will　consider　a　day　spent　up　in　town　equivalent　to　the　treatment　of　twenty…five　patients　at　your　ordinary　scale；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said；　〃I　shall　be　glad　if　you　would　accompany　me　there　by　the　next　train。　We　will　lunch　together　first；　and　look　for　our　friend　later　in　the　afternoon。〃

The　doctor　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　the　fact　that　he　found　this　suggestion　entirely　satisfactory。　In　less　than　half　an　hour；　the　two　men　were　on　their　way　to　town。

Curiously　enough；　Penelope　and　Prince　Maiyo　met　that　morning　for　the　first　time　in　several　days。　They　were　both　guests　of　the　Duchess　of　Devenham　at　a　large　luncheon　party　at　the　Savoy　Restaurant。　Penelope　felt　a　little　shiver　when　she　saw　him　coming　down　the　stairs。　Somehow　or　other；　she　had　dreaded　this　meeting；　yet　when　it　came；　she　knew　that　it　was　a　relief。　There　was　no　change　in　his　manner；　no　trace　of　anxiety　in　his　smooth；　unruffled　face。　He　seemed；　if　possible；　to　have　grown　younger；　to　walk　more　buoyantly。　His　eyes　met　hers　frankly；　his　smile　was　wholly　unembarrassed。　It　was　not　possible　for　a　man　to　bear　himself　thus　who　stood　beneath　the　great　shadow！

So　far　from　avoiding　her；　he　came　over　to　her　side　directly　he　had　greeted　his　hostess。

〃This　morning；〃　he　said；　〃I　heard　some　good　news。　You　are　to　be　a　fellow　guest　at　Devenham。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　admitted；　〃that　of　my　two　aunts　I　impose　most　frequently　upon　the　one　where　my　claims　are　the　slightest。　The　Duchess　is　so　good…natured。〃

〃She　is　charming；〃　the　Prince　declared。　〃I　am　looking　forward　to　my　visit　immensely。　I　think　I　am　a　little　weary　of　London。　A　visit　to　the　country　seems　to　me　most　delightful。　They　tell　me；　too；　that　your　spring　gardens　are　wonderful。　What　London　suffers　from；　I　think；　at　this　time　of　the　year；　is　a　lack　of　flowers。　We　want　something　to　remind　us　that　the　spring　is　coming；　besides　these　occasional　gleams　of　blue　sky　and　very　occasional　bursts　of　sunshine。〃

〃You　are　a　sentimentalist；　Prince；〃　she　declared；　smiling。

〃No；　I　think　not；〃　he　answered　seriously。　〃I　love　all　beautiful　things。　I　think　that　there　are　many　men　as　well　as　women　who　are　like　that。　Shall　I　be　very　rude　and　say　that　in　the　matter　of　climate　and　flowers　one　grows；　perhaps；　to　expect　a　little　more　in　my　own　country。〃

An　uncontrollable　impulse　moved　her。　She　leaned　a　little　towards　him。

〃Climate　and　flowers　only？〃　she　murmured。　〃What　about　the　third　essential？〃

〃Miss　Penelope；〃　he　said　under　his　breath；　〃I　have　to　admit　that　one　must　travel　further　afield　for　Heaven's　greatest　gift。　Even　then　one　can　only　worship。　The　stars　are　denied　to　us。〃

The　Duchess　came　sailing　over　to　them。

〃Every　one　is　here；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　that　you　are　all　hungry。　After　lunch；　Prince；　I　want　you　to　speak　to　General　Sherrif。　He　has　been　dying　to　meet　you；　to　talk　over　your　campaign　together　in　Manchuria。　There's　another　man　who　is　anxious　to　meet　you；　too；Professor　Spenlove。　He　has　been　to　Japan　for　a　month；　and　thinks　about　writing　a　book　on　your　customs。　I　believe　he　looks　to　you　to　correct　his　impressions。〃

〃So　long　as　he　does　not　ask　me　to　correct　his　proofs！〃　the　Prince　murmured。

〃That　is　positively　the　most　unkind　thing　I　have　ever　heard　you　say；〃　the　Duchess　declared。　〃Come　along；　　you　good　people。　Jules　has　promised　me　a　new　omelet；　on　condition　that　we　sit　down　at　precisely　half…past　one。　If　we　are　five　minutes　late；　he　declines　to　send　it　up。〃

They　took　their　places　at　the　round　table　which　had　been　reserved　for　the　Duchess　of　Devenham；not　very　far；　Penelope　remembered；　from　the　table　at　which　they　had　sat　for　dinner　a　little　more　than　a　fortnight　ago。　The　recollection　of　that　evening　brought　her　a　sudden　realization　of　the　tragedy　which　seemed　to　have　taken　her　life　into　its　grip。　Again　the　Prince　sat　by　her　side。　She　watched　him　with　eyes　in　which　there　was　a　gleam　sometimes　almost　of　horror。　Easy　and　natural　as　usual；　with　his　pleasant　smile　and　simple　speech；　he　was　making　himself　agreeable　to　one　of　the　older　ladies　of　the　party；　to　whom；　by　chance；　no　one　had　addressed　more　than　a　word　or　so。　It　was　always　the　samealways　like　this；　she　realized；　with　a　sudden　keen　apprehension　of　this　part　of　the　man's　nature。　If　there　was　a　kindness　to　be　done；　a　thoughtful　action；　it　was　not　only　he　who　did　it　but　it　was　he　who　first　thought　of　it。　The　papers　during　the　last　few　days　had　been　making　public　an　incident　which　he　had　done　his　best　to　keep　secret。　He　had　signalized　his　arrival　in　London；　some　months　ago；　by　going　overboard　from　a　police　boat　into　the　Thames　to　rescue　a　half…drunken　lighterman；　and　when　the　Humane　Society　had　voted　him　their　medal；　he　had　accepted　it　o