the illustrious prince-第43部分
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her manner which puzzled Captain Wilmot； her neighbor on the other side。
〃I saw you with all the evening papers as usual； Bransome；〃 the Prime Minister remarked during the service of dinner。 〃Was there any news？〃
〃Nothing much；〃 the Foreign Secretary replied。 〃Consuls are down another point and the Daily Comet says that you are like a drowning man clinging to the raft of your majority。 Excellent cartoon of you； by the bye。 You shall see it after dinner。〃
〃Thank you；〃 the Prime Minister said。 〃Was there anything about you in the same paper by any chance？〃
〃Nothing particularly abusive；〃 Sir Edward answered blandly。 〃By the bye； the police declare that they have a definite clue this time； and are going to arrest the murderer of Hamilton Fynes and poor dicky Vanderpole tonight or tomorrow。〃
〃Excellent！〃 the Duke declared。 〃It would have been a perfect disgrace to our police system to have left two such crimes undetected。 Our respected friend at the Home Office will have a little peace now。〃
〃How about me？〃 Bransome grumbled。 〃Haven't I been worried to death； too？〃
The Prince； who had just finished describing to Lady Grace a typical landscape of his country； turned toward Bransome。
〃I think that I heard you say something about a discovery in connection with those wonderful murder cases；〃 he said。 〃Has any one actually been arrested？〃
〃My paper was an early edition；〃 Bransome answered； 〃but it spoke of a sensational denouement within the next few hours。 I should imagine that it is all over by now。 At the same time it's absurd how the Press give these things away。 It seems that some fellow who was bicycling saw a man get in and out of poor Dicky's taxi and is quite prepared to swear to him。〃
〃Has he not been rather a long time in coming forward with his evidence？〃 the Prince remarked。 〃I do not remember to have seen any mention of such a person in the papers before。〃
〃He watched so well；〃 Bransome answered； 〃and was so startled that he was knocked down and run over。 The detective in charge of the case found him in a hospital。〃
〃These things always come out sooner or later；〃 the Prime Minister remarked。 〃As a matter of fact； I am inclined to think that our police wait too long before they make an arrest。 They play with their victim so deliberately that sometimes he slips through their fingers。 Very often； too； they let a man go who would give himself away from sheer fright if he felt the touch of a policeman upon his shoulder。〃
〃As a nation；〃 Bransome remarked； helping himself to the entree； 〃we handle life amongst ourselves with perpetual kid gloves。 We are always afraid of molesting the liberty of the subject。 A trifle more brutality sometimes would make for strength。 We are like a dentist whose work suffers because he is afraid of hurting his patient。〃
Somerfield was watching his fiancee curiously。
〃Are you really very pale tonight； Penelope；〃 he asked； 〃or is it those red flowers which have drawn all the color from your cheeks？〃
〃I believe that I am pale；〃 Penelope answered。 〃I am always pale when I wear black and when people have disagreed with me。 As a matter of fact； I am trying to make the Prince feel homesick。 Tell me；〃 she asked him across the round table； 〃don't you think that I remind you a little tonight of the women of your country？〃
The Prince returned her gaze as though； indeed； something were passing between them of greater significance than that half…bantering question。
〃Indeed；〃 he said； 〃I think that you do。 You remind me of my country itselfof the things that wait for me across the ocean。〃
The Prince's servant had entered the dining room and whispered in the ear of the butler who was superintending the service of dinner。 The latter came over at once to the Prince。
〃Your Highness；〃 he said； 〃some one is on the telephone； speaking from London。 They ask if you could spare half a minute。〃
The Prince rose with an interrogative glance at his hostess； and the Duchess smilingly motioned him to go。 Even after he had left the room； when he was altogether unobserved； his composed demeanor showed no signs of any change。 He took up the receiver almost blithely。 It was Soto； his secretary； who spoke to him。
〃Highness；〃 he said； 〃the man Jacks with a policeman is here in the hall at the present moment。 He asks permission to search this house。〃
〃For what purpose？〃 the Prince asked。
〃To discover some person whom he believes to be in hiding here；〃 the secretary answered。 〃He explains that in any ordinary case he would have applied for what they call a search warrant。 Owing to your Highness' position； however； he has attended here； hoping for your gracious consent without having made any formal application。
〃I must think！〃 the Prince answered。 〃Tell me； Soto。 You are sure that the English doctor has had no opportunity of communicating with any one？〃
〃He has had no opportunity；〃 was the firm reply。 〃If your Highness says the word； he shall pass。〃
〃Let him alone；〃 the Prince answered。 〃Refuse this man Jacks permission to search my house during my absence。 Tell him that I shall be there at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon and that at that hour he is welcome to return。〃
〃It shall be done； Highness；〃 was the answer。
The Prince set down the receiver upon the instrument and stood for a moment deep in thought。 It was a strange country； this；a strange end which it seemed that he must prepare to face。 He felt like the man who had gone out to shoot lions and returning with great spoil had died of the bite of a poisonous ant！
CHAPTER XXXI。 GOODBYE！
The Prince on his return from the library intercepted Penelope on her way across the hall。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said； 〃but I could not help overhearing some sentences of your conversation with Sir Charles Somerfield as we sat at dinner。 You are going to talk with him now； is it not so？〃
〃As soon as he comes out from the dining room。〃
He saw the hardening of her lips； the flash in her eyes at the mention of Somerfield's name。
〃Yes！〃 she continued； 〃Sir Charles and I are going to have a little understanding。〃
〃Are you sure；〃 he asked softly； 〃that it will not be a misunderstanding？〃
She looked into his face。
〃What does it matter to you？〃 she asked。 〃What do you care？〃
〃Come into the conservatory for a few minutes；〃 he begged。 You know that I take no wine and I prefer not to return into the dining room。 I would like so much instead to talk to you before you see Sir Charles。〃
She hesitated。 He stood by her side patiently waiting。
〃Remember；〃 he said； 〃that I am a somewhat privileged person just now。 My days here are numbered； you see。〃
She turned toward the conservatories。
〃Very well；〃 she said； 〃I must be like every one else； I suppose； and spoil you。 How dare you come and make us all so fond of you that we look upon your departure almost as a tragedy！〃
He smiled。
〃Indeed；〃 he declared； 〃there is a note of tragedy even in these simplest accidents of life。 I have been very happy amongst you all； Miss Penelope。 You have been so much kinder to me than I have deserved。 You have thrown a bridge across the gulf which separates us people of alien tongues and alien manners。 Life has been a pleasant thing for me here。〃
〃Why do you go so soon？〃 she whispered。
〃Miss Penelope；〃 he answered； 〃to those others who ask me that question； I shall say that my mission is over； that my report has been sent to my Emperor； and that there is nothing left for me to do but to follow it home。 I could add； and it would be true； that there is very much work for me still to accomplish in my own country。 To you alone I am going to say something else。〃
She was no longer pale。 Her eyes were filled with an exceedingly soft light。 She leaned towards him； and her face shone as the face of a woman who prays that she may hear the one thing in life a woman craves to hear from the lips she loves best。
〃Go on；〃 she murmured。
〃I want to ask you； Miss Penelope；〃 he continued； 〃whether you remember the day when you paid a visit to my house？〃
〃Very well；〃 she answered。
〃I was showing you a casket；〃 he went on。
She gripped his arm。
〃Don't！〃 she begged。 〃Don't； I can't bear any more of that。 You don't know how horrible it seems to me！ You don't knowwhat fears I have had！〃
He looked away from her。
〃I have sometimes wondered；〃 he said； 〃what your thoughts were at that moment； what you have thought of me since。〃
She shivered a little； but did not answer him。
〃Very soon；〃 he reminded her； 〃I shall have passed out of your life。〃
He heard the sudden； half…stifled exclamation。 He felt rather than saw the eyes which pleaded with him； and he hastened on。
〃You understand what is meant by the inevitable；〃 he continued。 〃Whatever has happened in the matters with which I have been concerned has been inevitable。 I have had no choicesometimes no choice in such events is possible。 Do not think；〃 he went on； 〃that I tell you this to beg for your sympathy。 I would not have a thing other than as it is。 But when we have said goodbye； I want you to believe the best of me； to think as kindly as you can of the things which you may not be able to comprehend。 Remember that we are not so emotional a nation as that to which you belong。 Our affections are but seldom touched。 We live without feeling for many days； sometimes for longer； even； than many days。 It has not been so altogether with me。 I have felt more than I dare； at this moment； to speak of。〃
〃Yet you go；〃 she murmured。
〃Yet I go；〃 he assented。 〃Nothing in the world is more certain than that I must say farewell to you and all of my good friends here。 In a sense I want this to be our farewell。 Leaving out of the question just now the more serious dangers which threaten me； the result of my mission here alone will make me unpopular in this country。 As the years pass； I fear that nothing can draw your own land and mine into any sort of accord。 That is why I asked you to come here with me and listen while I said these few words to you； why I ask you now that； whatever the future may bring； you will sometimes spare me a kindly thought。〃
〃I think you know；〃 she answered； 〃that you need not ask that。〃
〃You will marry Sir Charles Somerfield；〃 he con
