little novels-第17章

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　on　public　occasions。

My　colleague；　the　first　secretary；　was　a　far　more　interesting　person。　Bright；　unaffected；　and　agreeable；　he　at　once　interested　me　when　we　were　introduced　to　each　other。　I　pay　myself　a　compliment；　as　I　consider；　when　I　add　that　he　became　my　firm　and　true　friend。

We　took　a　walk　together　in　the　palace　gardens　on　the　evening　of　my　arrival。　Reaching　a　remote　part　of　the　grounds；　we　were　passed　by　a　lean；　sallow；　sour…looking　old　man；　drawn　by　a　servant　in　a　chair　on　wheels。　My　companion　stopped；　whispered　to　me；　〃Here　is　the　Prince；〃　and　bowed　bareheaded。　I　followed　his　example　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　Prince　feebly　returned　our　salutation。　〃Is　he　ill？〃　I　asked；　when　we　had　put　our　hats　on　again。

〃Shakespeare；〃　the　secretary　replied；　〃tells　us　that　'one　man　in　his　time　plays　many　parts。'　Under　what　various　aspects　the　Prince's　character　may　have　presented　itself；　in　his　younger　days；　I　am　no　t　able　to　tell　you。　Since　l　have　been　here；　he　has　played　the　part　of　a　martyr　to　illness；　misunderstood　by　his　doctors。〃

〃And　his　daughter；　the　Princesswhat　do　you　say　of　her？〃

〃Ah；　she　is　not　so　easily　described！　I　can　only　appeal　to　your　memory　of　other　women　like　her；　whom　you　must　often　have　seenwomen　who　are　tall　and　fair；　and　fragile　and　elegant；　who　have　delicate　aquiline　noses　and　melting　blue　eyeswomen　who　have　often　charmed　you　by　their　tender　smiles　and　their　supple　graces　of　movement。　As　for　the　character　of　this　popular　young　lady；　I　must　not　influence　you　either　way；　study　it　for　yourself。〃

〃Without　a　hint　to　guide　me？〃

〃With　a　suggestion；〃　he　replied；　〃which　may　be　worth　considering。　If　you　wish　to　please　the　Princess；　begin　by　endeavoring　to　win　the　good　graces　of　the　Baroness。〃

〃Who　is　the　Baroness？〃

〃One　of　the　ladies　in　waitingbosom　friend　of　her　Highness；　and　chosen　repository　of　all　her　secrets。　Personally；　not　likely　to　attract　you；　short　and　fat；　and　ill…tempered　and　ugly。　Just　at　this　time；　I　happen　myself　to　get　on　with　her　better　than　usual。　We　have　discovered　that　we　possess　one　sympathy　in　commonwe　are　the　only　people　at　Court　who　don't　believe　in　the　Prince's　new　doctor。〃

〃Is　the　new　doctor　a　quack？〃

The　secretary　looked　round；　before　he　answered；　to　see　that　nobody　was　near　us。

〃It　strikes　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　Doctor　is　a　spy。　Mind！　I　have　no　right　to　speak　of　him　in　that　way；　it　is　only　my　impressionand　I　ought　to　add　that　appearances　are　all　in　his　favor。　He　is　in　the　service　of　our　nearest　royal　neighbor；　the　Grand　Duke；　and　he　has　been　sent　here　expressly　to　relieve　the　sufferings　of　the　Duke's　good　friend　and　brother；　our　invalid　Prince。　This　is　an　honorable　mission　no　doubt。　And　the　man　himself　is　handsome；　well…bred；　and　（I　don't　quite　know　whether　this　is　an　additional　recommendation）　a　countryman　of　ours。　Nevertheless　I　doubt　him；　and　the　Baroness　doubts　him。　You　are　an　independent　witness；　I　shall　be　anxious　to　hear　if　your　opinion　agrees　with　ours。〃

I　was　presented　at　Court；　toward　the　end　of　the　week；　and；　in　the　course　of　the　next　two　or　three　days；　I　more　than　once　saw　the　Doctor。　The　impression　that　he　produced　on　me　surprised　my　colleague。　It　was　my　opinion　that　he　and　the　Baroness　had　mistaken　the　character　of　a　worthy　and　capable　man。

The　secretary　obstinately　adhered　to　his　own　view。

〃Wait　a　little；〃　he　answered；　〃and　we　shall　see。〃

He　was　quite　right。　We　did　see。

III。

BUT　the　Princessthe　gentle；　gracious；　beautiful　Princesswhat　can　I　say　of　her　Highness？

I　can　only　say　that　she　enchanted　me。

I　had　been　a　little　discouraged　by　the　reception　that　I　met　with　from　her　father。　Strictly　confining　himself　within　the　limits　of　politeness；　he　bade　me　welcome　to　his　Court　in　the　fewest　possible　words；　and　then　passed　me　by　without　further　notice。　He　afterward　informed　the　English　Minister　that　I　had　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　try　his　temper：　〃Your　new　secretary　irritates　me；　sirhe　is　a　person　in　an　offensively　perfect　state　of　health。〃　The　Prince's　charming　daughter　was　not　of　her　father's　way　of　thinking；　it　is　impossible　to　say　how　graciously；　how　sweetly　I　was　received。　She　honored　me　by　speaking　to　me　in　my　own　language；　of　which　she　showed　herself　to　be　a　perfect　mistress。　I　was　not　only　permitted；　but　encouraged；　to　talk　of　my　family；　and　to　dwell　on　my　own　tastes；　amusements；　and　pursuits。　Even　when　her　Highness's　attention　was　claimed　by　other　persons　waiting　to　be　presented；　I　was　not　forgotten。　The　Baroness　was　instructed　to　invite　me　for　the　next　evening　to　the　Princess's　tea…table；　and　it　was　hinted　that　I　should　be　especially　welcome　if　I　brought　my　music　with　me；　and　sang。

My　friend　the　secretary；　standing　near　us　at　the　time；　looked　at　me　with　a　mysterious　smile。　He　had　suggested　that　I　should　make　advances　to　the　Baronessand　here　was　the　Baroness　（under　royal　instructions）　making　advances　to　Me！

〃We　know　what　_that_　means；〃　he　whispered。

In　justice　to　myself；　I　must　declare　that　I　entirely　failed　to　understand　him。

On　the　occasion　of　my　second　reception　by　the　Princess；　at　her　little　evening　party；　I　detected　the　Baroness；　more　than　once；　in　the　act　of　watching　her　Highness　and　myself；　with　an　appearance　of　disapproval　in　her　manner；　which　puzzled　me。　When　I　had　taken　my　leave；　she　followed　me　out　of　the　room。

〃I　have　a　word　of　advice　to　give　you；〃　she　said。　〃The　best　thing　you　can　do；　sir；　is　to　make　an　excuse　to　your　Minister；　and　go　back　to　England。〃

I　declare　again；　that　I　entirely　failed　to　understand　the　Baroness。

IV。

BEFORE　the　season　came　to　an　end；　the　Court　removed　to　the　Prince's　country…seat；　in　the　interests　of　his　Highness's　health。　Entertainments　were　given　（at　the　Doctor's　suggestion）；　with　a　view　of　raising　the　patient's　depressed　spirits。　The　members　of　the　English　legation　were　among　the　guests　invited。　To　me　it　was　a　delightful　visit。　I　had　again　every　reason　to　feel　gratefully　sensible　of　the　Princess's　condescending　kindness。　Meeting　the　secretary　one　day　in　the　library；　I　said　that　I　thought　her　a　perfect　creature。　Was　this　an　absurd　remark　to　make？　I　could　see　nothing　absurd　in　itand　yet　my　friend　burst　out　laughing。

〃My　good　fellow；　nobody　is　a　perfect　creature；〃　he　said。　〃The　Princess　has　her　faults　and　failings；　like　the　rest　of　us。〃

I　denied　it　positively。

〃Use　your　eyes；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　you　will　see；　for　example；　that　she　is　shallow　and　frivolous。　Yesterday　was　a　day　of　rain。　We　were　all　obliged　to　employ　ourselves　somehow　indoors。　Didn't　you　notice　that　she　had　no　resources　in　herself？　She　can't　even　read。〃

〃There　you　are　wrong　at　any　rate；〃　I　declared。　〃I　saw　her　reading　the　newspaper。〃

〃You　saw　her　with　the　newspaper　in　her　hand。　If　you　had　not　been　deaf　and　blind　to　her　defects；　you　would　have　noticed　that　she　couldn't　fix　her　attention　on　it。　She　was　always　ready　to　join　in　the　chatter　of　the　ladies　about　her。　When　even　their　stores　of　gossip　were　exhausted；　she　let　the　newspaper　drop　on　her　lap；　and　sat　in　vacant　idleness　smiling　at　nothing。〃

I　reminded　him　that　she　might　have　met　with　a　dull　number　of　the　newspaper。　He　took　no　notice　of　this　unanswerable　reply。

〃You　were　talking　the　other　day　of　her　warmth　of　feeling；〃　he　proceeded。　〃She　has　plenty　of　sentiment　（German　sentiment）；　I　grant　you；　but　no　true　feeling。　What　happened　only　this　morning；　when　the　Prince　was　in　the　breakfast…room；　and　when　the　Princess　and　her　ladies　were　dressed　to　go　out　riding？　Even　she　noticed　the　wretchedly　depressed　state　of　her　father's　spirits。　A　man　of　that　hypochondriacal　temperament　suffers　acutely；　though　he　may　only　fancy　himself　to　be　ill。　The　Princess　overflowed　with　sympathy；　but　she　never　proposed　to　stay　at　home；　and　try　to　cheer　the　old　man。　Her　filial　duty　was　performed　to　her　own　entire　satisfaction　when　she　had　kissed　her　hand　to　the　Prince。　The　moment　after；　she　was　out　of　the　roomeager　to　enjoy　her　ride。　We　all　heard　her　laughing　gayly　among　the　ladies　in　the　hall。〃

I　could　have　answered　this　also；　if　our　discussion　had　not　been　interrupted　at　the　moment。　The　Doctor　came　into　the　library　in　search　of　a　book。　When　he　had　left　us；　my　colleague's　strong　prejudice　against　him　instantly　declared　itself。

〃Be　on　your　guard　with　that　man；〃　he　said。

〃Why？〃　I　asked。

〃Haven't　you　noticed；〃　he　replied；　〃that　when　the　Princess　is　talking　to　you；　the　Doctor　always　happens　to　be　in　that　part　of　the　room？〃

〃What　does　it　matter　where　the　Doctor　is？〃

My　friend　looked　at　me　with　an　oddly　mingled　expression　of　doubt　and　surprise。　〃Do　you　really　not　understand　me？〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　indeed。〃

〃My　dear　Ernest；　you　are　a　rare　and　admirable　example　to　the　rest　of　usyou　are　a　truly　modest　man。〃

What　did　he　mean？

V。

EVENTS　followed；　on　the　next　day；　which　（as　will　presently　be　seen）　I　have　a　personal　interest　in　relating。

The　Baroness　left　us　suddenly；　on　leave　of　absence。　The　Prince　wearied　of　his　residence　in　the　country；　and　the　Court　returned　to　the　capital。　The　charming　Princess　was　reported　to　be　〃indisposed；〃　and　retired　to　the　seclusion　of　her　own　apartments。

A　week　later；　I　received　a　note　f　rom　the　Baroness；　marked　〃private　and　confidential。〃　It　informed　me　that　she　had　resumed　her　duties　as　lady…in…waiting；　and　that　she　wished　to　see　me　at　my　earliest　convenience。　I　obeyed　at　once；　and　naturally　asked　if　there　were　better　accounts　of　her　Highness's　health。

The　Baroness's　reply　a　little　surprised　me。　She　said；　〃The　Princess　is　perfectly　well。〃

〃Recovered　already！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃She　has　never　been　ill；〃　the　Baroness　answered。　〃Her　indisposition　was　a　sham；　forced　on　her　by　me；　in　her　own　interests。　Her　reputation　is　in　peril；　and　youyou　hateful　Englishmanare　the　cause　of　it。〃

Not　feeling　disposed　to　put　up　with　such　language　as　this；　even　when　it　was　used　by　a　lady；　I　requested　that　she　would　explain　herself。　She　complied　without　hesitation。　In　another　minute　my　eyes　were　opened　to　the　truth。　I　knewno；　that　is　too　positivelet　me　say　I　had　reason　to　believe　that　the　Princess　loved　me！

It　is　simply　impossible　to　convey　to　the　minds　of　others　any　idea　of　the　emotions　that　overwhelmed　me　at　that　critical　moment　of　my　life。　I　was　in　a　state　of　confusion　at　the　time；　and；　when　my　memory　tries　to　realize　it；　I　am　in　a　state　of　confusion　now。　The　one　thing　I　can　do　is　to　repeat　what　the　Baroness　said　to　me　when　I　had　in　some　degree　recovered　my　composure。

〃I　suppose　you　are　aware；〃　she　began；　〃of　the　disgrace　to　which　the　Princess's　infatuation　exposes　her；　if　it　is　discovered？　On　my　own　responsibility　I　repeat　what　I　said　to　you　a　short　time　since。　Do　you　refuse　to　leave　this　place　immediately？〃

Does　the　man　live；　honored　as　I　was；　who　would　have　hesitated　to　refuse？　Find　him　if　you　can！

〃Very　well；〃　she　resumed。　〃As　the　friend　of　the　Princess；　I　have　no　choice　now　but　to　take　things　as　they　are；　and　to　make　the　best　of　them。　Let　us　realize　your　position　to　begin　with。　If　you　were　（like　your　elder　brother）　a　nobleman　possessed　of　vast　estates；　my　royal　mistress　might　be　excused。　As　it　is；　whatever　you　may　be　in　the　future；　you　are　nothing　now　but　an　obscure　young　man；　without　fortune　or　title。　Do　you　see　your　duty　to　the　Princess？　or　must　I　explain　it　to　you？〃

I　saw　my　duty　as　plainly　as　she　did。　〃Her　Hi