Part 8 (1/2)

Edith had joined Dodo on the edge of the lawn.

”That's Berlin all over,” she observed.

David lifted up a shrill treble.

”Mummie, I don't understand this game,” he said very distinctly. ”May I cheat when I play croquet? First he cheated and then she cheated: I watched them from the nursery. And what are marks?”

Dodo devoted her entire attention to David.

”They are slipper-marks,” she said brilliantly. ”You shall get them if ever I catch you cheating at croquet.”

”But has he got----” began David.

”Quant.i.ties! Shut up, darling!”

This international event was protracted till dressing-time was imminent, and during the last half-hour of it the Prince was the prey of the most atrocious anxieties. If the game was abandoned, no decision would be reached, and he would not get his five marks, of which he, in the present state of affairs, felt that he was morally possessed. On the other hand, if they fought it out to the bitter stump, dinner must either be put off, which in itself made a tragedy of this pleasant day, or he would be late for dinner, which was almost as terrible. By way of saving time he debated these contingencies very slowly to his wife.

”If I stop I do not win,” he said, ”and if I do not stop, I may yet be beaten, and also it will be after dinner-time. I am puzzled. I do not know what I shall do. I do not win if I stop----”

”Dearest, you must stop talking,” said she briskly, ”and go to hit your ball. Dodo will put off dinner till half-past eight, but we cannot all starve because of your five marks.”

”But it is not five marks alone,” said he. ”It is also glory. Ha! I have thought, and I will tell you what I shall do. I shall play till half-past eight and then if it is not finished, I will come to dinner in my white pantaloons, and I will not clean myself. So!”

”But you cannot dine in your white pantaloons,” said she. ”It would be too screaming!”

”But I will dine in my white pantaloons, whether they scream, or whether they do not scream. Often have I at Allenstein dined in my white pantaloons, and if I do not clean myself, I am still clean. So do not talk any more, Sophy, for I shall do as I please, and I shall please to dine in my white pantaloons if the game is not over. See! I strike! Ach!

I did not stoop. I did not look. But I will not be hurried.... But look, I have hit another ball. That is good! My ball did not skip that time, and I will have five marks. Now you shall see what I do!”

The game came to an end while there was yet time for him to change his white pantaloons, even though there was considerable delay in convincing him that a half-crown, a florin and a sixpence were a true and just equivalent for five marks of the Fatherland. Victory, and the discovery that there was bisque soup for dinner put him into an amazingly good humour which blossomed into a really vivacious hilarity of a certain sort. Incidentally, some racial characteristics emerged.

”Also I am very happy to-night, Lady Dodo,” he said. ”Not ever have I felt so much hungry, and it is happy to be hungry when soon I shall not any longer be hungry. I will take again of the beef, and I will take also again of the long vegetable with the b.u.t.ter. It is good to be at dinner, and it is good to be in England. All Chermans like to be in England, for there is much to eat and there is much to study. I also study; I look and I observe and again I look and I study. We are great students and all good Chermans are students when they come to England.”

Quite suddenly, so it seemed to Dodo, Princess Albert, seated next Jack on the middle of the other side of the table, caught something of what he was saying. In any case, she broke off in the middle of a sentence and leaned across to him.

”Dearest, you are keeping everybody waiting,” she said. ”Do not talk so much, but attend to your good dinner.”

He nudged Dodo with his fat elbow.

”You see, I am a hen-peck,” he said. ”That is a good term. I am a hen-peck. Good! So I will myself peck the long sprouts with the b.u.t.ter.”

He devoted himself to doing so for the next few minutes, and regretfully sucked his b.u.t.tery fingers.

”I talked of study,” he said, ”and it is croquet I study, and I have five marks. Chermany is poor compared to rich England, and in Allenstein I play only for three marks when I play croquet. But we Chermans have industry, we have perseverance, also nothing distracts us, but we go on while others stop still. I am very content to be a poor Cherman in rich England.... No.... I will have no ice! If I am warm inside me, why should I make cold inside me? But soon I will have some port, and I am happy to be here. I could sing, so happy am I.”

Once again the Princess must have been listening to him.

”Indeed, dearest, you shall not sing,” she said.

He looked at her with a grave replete eye.