Part 28 (2/2)

Recovering himself quickly, however, he dropped her hand and stood in an att.i.tude of deep respect, but not until she had caught the look that he had given her.

Not daring to look up at her for fear of her indignation at his presumption, he busied himself arranging the cus.h.i.+ons in a seat for her.

Raising her hand to her throat, which had moved convulsively, she watched him with a quiet little smile, as if waiting to finish the deadly work which she, young as she was, knew that she had started. Like a great ring general, she did not intend to allow her adversary time to recover before she administered the _coup de grace_.

When he recovered sufficiently to allow himself to look at her, although he resolved to keep strictly to the object of their meeting, he was so struck with her great charm that he could not resist saying:

”I sincerely hope, Princess, that you will pardon me if I take the great liberty of saying to you that you are looking extremely beautiful tonight.”

She answered with a smile.

And then in a light and frivolous tone, and looking at her in a manner which she could not misunderstand, with the deepest respect he added:

”If I were a Prince and a few years younger, I would humbly kneel and wors.h.i.+p at your shrine, Princess.”

A cloud pa.s.sed over her face, but recovering, with a look which if Edestone had been younger and less sensible would have finished him:

”Well, Mr. Edestone,” she smiled coquettishly, ”I understand that you were tonight a match for an Emperor; and I am feeling very old myself.”

With a smile acknowledging her condescension in allowing this slight exchange of repartee, he a.s.sumed a fatherly air, and said, having recovered himself entirely:

”Now, my dear and very sweet little Princess, your very old and most humble servant awaits your orders. The only reward that he expects is that he be allowed to see you one or two times before he dies of old age, or you are seated on a throne.”

With an impatient gesture, and an almost imperceptible stamp of her little foot, she said:

”Please don't talk that way. I hate being a Princess, and the way you say it makes me hate myself,” and with a quick glance and a tone of great seriousness: ”I don't think you are so old as all that.

”I have sent for you,” changing her voice, ”to warn you again. It was absolutely necessary in order to arrange this meeting to lead them to believe that I was willing to do that which you must hate me for--use my power as a woman to persuade you to give up the position which you have taken, and though I hate them all for it, in order to save you from certain death I have compromised myself in my own eyes, and have done that which will cause you to hate me.”

”That I could never do,” said Edestone, which brought a faint smile to her lips. ”Princess, I appreciate more deeply than I can say your great kindness, and if there is anything that I can do which will save you from these people when they find that you have failed in your undertaking, you can command me. Your warning, however, comes as no surprise to me; but I appreciate it none the less.”

”Could I not hold out to them,” she antic.i.p.ated, ”that you had agreed to reveal this secret to me, and in that way gain time, and you might be able to get out of Berlin?”

”But what would become of you when they discovered that you had played them false?” asked Edestone. And then, as if hesitating to refer to the delicacy of her position, an English Princess in Berlin, he added: ”They are relentless, and they might suspect you of playing into the hands of England. No, Princess, there is but one thing for you to do, and that is to say that I declined absolutely and entirely to consider any proposition of any kind.

”If you were in any way a.s.sociated with me in what I have already done and what I propose to do, I should not be willing to leave you in Berlin, and though I know you are absolutely sincere in your intentions to a.s.sist me in my work, there is no possible way for me to protect you other than by taking you with me, which is absolutely out of the question. You would not be safe even in the American Emba.s.sy.”

She thought for a while, and then, as if an idea had struck her, she said blus.h.i.+ngly:

”My mother, like myself, is perfectly loyal to England, and if as I understand it is the intention of the American Government to come out on the side of the Allies, would there be any impropriety in my going with her to the Emba.s.sy and taking my chances with the Secretary's family?”

”That would be impossible,” said Edestone. ”They have taken you into their confidence, and would not allow you to leave the country. I think mine is the only plan. Say to them that I would listen to no proposition, and allow me to go and take my chances.”

He could not trust himself, and he knew his only hope of keeping her esteem was in getting out before she discovered his real secret, and rising in a most dignified manner he kissed her hand, and then allowing himself to press it gently to his cheek for a moment, left the room abruptly, while she sank into a seat and covered her face with her hands.

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