Part 50 (2/2)
”How do they stand?” he inquired.
II
That evening when Jenifer returned home the Archbishop was waiting her arrival. The door of his private library stood ajar. ”Come in, my dear,”
he called, hearing her step in the corridor, ”come in; I wish to speak to you.”
She entered with a flushed face. ”_I_ wanted to speak to you, father,”
she said.
He saw that she was come charged for the delivery of her soul, and perceiving what a strategic advantage it would give him to hear the story first from her own lips, he waived his prior claim. ”Very well, my dear,” he replied, ”for the next hour I am free, and at your disposal.”
”It may take longer than that,” she warned him; ”I have something to tell you that seems to me almost terrible.”
”Anything wrong?”
”Oh, no, but so tremendous I hardly know how to begin.” Her breast labored with the burden of its message, but in her face was a look of dawn.
”Has it to do with yourself?”
”Yes, papa. I am engaged to marry Prince Max.”
The Archbishop paused for a moment, thinking how best to avoid any appearance of foreknowledge.
”My child,” he said, ”what Prince Max do you mean?”
”The only one that I know of,” she answered.
”You mean the heir to the throne?”
”Yes, papa.”
”You say you are engaged to him?”
”Yes.”
”With whose knowledge, may I ask?”
”The King knows; he has just given his consent. That is why I am telling you now.”
”Why only now?” There was reproach in his tone.
”Until we had his consent we were not engaged.”
”And now--being engaged--you come for mine?”
”No, papa; only to let you know.” She paused. ”Of course I should be glad of your approval.”
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