Part 44 (1/2)

”Fiddle-de-dee!” said his Highness.

But de Chateauroux pa.s.sed one hand over his brow. ”This,” he said, ”is some horrible mistake--”

”It is,” a.s.sented the Grand Duke, ”a mistake--and one of your making.”

”--For I certainly did not expect the Baroness--”

”To make a clean breast of it so readily?” his Highness asked. ”Ah, but she is a lady of unusual candor.”

”Indeed, your Highness--” began de Chateauroux.

”Nay, Philippe,” the Baroness entreated, ”confess to his Highness, as I have done.”

”Oh, but--!” said de Chateauroux.

”I must beseech you to be silent,” said the Grand Duke; ”you have already brought scandal to our Court. Do not, I pray you, add profanity to the catalogue of your offences. Why, I protest,” he continued, ”even the Grand d.u.c.h.ess has heard of this imbroglio.”

Indeed, the Grand d.u.c.h.ess, hurrying from a pleached walkway, was already within a few feet of the trio, and appeared no little surprised to find in this place her husband.

”I would not be surprised,” said the Grand Duke, raising his eyes toward heaven, ”if by this time it were all over the palace.”

VII

Then, as his wife waited, speechless, the Grand Duke gravely asked: ”You, too, have heard of this sad affair, Victoria? Ah, I perceive you have, and that you come in haste to prevent it,--even to pursue these misguided beings, if necessary, as the fact that you come already dressed for the journey very eloquently shows. You are self-sacrificing, you possess a good heart, Victoria.”

”I did not know--” began the Grand d.u.c.h.ess.

”Until the last moment,” the Grand Duke finished. ”Eh, I comprehend. But perhaps,” he continued, hopefully, ”it is not yet too late to bring them to their senses.”

And turning toward the Baroness and de Chateauroux, he said:

”I may not hinder your departure if you two in truth are swayed by love, since to control that pa.s.sion is immeasurably beyond the prerogative of kings. Yet I beg you to reflect that the step you contemplate is irrevocable. Yes, and to you, madame, whom I have long viewed with a paternal affection--an emotion wholly justified by the age and rank for which it has pleased Heaven to preserve me,--to you in particular I would address my plea. If with an entire heart you love Monsieur de Chateauroux, why, then--why, then, I concede that love is divine, and yonder carriage at your disposal. But I beg you to reflect--”

”Believe me,” said the Baroness, ”we are heartily grateful for your Highness' magnanimity. We may, I deduce, depart with your permission?”

”Oh, freely, if upon reflection--”

”I can reflect only when I am sitting down,” declared the Baroness. She handed her portmanteau to de Chateauroux, and stepped into the carriage.

And the Grand Duke noted that a coachman and two footmen had appeared, from nowhere in particular.

”To you, Monsieur le Comte,” his Highness now began, with an Olympian frown, ”I have naught to say. Under the cover of our hospitality you have endeavored to steal away the fairest ornament of our Court; I leave you to the pangs of conscience, if indeed you possess a conscience. But the Baroness is unsophisticated; she has been misled by your fallacious arguments and specious pretence of affection. She has evidently been misled,” he said to the Grand d.u.c.h.ess, kindly, ”as any woman might be.”

”As any woman might be!” his wife very feebly echoed.

”And I shall therefore,” continued the Grand Duke, ”do all within my power to dissuade her from this ruinous step. I shall appeal to her better nature, and not, I trust, in vain.”

He advanced with dignity to the carriage, wherein the Baroness was seated.

”Amalia,” he whispered, ”you are an admirable actress. 'O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful wonderful! and yet again wonderful, and after that out of all whooping!”