Part 5 (2/2)
”I hope people won't think I keep a social secretary,” Mr Heatherbloos' ”boudoir”; the conservatory adjoined He could not help being where he was; he belonged there at the ti; he didn't try to listen; he certainly didn't wish to, though she had a very sweet voice--that soothed one to a species of lotus dreaetfulness of soap-suds, or the odor of canine disinfectant per the white foam--
”Why should they think you have a social secretary?” the voice of a man--the prince--inquired
He had deep fine tones; truly Russian tones, with a subtle vibration in thes are published about people their secretaries usually put theirl
He was silent aof the stery?” observed the prince at length, quietly
”Weren't you?” she asked
”I? No It is a bourgeois confession, perhaps”
Mr Heatherblooers
”I was pleased,” went on the sonorous low voice ”I wished--it were so!”
There was a sudden own; then--Mr Heatherbloohter filled the air
”How apropos! Hoell you said that!”
”Miss Dalry inflection in the man's tones ”You doubt my sincerity?”
”The sincerity of a Russian prince? No, indeed!” she returned gaily
”I am in earnest,” he said simply
”Don't be!” Mr Heatherbloom could, in fancy, see the flash of a white hand a like violets in the wind He could perceive, also, as plainly as if he were in that other room, the deep ardent eyes of the prince downbent upon the blither ones, the coure of the man near that other slender, alrasped only by a bold wooer, like the prince!
”Don't be,” she repeated ”You are sowhen you are not I think I heard that line in a play once One of the Robertson kind; it was given by a stock company in San Francisco That's where I came from, you know Have you ever been there?”
”No,” said the prince slowly
Dark eyes trying to beat down the merriination, ”fill in” all the stage details If it only were ”stage” dialogue; ”stage” talk; not ”playing with love”, in earnest!
”Playing with love!” He had read a book of that name once; somewhere
In Italy?--yes It sounded like an Italian title Soreeable happened to the heroine A wohtly ”play with love” with a Sicilian But, of course, the prince wasn't a Sicilian
”No,” he was saying noith admirable poise, in answer to her question, ”I haven't visited your wonderful Golden Gate, but I hope to go there some day--with you!” he added His words were simple; the accent alone nable purpose, one not to be shaken or disturbed