FullReads

“It appears,” he said, “that I am the first on the ground, and that de Ch�teauroux is a dilatory lover. Young men degenerate.”

Saying this, he seated himself on a convenient bench, where de Ch�teauroux found him a few minutes later, and promptly dropped a portmanteau at the ducal feet.

“Monsieur le Comte,” the Grand Duke said, “this is an unforeseen pleasure.”

“Your Highness!” cried de Ch�teauroux, in astonishment.

“Ludovicus,” said the Grand Duke, “Dei gratia Archi Dux Noumariæ, Princeps Gatinensis, and so on.” And de Ch�teauroux caressed his chin.

“I did not know,” said the Grand Duke, “that you were such an early riser. Or perhaps,” he continued, “you are late in retiring. Fy, fy, monsieur! you must be more careful! You must not create a scandal in our little Court.” He shook his finger knowingly at Philippe de Ch�teauroux.

“Your Highness,–” said the latter, and stammered into silence.

“You said that before,” the Grand Duke leisurely observed.

“An affair of business–“

“Ah! ah! ah!” said the Grand Duke, casting his eye first toward the portmanteau and then toward the carriage, “can it be that you are leaving Noumaria? We shall miss you, Comte.”

“I was summoned very hastily, or I would have paid my respects to your Highness–“

“Indeed,” said the Grand Duke, “your departure is of a deplorable suddenness–“

“It is urgent, your Highness–“

“–and yet,” pursued the Grand Duke, “travel is beneficial to young men.”

“I shall not go far, your Highness–“

“Nay, I would not for the world intrude upon your secrets, Comte–“

“–But my estates, your Highness–“

“–For young men will be young men, I know.”

“–There is, your Highness, to be a sale of meadow land–“

“Which you will find, I trust, untilled.”

“–And my counsellor at law, your Highness, is imperative–“

“At times,” agreed the Grand Duke, “the most subtle of counsellors is unreasonable. I trust, though, that she is handsome?”

“Ah, your Highness–!” cried de Ch�teauroux.

“And you have my blessing upon your culture of those meadow lands. Go in peace.”

The Grand Duke was smiling on his wife’s kinsman with extreme benevolence when the Baroness von Altenburg appeared in travelling costume and carrying a portmanteau.

VI

“Heydey!” said the Grand Duke; “it seems, that the legal representative of our good Baroness, also, is imperative.”

“Your Highness!” cried the Baroness, and she, too, dropped her burden.

“Every one,” said the Grand Duke, “appears to question my identity.” And meantime de Ch�teauroux turned from the one to the other in bewilderment.

“This,” said the Grand Duke, after a pause, “is painful. This is unworthy of you, de Ch�teauroux.”

“Your Highness–!” cried the Count.

“Again?” said the Grand Duke, pettishly.

The Baroness applied her handkerchief to her eyes, and plaintively said, “You do not understand, your Highness–“

“I am afraid,” said the Grand Duke, “that I understand only too clearly.”

“–and I confess I was here to meet Monsieur de Ch�teauroux–“

“Oh, oh!” cried the latter.

“Precisely,” observed the Grand Duke, “to compare portmanteaux; and you had selected the interior of yonder carriage, no doubt, as an appropriate locality.”

“And I admit to your Highness–“

“His Highness already knowing,” the Grand Duke interpolated.

“–that we were about to elope.”

“I can assure you–” de Ch�teauroux began.

“Nay, I will take the lady’s word for it,” said the Grand Duke–“though it grieves me.”

“We knew you–would never give your consent,” murmured the Baroness, “and without your consent I can not marry–“

“Undoubtedly,” said the Grand Duke, “I would never have given my consent to such fiddle-faddle.”

“And we love each other.”

“Fiddle-de-dee!” said his Highness.

But de Ch�teauroux passed one hand over his brow. “This,” he said, “is some horrible mistake–“

“It is,” assented 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 Ch�teauroux.

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

“Oh, but–!” said de Ch�teauroux.

“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 Duchess has heard of this imbroglio.”