CHAPTER IV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2048, 22 August 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER IV.

Before tag season came to an end, th 3 Count removed to the Pnnse'a country ar at, in thi interests of his Hi^hneaa's health. Eatcrt&inmenta were given (*t the Doctor's au^aation), with a view of raising tha Pnnoo'B depressed spirit*. Th'j members of the English legation were among the guest* inrited. To me it was a delightful visit. I had Again every reason to feel gratefully sensible of the Princess's condescending kindness. M»eting tha secretary cna day in the library, I «aid that I thought her a perfect creature. Was this an absurd renmk to make? I could aoe nothing abaurd in it— and yet my fnsnd burjt oas laughing. " My good fellow, nobody is a perfect creature," he said. " Tuo Prinoess has her faults and failings, like the rest of us." I denied it positively. " Use your eyes," he went on ; " and you will see, for example, that she is shallow and frivolous. Yosterday was a day of raia. We were all obliged to employ ourselvos noaiahow, indoor*. Didn't yon notice th.it she had no resources in herself ? She can't evon read." "There you are wrong at any rate,' 1 I declaied. " I saw her reading the newspaper." " You Ba w her with Ihe nawapapir in her hand. If you had not b?en deaf ami blind to her defects, you would have noticed that she couldn't l\\ her attention on it. Stia was always ready to join in the chatter of the ladies about her. Wnan oven their stories of gossip wore exhausted, she l^t the newspaper drop on her Up, and sat in idleness smiling at nothing. I reminded him that shs might have mat with a dull number of the newapip^r. Ho took no notice of this unanswerable reply. " You were talking the othpr duy of her warmth of feeling," ho proceeded. " She Im3 plenty of pontimont (Germ in ssntinaenf), I grant you, but no true foaling. Wuat h«p pened only this morning, when tho Piiiee was in the breakfast room, and when the Princess and her ladies wore dressed to go out riding ? Even she noticed the wretchedly depressed state of hoi father's npirita A man of thaf; hypochondnacal temperament sufl'rs acutely, though ha nny only fancy himself to be ill. The Princess over-flowed with sympathy, but she never proposed to stay at horns, and try It ohcer the old man. Hsr filial duty wa3 performed to her own entire satisfaction, when she had kissed her hand to the Prince. Tho moment after, shs was out of the room — eager to enjoy her ride. We all heard her laujhing gaily among thg ladiea in the hall." I csuM have answered this also, if our disousslon had not been interrupted at tho moment. The Doctor came into the library in search of a book. When ha had hft ua, my colleaguo's strong prejudico agiinet him instantly declared itself. "Ba on your guard with that man," he said. "Why?" I asked. " Haven't you noticed," ho replied, " that whon the Prinees3 is talking to you, tho Doctor always happ3ns to be in that part of the room ? " " What does it matter whore tin Dastor is?" My friend looked at me with an oddly mingled expression of doabt »nd surprise. " Dj you rojilly nob understand me ? " ho eaid. " I don't indeed." " My dear Ernest, you are a rare and admirable example to the rest of us — you are a truly modest man." What did he mean ?