CHAPTER V.

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

CHAPTER Y.

Events followed, on the next day, which (as will presently be seen) I have a personal interest in relating, The Bironcas left us suddenly, on leave of absence. The Prince wearied of hia residence in tho country ; and tho Court returned to tha capital. The charming Princess was reported to be "indisposed," and rotircd to tho seclusion of her own apartments. A weak later, I received a note from the Baroness, marked "private and confidential." It informed me that she had resumed her dutioa as lady in waiting, and that she wished to see me at my earliest convenience. I obeyed at once ; and naturally aolcd if there wcio better accounts of her ll ijjhnoua's health. The Baroncaa'a reply a littlu surprised me. She mi " Tho Princess is perfectly well,"

•' uw hi» li-micbwa i'l," t f i) 15 -iron?' * tin <w v-;\. ' llt indupjti'ha v*«i n yum ; ioio^d on lur bj me, 1.1 tier own iiUeiajC". il-r reputation is in peru ; sid vou — you h^f>''ul ]j l'.'li'h'n in — lie ihf. citiao of ir." N it feel rig di-<poi)ed to put uj with uuth Unguv^H &i thin, even whea ie was u*ad by a lad), I requested that aha would txylxin herself. i5 10 complied without hosita'.ior;. In another minute tny eyes wjre opened to the truth. I knew— no; that in tco posits— Lt m-j say I had reason to bjlicra the i'jincdsu loved rao ! I find U simply impossible to oonvoy to tho mind 3 of others any idsa of theemotioas th.it overwhelmed me at that critical uiompnt of my life. It was all non'mion at the t tna ; and, whea my memory tne3 to r.*ah»e it, it is all confusion nonr. The one tbi'iq I Cr.n do is to repeat whas the Baronet said to me when I had in sorcm decree recovered my oomposurc. " I Buppose you arc awaro," phe begsr, " of the disirraco to which the Princess's inf ,tua tion axpoies her, if it in disooveied ? 0 i my own responsibility I repeat what I said In you n ehorb tiica &inc\ D> you refuse to leave thi* place immediately?" Doss the man live, honoured as I wa^, who would have hesitated to refUoe ? Fmd hm if you can ! " Vory vrtl'," aha ie<uiaiqd. "A^ the friend of the Prince*!*, I have no choice now bu<; to talie thingfl ai they arc, and to make the best of them. L<;t vi reulne your positio.i to h-gin with. If jou were (like your elder brother) a nobleman possessed of lai'«e ca^afo", my royiil mistress might lw excused. Aa it i«, whatever you may be in the future, you are nothing now but aa obicure young man, without fortune or title. Do you see your duty to the Prinoess ? or must I explain it to you?" I saw my duty as plainly as she did. " Her Highness's aec-et is a pacred secret," I said. " I am bound to shrink from no sacrifice which may preserve it." The Baroness cmiled maliciously. " I may have occasion, " she answered, "te rc;uind you of what you have just said. In the meanwhile, the Princess's secret is in danger of discovery. " "Bj her* father?" "No. By the Doctor." At first, 1 doubted whether she was ir. jest or in earnest. The next instant, I remembered that tho secretary had expressly | cautioned me against that man. "It is evidently one of your virtue?, ' the Baroness proceeded, "to be slow to tUFpect. Prepare yourself for a disagreeables surprise. Tho Doctor has been watchUg tho Prinje^, on e\ery occasion when sho sppaks to you, with ?oiae object of his own in view. Daring my ab^encp, young sir, I have been enraged in discovering what that object is. My excellent mother ltvea at the Court of the Grand Duke, and enjoys the confidence of hia Ministers. Ho is itill a baohelor ; aurt, in the interests to the succession to the throne, the time has arrived when he must marry. iVith my mother's assistance, I have found out tho Doctor's medical errand is r pretence. Influenced by the Princess's beauty, too (hand D ike has thought of her first as his future Duchess. Whether he has heard slanderous otoriei, or whether he is only a cautious man, I can't HI you. Bat this I know: ho has instructed his physician — if he haderutiloycd « professed diplomatist, his motive raipht have been suspected — to observo her Highness privately, and to communicate the result. The object of the report is to satisfy the Dake that the Princess's repntfttion is Above the reach of scandal ; that she is free from entanglements of ft certain bind ; and thut sho is in overy resp»ct a person to whom he e»n with propriety offer his hand In marriig-3. The Doctor, Mr. Ernest, ia not disposed to allow you to prevent him from sending in a favorable report. Hb has drawn his contfuMons from the Princess's extraoidinary kindness to the second secretary o£ tho Eog'hh legation; und he is only waiting for a littlo plainer evidence to communicxto his suspicions to the Prince. It rests wilh you to eavethc Piiuoess." " Only tell me how I am do it ! " I said, " There is but one way of doing it," she answpred; "and t^at way has (comically enough) been suggested to me by tie Doctor hirnaolf." Her to-no and manner tiiedrny patience. " Cjnie to the point 1 " I said. She seemed to enjoy provoking m«. •No hrnry, Mr. Erncpt— no hurry ! You shall bo fully enlightened if you will only wait a little. Tho Pnnco, I must tullyou. bcliaws in his daughter's indisposition. Wnen he visited her this ruorninjr, he was attended by his medical adviser. I wa3 present at the interview. To do him justice, the Doctor is worthy of the trust repi«ed in him — he boldly attempted to verify hi 3 suspicions of the daughter, in tho father's preßonce." "Row?" " O'l, in the well known way that has been tri^d ovit and over again, under similar circumstanjej ! He merely invented a report rhat you were engaged in a lovc-affiir with soaio charming person in the town. Don't be an^ry ; thero'a no harm done." "But there is harm done," I insisted. " Wnat mu9t the Piincass think of me ? " "Do you suppose she is weak enough to believe the Dootor ? Her Highness beat, him at his own weapons; not tho slightest sign of p-gitition onherp>irt rewarded hij ingenuity. All that you have to do in to help her to mislead this medical apy. It's as easy as lying, and easifj. Tho Doctor's slander declares that you have a love atf-iir in the town. Take the hint — and astoeiah the Doctor bj pro\iug that he has hit on the truth." It was a hot day; the Baroness was beginning to pet excited. She pauecd, and fanned heisdf. "Do I startle you ? ' she asked. " You di°gust me." She laughed. " What a thiok-headed m&n this is I ' she said pleasantly. " Mast I put it moro plainly still ? E igage in what your English prudery calls a "flirtation," with some woman here — the lower in degree the hotter, or the Princess might bo jealous— and let the &iuir bo seen and known by everybody »boufc the Court. Sly as he is, the Doctor is not piepared for that 1 At your ago, and with your personal advantages, he will t>»Ue app°arances for granted ; he will conclude that ho has wronged you, and misinterpreted the motives of the Princess ; and the secret of her Hi^hness's weakness will ba preserved — thanks to that sacrifice, Mr. Ernest, which you are so willing and so eager to make." It was useless to remonstrate with such a woman as this. I simply stated my own objection to her artfully devised scheme " I don't wish to appear vain," I said ; " but tho woman to whom I am to pyy these attentions may believe that I really fidmire her— and it ia just possible that she may honostly return the feeling which I am only assuming." 1 Well— and whftf then ? " " It's hard on the woman, surely ? " The Baroness was shocked, unaffectedly shocked. " Good heavens ; she ex-claimed, " bow can anything that you do for the Princess bo hard on a woman of the lower orders ? There must bo an end of this nonsenso, sir ' You have heard what I propose; and you know what the chcum?tanceu are. My mistress ia waiting for your answer. What »m I to say ? "

11 1j t f"» ''ci Uij'.ne-H, ciivl gprak for m> -f if," I 3 ,tu. •' Q uto iinu >-ri >'" to f-ay, without running tjo gioii; a ruk. Your rt'n'y nu-t bo made throu^'i me." 1 T 1 ra Wei 1 ) to be a C)iut concsrt at the enJ of lh°. wsok. Oj thtit occasion I should op ab'<? to ra\ke my own reply. I n the meanw'iilc I only tola the Buoness I wanted time to cwjidcr." • W,i\;tijae?" aho a^ksrl. " Uiit'l to morrow. D> you object 1 " ' 0 i the contrary, T cndmUy agree. Yonr bisc hesir. <.ti«n may let.il to reaulw which I have not hitherto amred to anticipate."' " Wliat do >ou rncin ?" "Bjt vcen this and to morrow," the horrid woman replied, " the Pr.ucess may end in sirting you with my oyc^. In that hope I wi-h jou good-morning. ' (To he continued.')