CHAPTER VIII.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2051, 29 August 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER VIII.

Entering tho Concert Room, I found the Princeed alone on the dais, receiving thooompany. " Nervous proatiation" had made it impo'siblo for tho Prince to be present. Ho wvj ronnned to hii bed-chamber; and the Doctor was in attendance on him. I bowed to the B^ronesn, but; she was too seriously offeiidcd with mo for declining to tako her advico to notico my salutation. Passing into the conservatory, it occured to me that I might bo seen, and possibly suspected, in the interval between the first and second parts ot the programme, when tho mn?;c no longer absorbed tho attention of the audience. I went on, and waited outside on the steps that led to the garden ; keeping the glass door open, so as to hear when tho music of the e eoond part ot tho concert began. Aftor an interval which seemed to be endIces, I saw tho Princess approaching rue. Sbo had mado tho heat in the Conoert Room an excuse for retiring for a while ; and she had tho Baroness in attendance on her to save appearances. Instead of leaving us to ourselves, tho malicious creature persisted in paying tho most respectful attention to her mistruJS. It was impossible to make her understand that she was not wanted any loDger until the Princess said sharply, " Go back to tho music I" Even then, the detestable woman mado a low curtsey, and anBwere3, " I will return, Madam, in five minutes." I ventured to present mjself in the conservatory. Tho Princess was dressed with exqaicite simplicity, entirely in white. Her only ornaments were white roses in her hair and in her bosom. To ear llmt sho looked lovely is to Bay Lothin^. She seemed to be the ethereal creature of somo higher sphero ; too exquisitdy delicate and pure to bo approached by a mere mortal man like myself. I was awed ; I was silent. Her Highncss's sweet smila encouraged mo to venture a little neater. She pointed to a footstool which the Baroness had placed for her. " Aro you afiaul of me, Erno.it ?" ebc asked softly. Her divinely beautiful eyea rested on me wilh a look of encouragement. I dropped on my knees at her feet. She had aeked if I wdß t.fraid of her. Thi3, if I may use such an expression, roused my manhood. My own boliiuesa aßtomshcd me. I answered, 11 Madam, I adore you." She laid her hand on my head, and looked at me thoughtfully. " Foigr t my rank," sho whnspeied — " have I not eet you tho example ? Suppose that I am nothing but an English Mibs. What would you t>ay to Misa " 41 1 should Ray, I love jou." 41 Hay it to Mtt." My lipn fftid it on hrr hand. Sbo bent Jorwind. My heart beats fast ad tho barn remembittnco of it. Ob, Heavens, Her Highness Uißsud me t " Thero is your reward," aho answered, 41 for all that jou have sacriGced for my sake. VVhut an effort it must have been to oifcr tho prt tencc of love to an obscuio stranger ! Tho Baioneiss tolls mo this netreea — this hicger— >vh,u is ehe I— it, prcttj . Ih it truo ?" The Baroness was quite mipohievous enough to have nlao mentioned the fsilno imprebsion, prevalent about tlio Couit, that I was in lovo Wilh Jeanne. I attempted to explain. Tho i;rauoufl Pur.ccsß iefik j ed to hoar me. " Do jou think I doubt you?" she aaid. 11 Diatirgiui'hcd by mo, could you waste a look on a person in that rank of life?" She laughed softy, an if tbo mere idea of suoh a

thing arnueed her. It was only for a moment ; her thought*! took a new direction — thsy contemplated the uncertain future. " How s tbi««to e-.d ?" she asked. " D*ar Ernest. !»•■ nre net in Paradise; wo are in a hard »r :rl aorld which u-.sipts on distinction* in rank. 1 o^hat unhippy destiny dres tb* faicmatiou • inch -jou txcreiue (>ver me e^ndrmn v* ro'ii?" ?he pauH-d— took one of the white roars out cf hfijuocom — touched it with he: lipe — aud t^ave it to mr. 11 1 wouder whether jc,u feel the burden ol life as I feel it ? " the resumed. "II i« immaterial to me, whether wo are united in this world or in tho next. Accept my roee, Ernest, as an assurance that I speak with perfect eincerotj. I see but two alternatives before us. One of them (beeet wilh danger*) is elopement. And the other," she added, with truly majestic composure is " suicide." Would Englishmen in general have rightly understood tuch fearless confidence in them as this language implied ? lam afraid they might have attributed it to, what my friend the recretary called, " German sentiment," Perhaps they might even have suspected the Princess of quoting from some old-fashioned German play. Under the irresistible influence of that glorious eroaturo, I contemplated with such equal serenity the perils cf elopement and the martyrdom of love, that I was for the the moment at a loss how to reply. In that moment, the evil genius of my life appeared in the conservatory. With hasto in her steps, with alarm ia her face, the Baroness rushed up to her royal mistress, and said, " For God's sake, Madam, come away 1 The Prince desires to speak with yon instantly." Her Highness rose, calmly superior to the' vulgar excitement of her lady in waiting. "Think of it to-night," she said to me, "and let me hear from you to-morrow." She pressed my hand ; she gave me a farewell look. I sank into tho chair that she had just left. Did I think of elopement ? Did I think of suicide ? The elevating influence of the Princess no longer sustained me : my nature became degraded. Horrid doubts rosn in my mind. Did her father suspoct us?