CHAPTER X.

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

CHAPTER X.

When I arrived at my rooms, my colleague hurried to meet me tbo morneut I opened tbe door. 41 1 am going to surprise you," ho said ; 44 and thero is no timo to prepare you for it. Our chief, the Minister, hu3 peon the Prince this tnornirip, and has been officially informed of an event of importance in the life of the Princess. She is engaged to be married to tho Grand Duke." Engaged to the Duke— and not a word from her to warn mo of it 1 Engaged — after what sho had said to me no longtr ago than the pant night ! Had I been made a plaything to amuse a great lady? Oh, what degradation 1 I was furious ; I sn atoned up my hat to go to th« palaoo— to foroe my way

to her— to overwhelm her with repror>ohri«. My friend stopped mo. Ho put an official document into my hai.d. " Thero is jour l-«ve of absence from the legation," he raid; " brginningV«>m to d»j. 1 have informed the Minister, in ttnct confidcnor, of tho critical portion in which jrn are plaecd. He agrees with mo that the I'rincemV inextUJablo folly is alone In blurt *. Leave us, Ernest, bj the next train. There ia ftume intrigue jeoinj! »vi, ann 1 fear jou way bo in'.i-Nfd in it. Yon know that the rulers (f the little German State n c»n exneise despotic autborit*. wLen they choose ? ' "Ytsl yes!" . •' Whether the Prince has noted of bis own free will— or whether he has bten influenced by some person about him — I am not able to tell you. He has issued an order to arrest an old Frenchman, known to be a republican, and eiißpectcd of asrociating with one of the secret societies in this part cf Germany. The conspirator has taken to flight ; having friends, as wo euppose, who warned him in time. But this, Einest, is not the worst of it. That charming singer, that modest pretty girl " " You don't mean Jeanne ? " "I am sorry to cay I do. Advantage has been Uhen of her relationship to the old man, to include that innocent creature in political suspicions which it it limply absurd to suppose that she has deserved. She U ordered to leave the Prince's dominions immediately.—Am tou pnincj to her?" " Instantly i " I replied. Could 1 leel a muiucui" hesitation, after the infamous manner iv which the Princess had sacrificed me to tbe Grand Duke ? Could I think of the poor girl, friendless, helpless — with nobody near her but a stupid womanservant, unable to speak the language of the country — and fail to devote myself to the protection of Jeanne? Thank God, I reaohed her lodgings in time to tell her what had happened, and to take it on myself to receive the polioe.