Surely,
it was the climax of absurdity for me to aspire to rule this people, to
whom I was a stranger and in whose eyes I would be, in effect, a pure
usurper.
Then the great band of the Regiment blared out, and I settled myself
for the march-by.
When it was over, and the last troop had broken into column and had
trotted away, I dismissed my Staff, except Moore, and rode across to
where I had noticed Lady Helen Radnor.
"If you were not a Prince I would not speak to you," she said, as I
dismounted.
"Then," said I, as I bowed over her hand, "there is some compensation
in being a Prince."
"I have not seen you for ages," she complained.
"I've been very busy."
"That is no excuse among friends, sir; besides, the Princess has been
away for weeks."
"I did not imagine you would miss me," I said--and glanced at her left
hand.
She laughed, and held it up. "The finger is quite bare," she said;
"but, I'll take off the glove, if you wish."
"I'm sorry," I said. "He is such a good chap."
She raised her eyebrows.
I leaned a bit closer. "You won't refuse him when he does offer?" I
asked.
"I suppose an Archduke cannot be impertinent," she said.
"Not when he doesn't mean to be," said I.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256