frances waldeaux-第11部分

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〃Who　is　Miss　Dunbar's　guardian？〃　the　prince　demanded　alertly。　　He　sat　down　by　the　table　and　took　out　a　notebook　and　papers。

〃Butsettlements？　　Is　not　that　a　little　premature？〃　she　ventured。　　〃She　has　not　accepted　you。〃

〃HE　may　not　accept　my　financial　proposals。　　It　is　business；　you　see。　　The　gentle　ladies；　even　die　Amerikaner；　do　not　comprehend　business。　　It　is　not；　you　perceive；　dear　lady；　the　same　when　the　head　of　the　House　of　Wolfburgh　allies　himself　with　a　hochgeboren　Fraulein　as　when　the　tailors　marry〃

〃Nor　bakers。　　I　see；〃　stammered　Clara。

〃Miss　Dunbar's　properties　are　valuable。　　Her　estate　in　Del…aware；〃　glancing　at　his　notebook；　〃is　larger　than　some　of　our　German　kingdoms。　　Her　investments　in　railway　and　mining　securities；　if　put　on　the　market；　should　be　worth　a　million　of　florins。　　These　are　solid　matters；　and　must　be　dealt　with　carefully。〃

〃But；　good　gracious；　Prince　Wolfburgh！　cried　Miss　Vance；　〃how　did　you　find　out　about　Lucy's　investments？〃

He　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　　〃Meine　gnadigste　Fraulein！　　It　is　not　possible　that　you　supposed　that　in　such　a　matter　as　this　men　leap　into　the　darkthe　men　of　rank；　princes；　counts；　English　barons；　who　marry　the　American　mees？　　That　they　do　not　know　for　what　they　exchange　theirall　that　they　give？　　I　will　tell　you；〃　with　a　condescending　smile。　　〃There　are　agents　in　the　Statesin　New　Yorkin　Chicagoinhow　do　you　name　it？　　St。　Sanata。　　They　furnish　exact　information　as　to　the　dot　of　the　lady　who　will；　perhaps；　marry　here。　　Oh；　no！　　We　do　not　leap　into　the　dark！〃

〃So　I　perceive；〃　said　Clara　dryly。　　〃And　may　I　inquire；　your　Highness；　what　financial　arrangement　you　propose；　in　case　she　becomes　your　wife？〃

〃Assuredly。〃　　He　hastily　unfolded　a　large　paper。　　〃This　must　be　accepted　by　her　guardian　before　the　betrothal　can　take　place。　　I　will　translate；　in　brief。　　The　whole　estate　passes　to　me；　and　is　secured　to　me　in　case　of　my　wife's　death　without　issue。　　I　inserted　that　clause；〃　he　said；　looking　up；　smiling；　for　approval；　〃because　American　Frauleins　are　so　fragilenot　like　our　women。　　I　will；　of　course；　if　we　have　issue；　try　to　preserve　the　real　estate　for　my　heir；　and　the　remaining　property　for　my　other　children。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　a　good　deal　is　taken　for　granted　there；〃　said　Clara；　whose　cheeks　were　very　hot。　　〃And　where　does　Miss　Dunbar　come　into　this　arrangement？　　Is　she　not　to　have　any　money　at　all？〃

〃My　widow；　should　I　die　first；　will　be　paid　an　annuity　from　my　estate。　　But　while　Mees　Lucy　is　my　wife；　_I_　will　buy　all　that　she　needs。　　I　will　delight　to　dress　her；　to　feed　her　well。　　With　discretion；　of　course。　　For　there　are　many　channels　into　which　my　income　must　flow。　　But　I　will　not　be　a　niggardly　husband　to　her！　　No；　no！〃　cried　the　little　man　in　a　glow。

〃That　is　very　kind　of　you。　　But　she　will　not　have　any　of　her　own　money　to　spend？　　In　her　own　purse？　　To　fling　into　the　gutter　if　she　chooses？〃

The　prince　laughed　gayly。　　〃How　American　you　are；　gracious　lady！　　A　German　wife　does　not　ask　for　her　‘own　purse。'　　My　wife　will　cease　to　be　American；　she　will　be　German；〃　patting　his　soft　hands　ecstatically。　　〃But　you　have　not　told　me　the　name　of　her　guardian？〃

〃Lucy；〃　said　Miss　Vance　reluctantly；　〃is　of　age。　　She　has　full　control　of　her　property。　　A　Trust　Company　manages　it　for　her；　but　they　have　no　authority　to　stop　her　if　she　chooses　tothrow　it　into　the　gutter。〃

The　prince　looked　up　sharply。　　Could　this　be　a　trick？　　But　if　it　were；　the　agent　would　find　out　for　him。　　He　rose。


〃To　have　the　sole　disposal　of　her　own　hand　and　of　her　fortune？　　That　seems　strange　to　us；〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃But　I　have　your　consent；　most　dear　lady；　to　win　both；　if　I　can？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　prince。　　If　you　can。〃

He　took　her　hand　and　bowed　profoundly　over　it；　but　no　courtly　grace　nor　words　could　bring　back　Clara's　awe　of　him。　　She　had　a　vague　impression　that　the　Weir　baker　had　been　wrangling　with　her　about　his　bill。

〃Your　Highness　has　asked　a　good　many　questions；〃　she　said。　　〃May　I　put　one　to　you？　　Did　you　inquire　concerning　Miss　Hassard's　dot；　also？〃　〃Ah；　certainly！　　Why　not？　　It　is　very　large。　　I　have　spoken　of　it　to　my　cousin　Count　Odo。　　But　the　drawbackher　father　still　lives。　　He　may　marry　again。　　Her　dot　depends　upon　his　good　pleasure。　　Whereas　Miss　Dunbar　is　an　orphan；　and　besides　that；　she　is　so　dear　to　me！〃　clasping　his　hands；　his　face　red　with　fervor。　　〃So　truly　dear！〃

And　she　knew　that　he　honestly　meant　it。



CHAPTER　IX

When　Miss　Vance　came　into　the　corridor　after　she　had　reported　this　interview　to　Lucy；　Jean　swept　her　into　her　room　and　dragged　the　whole　story　from　her。　　In　fact　the　poor　anxious　lady　was　glad　to　submit　it　to　the　girl's　shrewd　hard　sense。

〃You　told　him　that　she　was　the　uncontrolled　mistress　of　her　money！〃

〃It　is　the　truth。　　I　had　to　tell　him　the　truth；　my　dear。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　so；　for　he　would　have　found　it　out　anyhow。〃

〃I　do　feel；〃　panted　Clara；　〃as　if　I　had　put　a　dove　into　the　claws　of　a　vulture。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Jean　promptly。　　〃The　little　man　has　a　heart；　but　an　empty　pocket。　　Was　Lucy　interested　most　in　his　love　or　his　bargaining？〃

〃In　neither；　I　think。　　She　just　went　on　painting；　and　said　nothing。〃

Oh；　she　will　decide　the　matter　in　time！　　She　will　bring　her　little　intellect　to　bear　on　it　as　if　it　were　a　picnic　for　her　Sunday…school　class！〃　　Jean　stood　silent　a　while。　　〃Miss　Vance；〃　she　said　suddenly；　〃let　me　engineer　this　affair　for　a　few　days。　　I　can　help　you。〃

〃What　do　you　propose　to　do；　Jean？〃

〃To　leave　Bozen　to…morrow。　　For　Munich。〃

〃But　the　Wolfburghs　have　a　palace　orsomething　in　Munich。　　Is　it　quite　delicate　for　us〃

〃It　is　quite　rational。　　Let　us　see　what　the　something　is。　　So　far　in　our　dealings　with　principalities　and　powers；　we　have　had　a　stout　little　manwith　no　background。〃　The　prince　was　startled　when　he　was　told　of　this　sudden　journey；　but　declared　that　he　would　follow　them　to…morrow。

Lucy；　as　usual；　asked　no　questions；　but　calmly　packed　her　satchel。

As　the　little　train；　the　next　day；　lumbered　through　the　valley　of　the　Eisach；　she　sat　in　her　corner；　reading　a　newspaper。　　Miss　Vance　dozed；　or　woke　with　a　start　to　lecture　on　points　of　historic　interest。

〃Why　don't　you　look；　Lucy？　　That　monastery　was　a　Roman　fortress　in　the　third　century。　　And　you　are　missing　the　color　effects　of　the　vineyards。〃

〃I　can　look　now。　　I　have　finished　my　paper。〃　　Lucy　folded　it　neatly　and　replaced　it　in　her　bag。　　〃I　have　read　the　Delaware　State　Sun；〃　she　said　triumphantly；　〃regularly；　every　week　since　we　left　home。　　When　I　go　back　I　shall　be　only　seven　days　behind　with　the　Wilmington　news。〃

Jean　glanced　at　her　contemptuously。　　〃Look　at　that　great　castle　on　yonder　mountain；〃　she　said。　　〃You　could　lodge　a　village　inside　of　the　ramparts。　　Do　you　think　Wolfburgh　Schloss　is　like　that？　　The　prince　told　us　last　night；〃　turning　to　Miss　Vance；　〃the　old　legends　about　his　castle。　　The　first　Wolfburgh　was　a　Titan　about　the　time　of　Noah；　and　married　a　human　wife；　and　with　his　hands　tore　open　the　mountain　for　rocks　to　lay　the　foundation　of　his　house。　　According　to　his　story　there　were　no　end　of　giants　and　trolls　and　kings　concerned　in　the　building　of　it；〃　she　went　on；　furtively　watching　the　deepening　pink　in　Lucy's　cheek。　　〃The　Wolfburgh　of　Charlemagne's　day　was　besieged　by　him；　and　another　entertained　St。　Louis　and　all　his　crusaders　within　the　walls。〃　　Jean's　voice　rose　shrilly　and　her　eyes　glowed。　　She　leaned　forward；　looking　eagerly　across　the　fields。　　〃The　prince　told　us　that　the　Schloss　of　his　race　had　for　centuries　been　one　of　the　great　fortresses　of　Christendom。　　And　here　it　is！　　Now　we　shall　seewe　shall　see！〃

The　car　stopped。　　The　guard　opened　the　door　and　Miss　Vance　and　Lucy　suddenly　found　themselves　swept　by　Jean　on　to　the　platform；　while　the　little　train　rumbled　on　down　the　valley。　　Miss　Vance　cried　out　in　dismay。

〃Never　mind。　　There　will　be　another　train　in　a　half　hour；〃　said　Jean。　　〃Here　is　the　Schloss；〃　pointing　to　a　pepper…box　tower　neatly　whitewashed；　which　rose　out　of　a　huge　mass　of　broken　stone。　　〃And　here；　I　suppose；　is　the　capital　of　the　kingdom　over　which　the　Wolfburghs　now　reign　feudal　lords？〃

Clara　found　herself　against　her　will　looking　curiously　at　the　forge；　the　dirty　shop；　the　tiny　bier…halle；　and　a　half　a　dozen　huts；　out　of　which　swarmed　a　few　old　women　and　children。

〃Where　are　the　men　of　this　village？〃　Jean　demanded　of　the　station　master；　a　stout　old　man　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth。

〃Gone　to　America；　for　the　most　part；〃　he　said；　with　a　shrug。

Lucy　came　up　hastily；　an　angry　glitter　in　her　soft　eyes。　　〃You　have　no　right　to　make　me　play　the　spy　in　this　way！〃　she　said　haughtily；　and　going　into　the　little　station　sat　down　with　her　back　to　the　door。

〃You？　　It　is　II〃　muttered　Jean　breathlessly。　　〃And　who　lives　in　the　tower；　my　good　man？　　It　is　not　big　enough　for　a　dozen　hens。〃　　She　slipped　a　florin　into　his　hand。

〃Four　of　the　noble　ladies　live　there。　　The　princesses。　　The　gracious　sisters　of　Furst　Hugo。　　There　come　two　of　them　now。〃

A　couple　of　lean；　wrinkled　women　dressed　in　soiled　merino　gowns　and　huge　black　aprons；　their　hair　bristling　in　curl　papers；　crossed　the　road；　peering　curiously　at　the　strangers。

〃They　came　to　look　at　you；　Fraulein；〃　said　the　man；　chuckling。　　〃Strangers　do　not　stop　at　Wolfburgh　twice　in　the　year。〃

〃And　what　do　the　noble　ladies　do　all　the　year？〃

〃Jean；　Jean！〃　remonstrated　Clara。

〃Oh；　Miss　Vance！　　This　is　life　and　death　to　some　of　us！　　What　do　they　do？〃

〃Do？〃　said　the　man；　staring。　　〃What　shall　any　gracious　lady　do？　　They　cook　and　brew；　and　crochet　lace　and〃

〃Are　there　any　more　princessessisters　of　Furst　Hugo？〃

〃Two　more。　　They　live　in　Munich。　　No；　none　of　them　are　married。　　Because；〃　he　added　zealously；　〃there　are　no　men　as　high…born　as　our　gracious　ladies；　so　they　cannot　marry。〃

〃No　doubt　that　accounts　for　it；〃　said　Jean。　　〃Six。　　These　are　‘the　channels　into　which　the　income　will　flow；'　hey？〃　　She　gave　him　more　money；　and　marching　into　the　station　caught　Lucy　by　the　shoulder；　shaking　her　passionately。　　〃Do　you　think　any　American　girl　could　stand　that？　　How　would　YOU　like　to　be　caged　up　in　that　ridiculous　tower　to　cook　and　crochet　and　brew　beer　and　watch　the　train　go　by　for　recreation？　　The　year　roundthe　year　round？〃