the indiscretion of elsbeth-第3部分

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fixedly　in　the　eye　said：



〃Ah；　you　have　relations　here？〃



〃Yes；　but　they　are　dead　two　hundred　years。〃



She　laughed　again　with　a　slight　expression　of　relief。　　They　had

entered　the　copse　and　were　walking　in　dense　shadow　when　she

suddenly　stopped　and　sat　down　upon　a　rustic　bench。　　To　his　surprise

he　found　that　they　were　quite　alone。



〃Tell　me　about　these　relatives；〃　she　said；　slightly　drawing　aside

her　skirt　to　make　room　for　him　on　the　seat。



He　did　not　require　a　second　invitation。　　He　not　only　told　her　all

about　his　ancestral　progenitors；　but；　I　fear；　even　about　those　more

recent　and　more　nearly　related　to　him；　about　his　own　life；　his

vocationhe　was　a　clever　newspaper　correspondent　with　a　roving

commissionhis　ambitions；　his　beliefs　and　his　romance。



〃And　then；　perhaps；　of　this　visityou　will　also　make　'copy'？〃



He　smiled　at　her　quick　adaptation　of　his　professional　slang；　but

shook　his　head。



〃No；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃Nothis　is　YOU。　　The　CHICAGO　INTERVIEWER

is　big　pay　and　is　rich；　but　it　hasn't　capital　enough　to　buy　you

from　me。



He　gently　slid　his　hand　toward　hers　and　slipped　his　fingers　softly

around　it。　　She　made　a　slight　movement　of　withdrawal；　but　even

thenas　if　in　forgetfulness　or　indifferencepermitted　her　hand　to

rest　unresponsively　in　his。　　It　was　scarcely　an　encouragement　to

gallantry；　neither　was　it　a　rejection　of　an　unconscious

familiarity。



〃But　you　haven't　told　me　about　yourself；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　I〃she　returned；　with　her　first　approach　to　coquetry　in　a

laugh　and　a　sidelong　glance；　〃of　what　importance　is　that　to　you？

It　is　the　Grand　Duchess　and　Her　Highness　the　Princess　that　you

Americans　seek　to　know。　　I　amwhat　I　amas　you　see。〃



〃You　bet；〃　said　Hoffman　with　charming　decision。



〃I　WHAT？〃



〃You　ARE；　you　know；　and　that's　good　enough　for　me；　but　I　don't　even

know　your　name。〃



She　laughed　again；　and　after　a　pause；　said：　〃Elsbeth。〃



〃But　I　couldn't　call　you　by　your　first　name　on　our　first　meeting；

you　know。〃



〃Then　you　Americans　are　really　so　very　formaleh？〃　she　said　slyly；

looking　at　her　imprisoned　hand。



〃Well；　yes；〃　returned　Hoffman；　disengaging　it。　　〃I　suppose　we　are

respectful；　or　mean　to　be。　　But　whom　am　I　to　inquire　for？　　To　write

to？〃



〃You　are　neither　to　write　nor　inquire。〃



〃What？〃　　She　had　moved　in　her　seat　so　as　to　half…face　him　with　eyes

in　which　curiosity；　mischief；　and　a　certain　seriousness　alternated；

but　for　the　first　time　seemed　conscious　of　his　hand；　and　accented

her　words　with　a　slight　pressure。



〃You　are　to　return　to　your　hotel　presently；　and　say　to　your

landlord：　'Pack　up　my　luggage。　　I　have　finished　with　this　old　town

and　my　ancestors；　and　the　Grand　Duke；　whom　I　do　not　care　to　see；

and　I　shall　leave　Alstadt　tomorrow！'〃



〃Thank　you！　　I　don't　catch　on。〃



〃Of　what　necessity　should　you？　　I　have　said　it。　　That　should　be

enough　for　a　chivalrous　American　like　you。〃　　She　again

significantly　looked　down　at　her　hand。



〃If　you　mean　that　you　know　the　extent　of　the　favor　you　ask　of　me；　I

can　say　no　more；〃　he　said　seriously；　〃but　give　me　some　reason　for

it。〃



〃Ah　so！〃　she　said；　with　a　slight　shrug　of　her　shoulders。　　〃Then　1

must　tell　you。　　You　say　you　do　not　know　the　Grand　Duke　and　Duchess。

Well！　THEY　KNOW　YOU。　　The　day　before　yesterday　you　were　wandering

in　the　park；　as　you　admit。　　You　say；　also；　you　got　through　the

hedge　and　interrupted　some　ceremony。　　That　ceremony　was　not　a　Court

function；　Mr。　Hoffman；　but　something　equally　sacredthe

photographing　of　the　Ducal　family　before　the　Schloss。　　You　say　that

you　instantly　withdrew。　　But　after　the　photograph　was　taken　the

plate　revealed　a　stranger　standing　actually　by　the　side　of　the

Princess　Alexandrine；　and　even　taking　the　PAS　of　the　Grand　Duke

himself。　　That　stranger　was　you！〃



〃And　the　picture　was　spoiled；〃　said　the　American；　with　a　quiet

laugh。



〃I　should　not　say　that；〃　returned　the　lady；　with　a　demure　glance　at

her　companion's　handsome　face；　〃and　I　do　not　believe　that　the

Princesswho　first　saw　the　photographthought　so　either。　　But　she

is　very　young　and　willful；　and　has　the　reputation　of　being　very

indiscreet；　and　unfortunately　she　begged　the　photographer　not　to

destroy　the　plate；　but　to　give　it　to　her；　and　to　say　nothing　about

it；　except　that　the　plate　was　defective；　and　to　take　another。

Still　it　would　have　ended　there　if　her　curiosity　had　not　led　her　to

confide　a　description　of　the　stranger　to　the　Police　Inspector；　with

the　result　you　know。〃



〃Then　I　am　expected　to　leave　town　because　I　accidentally　stumbled

into　a　family　group　that　was　being　photographed？〃



〃Because　a　certain　Princess　was　indiscreet　enough　to　show　her

curiosity　about　you；〃　corrected　the　fair　stranger。



〃But　look　here！　　I'll　apologize　to　the　Princess；　and　offer　to　pay

for　the　plate。〃



〃Then　you　do　want　to　see　the　Princess？〃　said　the　young　girl

smiling；　〃you　are　like　the　others。〃



〃Bother　the　Princess！　　I　want　to　see　YOU。　　And　I　don't　see　how　they

can　prevent　it　if　I　choose　to　remain。〃



〃Very　easily。　　You　will　find　that　there　is　something　wrong　with

your　passport；　and　you　will　be　sent　on　to　Pumpernickel　for

examination。　　You　will　unwittingly　transgress　some　of　the　laws　of

the　town　and　be　ordered　to　leave　it。　　You　will　be　shadowed　by　the

police　until　you　quarrel　with　themlike　a　free　Americanand　you

are　conducted　to　the　frontier。　　Perhaps　you　will　strike　an　officer

who　has　insulted　you；　and　then　you　are　finished　on　the　spot。〃



The　American's　crest　rose　palpably　until　it　cocked　his　straw　hat

over　his　curls。



〃Suppose　I　am　content　to　risk　ithaving　first　laid　the　whole

matter　and　its　trivial　cause　before　the　American　Minister；　so　that

he　could　make　it　hot　for　this　whole　caboodle　of　a　country　if　they

happened　to　'down　me。'　　By　Jove！　　I　shouldn't　mind　being　the　martyr

of　an　international　episode　if　they'd　spare　me　long　enough　to　let

me　get　the　first　'copy'　over　to　the　other　side。〃　　His　eyes

sparkled。



〃You　could　expose　them；　but　they　would　then　deny　the　whole　story；

and　you　have　no　evidence。　　They　would　demand　to　know　your

informant；　and　I　should　be　disgraced；　and　the　Princess；　who　is

already　talked　about；　made　a　subject　of　scandal。　　But　no　matter！

It　is　right　that　an　American's　independence　shall　not　be　interfered

with。〃



She　raised　the　hem　of　her　handkerchief　to　her　blue　eyes　and

slightly　turned　her　head　aside。　　Hoffman　gently　drew　the

handkerchief　away；　and　in　so　doing　possessed　himself　of　her　other

hand。



〃Look　here；　MissMissElsbeth。　　You　know　I　wouldn't　give　you

away；　whatever　happened。　　But　couldn't　I　get　hold　of　that

photographerI　saw　him；　he　wanted　me　to　sit　to　himand　make　him

tell　me？〃



〃He　wanted　you　to　sit　to　him；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃and　did　you？〃



〃No；〃　he　replied。　　〃He　was　a　little　too　fresh　and　previous；　though

I　thought　he　fancied　some　resemblance　in　me　to　somebody　else。〃



〃Ah！〃　　She　said　something　to　herself　in　German　which　he　did　not

understand；　and　then　added　aloud：



〃You　did　well；　he　is　a　bad　man；　this　photographer。　　Promise　me　you

shall　not　sit　for　him。〃



〃How　can　I　if　I'm　fired　out　of　the　place　like　this？〃　　He　added

ruefully；　〃But　I'd　like　to　make　him　give　himself　away　to　me

somehow。〃



〃He　will　not；　and　if　he　did　he　would　deny　it　afterward。　　Do　not　go

near　him　nor　see　him。　　Be　careful　that　he　does　not　photograph　you

with　his　instantaneous　instrument　when　you　are　passing。　　Now　you

must　go。　　I　must　see　the　Princess。〃



〃Let　me　go；　too。　　I　will　explain　it　to　her；〃　said　Hoffman。



She　stopped；　looked　at　him　keenly；　and　attempted　to　withdraw　her

hands。　　〃Ah；　then　it　IS　so。　　It　is　the　Princess　you　wish　to　see。

You　are　curiousyou；　too；　you　wish　to　see　this　lady　who　is

interested　in　you。　　I　ought　to　have　known　it。　　You　are　all　alike。〃



He　met　her　gaze　with　laughing　frankness；　accepting　her　outburst　as

a　charming　feminine　weakness；　half　jealousy；　half　coquetrybut

retained　her　hands。



〃Nonsense；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wish　to　see　her　that　I　may　have　the　right

to　see　youthat　you　shall　not　lose　your　place　here　through　me；

that　I　may　come　again。〃



〃You　must　never　come　here　again。〃



〃Then　you　must　come　where　I　am。　　We　will　meet　somewhere　when　you

have　an　afternoon　off。　　You　shall　show　me　the　townthe　houses　of

my　ancestorstheir　tombs；　possiblyif　the　Grand　Duke　rampages

the　probable　site　of　my　own。〃



She　looked　into　his　laughing　eyes　with　her　clear；　stedfast；　gravely

questioning　blue　ones。　　〃Do　not　you　Americans　know　that　it　is　not

the　fashion　here；　in　Germany；　for　the　young　men　and　the　young　women

to　walk　togetherunless　they　are　VERLOBT？〃



〃VERwhich？〃



〃Engaged。〃　　She　nodded　her　head　thrice：　viciously；　decidedly；

mischievously。



〃So　much　the　better。〃



〃ACH　GOTT！〃　　She　made　a　gesture　of　hopelessness　at　his

incorrigibility；　and　again　attempted　to　withdraw　her　hands。



〃I　must　go　now。〃



〃Well　then；　good…by。〃



It　was　easy　to　draw　her　closer　by　simply　lowering　her　still　captive

hands。　　Then　he　suddenly　kissed　her　coldly　startled　lips；　and

instantly　released　her。　　She　as　instantly　vanished。



〃Elsbeth；〃　he　called　quickly。　　〃Elsbeth！〃



Her　now　really　frightened　face　reappeared　with　a　heightened　color

from　the　dense　foliagequite　to　his　astonishment。



〃Hush；〃　she　said；　with　her　finger　on　her　lips。　　〃Are　you　mad？〃



〃I　only　wanted　to　remind　you　to　square　me　with　the　Princess；〃　he

laughed　as　her　head　disappeared。



He　strolled　back　toward　the　gate。　　Scarcely　had　he　quitted　the

shrubbery　before　the　same　chasseur　made　his　appearance　with

precisely　the　same　salute；　and；　keeping　exactly　the　same　distance；

accompanied　him　to　the　gate。　　At　the　corner　of　the　street　he　hailed

a　droshky　and　was　driven　to　his　hotel。



The　landlord　came　up　smiling。　　He　trusted　that　the　Herr　had　greatly

enjoyed　himself　at　the　Schloss。　　It　was　a　distingu