the kentons-第37部分

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best　route；　they　came　together　at　the　place　Trannel　had　appointed　for
their　next　reunion。

He　showed　himself　a　guide　so　admirably　qualified　that　he　found　a　way　for
them　to　objects　of　interest　that　had　at　first　denied　themselves　in
anticipation　of　the　visit　from　the　queens；　when　they　all　sat　down　at
lunch　in　the　restaurant　which　he　found　for　them；　he　could　justifiably
boast　that　he　would　get　them　into　the　Town　Hall；　which　they　had　been　told
was　barred　for　the　day　against　anything　but　sovereign　curiosity。　　He　was
now　on　the　best　term　with　Boyne；　who　seemed　to　have　lost　all　diffidence
of　him；　and　treated　him　with　an　easy　familiarity　that　showed　itself　in
his　slapping　him　on　the　shoulder　and　making　dints　in　his　hat。　　Trannel
seemed　to　enjoy　these　caresses；　and；　when　they　parted　again　for　the
afternoon's　sight…seeing；　Ellen　had　no　longer　a　qualm　in　letting　Boyne
drive　off　with　him。

He　had；　in　fact；　known　how　to　make　himself　very　acceptable　to　Boyne。　　He
knew　all　the　originals　of　his　heroical　romances；　and　was　able　to　give　the
real　names　and　the　geographical　position　of　those　princesses　who　had　been
in　love　with　American　adventurers。　　Under　promise　of　secrecy　he　disclosed
the　real　names　of　the　adventurers　themselves；　now　obscured　in　the　titles
given　them　to　render　them　worthy　their　union　with　sovereigns。　　He　resumed
his　fascinating　confidences　when　they　drove　off　after　luncheon；　and　he
resumed　them　after　each　separation　from　the　rest　of　the　party。　　Boyne
listened　with　a　flushed　face　and　starting　eyes；　and　when　at　last　Trannel
offered；　upon　a　pledge　of　the　most　sacred　nature　from　him　never　to　reveal
a　word　of　what　he　said；　he　began　to　relate　an　adventure　of　which　he　was
himself　the　hero。　　It　was　a　bold　travesty　of　one　of　the　latest　romances
that　Boyne　had　read；　involving　the　experience　of　an　American　very　little
older　than　Boyne　himself；　to　whom　a　wilful　young　crown…princess；　in　a
little　state　which　Trannel　would　not　name　even　to　Boyne；　had　made
advances　such　as　he　could　not　refuse　to　meet　without　cruelty。　　He　was
himself　deeply　in　love　with　her；　but　he　felt　bound　in　honor　not　to
encourage　her　infatuation　as　long　as　he　could　help；　for　he　had　been
received　by　her　whole　family　with　such　kindness　and　confidence　that　he
had　to　consider　them。

〃Oh；　pshaw！〃　　Boyne　broke　in　upon　him；　doubting；　and　yet　wishing　not　to
doubt；　〃that's　the　same　as　the　story　of　'Hector　Folleyne'。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Trannel；　quietly。　　〃I　thought　you　would　recognize　it。〃

〃Well；　but；〃　Boyne　went　on；　〃Hector　married　the　princess！〃

〃In　the　book；　yes。　　The　fellow　I　gave　the　story　to　said　it　would　never　do
not　to　have　him　marry　her；　and　it　would　help　to　disguise　the　fact。　
That's　what　he　said；　after　he　had　given　the　whole　thing　away。〃

〃And　do　you　mean　to　say　it　was　you？　　Oh；　you　can't　stuff　me！　　How　did　you
get　out　of　marrying　her；　I　should　like　to　know；　when　the　chancellor　came
to　you　and　said　that　the　whole　family　wanted　you　to；　for　fear　it　would
kill　her　if〃

〃Well；　there　was　a　scene；　I　can't　deny　that。　　We　had　a　regular　family
conclavefather；　mother；　Aunt　Hitty；　and　all　the　folksand　we　kept　it
up　pretty　much　all　night。　　The　princess　wasn't　there；　of　course；　and　I
could　convince　them　that　I　was　right。　　If　she　had　been；　I　don't　believe　I
could　have　held　out。　　But　they　had　to　listen　to　reason；　and　I　got　away
between　two　days。〃

〃But　why　didn't　you　marry　her？〃

〃Well；　for　one　thing；　as　I　told　you；　I　thought　1　ought　to　consider　her
family。　　Then　there　was　a　good　fellow；　the　crown…prince　of　Saxe…
Wolfenhutten；　who　was　dead　in　love　with　her；　and　was　engaged　to　her
before　I　turned　up。　　I　had　been　at　school　with　him；　and　I　felt　awfully
sorry　for　him；　and　I　thought　I　ought　to　sacrifice　myself　a　little　to　him。　
But　I　suppose　the　thing　that　influenced　me　most　was　finding　out　that　if　I
married　the　princess　I　should　have　to　give　up　my　American　citizenship　and
become　her　subject。〃

〃Well？〃　　Boyne　panted。

〃Well；　would　you　have　done　it？〃

〃Couldn't　you　have　got　along　without　doing　that？〃

〃That　was　the　only　thing　I　couldn't　get　around；　somehow。　　So　I　left。〃

〃And　the　princess；　did　shedie？〃

〃It　takes　a　good　deal　more　than　that　to　kill　a　fifteen…year…old
princess；〃　said　Trannel；　and　he　gave　a　harsh　laugh。　　〃She　married　Saxe…
Wolfenhutten。〃　　Boyne　was　silent。　　〃Now；　I　don't　want　you　to　speak　of
this　till　after　I　leave　Scheveningenespecially　to　Miss　Lottie。　　You
know　how　girls　are；　and　I　think　Miss　Lottie　is　waiting　to　get　a　bind　on
me；　anyway。　　If　she　heard　how　I　was　cut　out　of　my　chance　with　that
princess　she'd　never　let　me　believe　I　gave　her　up　of　my　own　free　will？〃

〃NO；　no；　I　won't　tell　her。〃

Boyne　remained　in　a　silent　rapture；　and　he　did　not　notice　they　were　no
longer　following　the　rest　of　their　party　in　the　other　carriage。　　This　had
turned　down　a　corner；　at　which　Mr。　Breckon；　sitting　on　the　front　seat；
had　risen　and　beckoned　their　driver　to　follow；　but　their　driver；　who
appeared　afterwards　to　have　not　too　much　a　head　of　his　own；　or　no　head　at
all；　had　continued　straight　on；　in　the　rear　of　a　tram…car；　which　was
slowly　finding　its　way　through　the　momently　thickening　crowd。　　Boyne　was
first　aware　that　it　was　a　humorous　crowd　when；　at　a　turn　of　the　street；
their　equipage　was　greeted　with　ironical　cheers　by　a　group　of　gay　young
Dutchmen　on　the　sidewalk。　　Then　he　saw　that　the　sidewalks　were　packed
with　people；　who　spread　into　the　street　almost　to　the　tram；　and　that　the
house　fronts　were　dotted　with　smiling　Dutch　faces；　the　faces　of　pretty
Dutch　girls；　who　seemed　to　share　the　amusement　of　the　young　fellows
below。

Trannel　lay　back　in　the　carriage。　　〃This　is　something　like；〃　he　said。　
〃Boyne；　they're　on　to　the　distinguished　young　Ohioanthe　only　Ohioan　out
of　office　in　Europe。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Boyne；　trying　to　enjoy　it。　　〃　I　wonder　what　they　are　holloing
at。〃

Trannel　laughed。　　〃They're　holloing　at　your　Baedeker；　my　dear　boy。　　They
never　saw　one　before；〃　and　Boyne　was　aware　that　he　was　holding　his　red…
backed　guide　conspicuously　in　view　on　his　lap。　　〃They　know　you're　a
foreigner　by　it。〃

〃Don't　you　think　we　ought　to　turn　down　somewhere？　　I　don't　see　poppa
anywhere。〃　　He　rose　and　looked　anxiously　back　over　the　top　of　their
carriage。　　The　crowd；　closing　in　behind　it；　hailed　his　troubled　face　with
cries　that　were　taken　up　by　the　throng　on　the　sidewalks。　　Boyne　turned
about　to　find　that　the　tram…car　which　they　had　been　following　had
disappeared　round　a　corner；　but　their　driver　was　still　keeping　on。　　At　a
wilder　burst　of　applause　Trannel　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed　to　the　crowd；
right　and　left。

〃Bow；　bow！〃　　he　said　to　Boyne。　　〃They'll　be　calling　for　a　speech　the　next
thing。　　Bow；　I　tell　you！〃

〃Tell　him　to　turn　round！〃　　cried　the　boy。

〃I　can't　speak　Dutch；〃　said　Trannel；　and　Boyne　leaned　forward　and　poked
the　driver　in　the　back。

〃Go　back！〃　　he　commanded。

The　driver　shook　his　head　and　pointed　forward　with　his　whip。　　〃He's　all
right；〃　said　Trannel。　　〃He　can't　turn　now。　　We've　got　to　take　the　next
corner。〃　　The　street　in　front　was　empty；　and　the　people　were　crowding
back　on　the　sidewalks。　　Loud；　vague　noises　made　themselves　heard　round
the　corner　to　which　the　driver　had　pointed。　　〃By　Jove！〃　　Trannel　said；
〃I　believe　they're　coming　round　that　way。〃

〃Who　are　coming？〃　　Boyne　palpitated。

〃The　queens。〃

〃The　queens？〃　　Boyne　gasped；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　shrieked　the　words。

〃Yes。　　And　there's　a　tobacconist's　now；〃　said　Trannel；　as　if　that　were
what　he　had　been　looking　for　all　along。　　〃I　want　some　cigarettes。〃

He　leaped　lightly　from　the　carriage；　and　pushed　his　way　out　of　sight　on
the　sidewalk。　　Boyne　remained　alone　in　the　vehicle；　staring　wildly　round；
the　driver　kept　slowly　and　stupidly　on；　Boyne　did　not　know　how　much
farther。　　He　could　not　speak；　he　felt　as　if　he　could　not　stir。　　But　the
moment　came　when　he　could　not　be　still。　　He　gave　a　galvanic　jump　to　the
ground；　and　the　friendly　crowd　on　the　sidewalk　welcomed　him　to　its　ranks
and　closed　about　him。　　The　driver　had　taken　the　lefthand　corner；　just
before　a　plain　carriage　with　the　Queen　and　the　queen…mother　came　in　sight
round　the　right。　　The　young　Queen　was　bowing　to　the　people；　gently；　and
with　a　sort　of　mechanical　regularity。　　Now　and　then　a　brighter　smile　than
that　she　conventionally　wore　lighted　up　her　face。　　The　simple　progress
was　absolutely　without　state；　except　for　the　aide…de…camp　on　horseback
who　rode　beside　the　carriage；　a　little　to　the　front。

Boyne　stood　motionless　on　the　curb；　where　a　friendly　tall　Dutchman　had
placed　him　in　front　that　he　might　see　the　Queen。

〃Hello！〃　　said　the　voice　of　Trannel；　and　elbowing　his　way　to　Boyne's
side；　he　laughed　and　coughed　through　the　smoke　of　his　cigarette。　　〃I　was
afraid　you　had　lost　me。　　Where's　your　carriage？〃

Boyne　did　not　notice　his　mockeries。　　He　was　entranced　in　that　beatific
vision；　his　boy…heart　went　out　in　worship　to　the　pretty　young　creature
with　a　reverence　that　could　not　be　uttered。　　The　tears　came　into　his
eyes。

〃There；　there！　　She's　bowing　to　you；　Boyne。　　she's　smiling　right　at　you。　
By　Jove！　　She's　beckoning　to　you！〃

〃You　be　still！〃　　Boyne　retorted；　finding　his　tongue。　　〃She　isn't　doing
any　such　a　thing。〃

〃She　is；　I　swear　she　is！　　She's　doing　it　again！　　She's　stopping　the
carriage。　　Oh；　go　out　and　see　what　she　wants！　　Don't　you　know　that　a
queen's　wish　is　a　command？　　You've　got　to　go！〃

Boyne　never　could　tell　just　how　it　happened。　　The　carriage　did　seem　to　be
stopping；　and　the　Queen　seemed　to　be　looking　at　him。　　He　thought　he　must；
and　he　started　into　the　street　towards　her；　and　the　carriage　came　abreast
of　him。　　He　had　almost　reached　the　carriage　when　the　aide　turned　and
spurred　his　horse　before　him。　　Four　strong　hands　that　were　like　iron
clamps　were　laid　one　on　each　of　Boyne's　elbows　and　shoulders；　and　he　was
haled　away；　as　if　by　superhuman　force。　　〃Mr。　Trannel！〃　　he　called　out。　
in　his　agony；　but　the　wretch　had　disappeared；　and　Boyne　was　left　with　his
captors；　to　whom　he　could　have　said　nothing　if　he　could　have　thought　of
anything　to　say。

The　detectives　pulled　him　through　the　crowd　and　hurried　him　swiftly　down
the　side　street。　　A　little　curiosity　straggled　after　him　in　the　shape　of
smal