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Lady Grace smiled； and glanced at Penelope。
〃I don't think you'll get Penelope to agree with you； mother；〃 she said。
〃Why not； my dear？〃 the Duchess asked。 〃I heard that you were quite rude to him the other evening。 We others all find him so charming。〃
Penelope's lip curled slightly。
〃He has so many admirers；〃 she remarked； 〃that I dare say he will not notice my absence from the ranks。 Perhaps I am a little prejudiced。 At home； you know； we have rather strong opinions about this fusion of races。〃
The Duchess raised her eyebrows。
〃But a Prince of Japan； my dear Penelope！〃 she said。 〃A cousin of the Emperor； and a member of an aristocracy which was old before we were thought of！ Surely you cannot class Prince Maiyo amongst those to whom any of your country people could take exception。〃
Penelope shrugged her shoulders slightly。
〃Perhaps；〃 she said； 〃my feeling is the result of hearing you all praise him so much and so often。 Besides； apart from that； you must remember that I am a patriotic daughter of the Stars and Stripes； and there isn't much friendship lost between Washington and Tokio just now。〃
The Duchess turned away to greet a man who had paused before their couch on his way into the restaurant。
〃My dear General；〃 she said； 〃it seems to me that one meets every one here！ Why was not restaurant dining the vogue when I was a girl！〃
General Sherrif smiled。 He was tall and thin； with grizzled hair and worn features。 Notwithstanding his civilian's clothes； there was no possibility of mistaking him anywhere； or under any circumstances； for anything but a soldier。
〃It is a delightful custom；〃 he admitted。 〃It keeps one always on the QUI VIVE； one never knows whom one may see。 Incidentally； I find it interferes very much with my digestion。〃
〃Digestion！〃 the Duchess murmured。 〃But then； you soldiers lead such irregular lives。〃
〃Not always from choice；〃 the General reminded her。 〃The Russo…Japanese war finished me off。 They kept us far enough away from the fighting； when they could； but； by Jove； they did make us move！〃
〃We are waiting now for Prince Maiyo；〃 the Duchess remarked。 〃You know him？〃
〃Know him！〃 the General answered。 〃Duchess； if ever I have to write my memoirs； and particularly my reminiscences of this war； I fancy you would find the name of your friend appear there pretty frequently。 There wasn't a more brilliant feat of arms in the whole campaign than his flanking movement at Mukden。 I met most of the Japanese leaders； and I have always said that I consider him the most wonderful of them all。〃
The Duchess turned to Penelope。
〃Do you hear that？〃 she asked。
Penelope smiled。
〃The Fates are against me；〃 she declared。 〃If I may not like； I shall at least be driven to admire。〃
〃To talk of bravery when one speaks of that war；〃 the General remarked； 〃seems invidious； for it is my belief that throughout the whole of the Japanese army such a thing as fear did not exist。 They simply did not know what the word meant。 But I shall never forget that the only piece of hand…to…hand fighting I saw during the whole time was a cavalry charge led by Prince Maiyo against an immensely superior force of Russians。 Duchess；〃 the General declared； 〃those Japanese on their queer little horses went through the enemy like wind through a cornfield。 That young man must have borne a charmed life。 I saw him riding and cheering his men on when he must have had at least half a dozen wounds in his body。 You will pardon me； Duchess？ I see that my party are waiting。〃
The General hurried away。 The Duchess shut up her lorgnettes with a snap； and held out her hand to a newcomer who had come from behind the palms。
〃My dear Prince；〃 she exclaimed； 〃this is charming of you！ Some one told me that you were not well；our wretched climate； of courseand I was so afraid； every moment； that we should receive your excuses。〃
The newcomer； who was bowing over her hand； was of medium height or a trifle less； dark； and dressed with the quiet exactness of an English gentleman。 Only a slight narrowness of the eyes and a greater alertness of movement seemed to distinguish him in any way； as regards nationality； from the men by whom he was surrounded。 His voice； when he spoke； contained no trace of accent。 It was soft and singularly pleasant。 It had； too； one somewhat rare qualitya delightful ring of truth。 Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Prince Maiyo was just then； amongst certain circles； one of the most popular persons in Society。
〃My dear Duchess；〃 he said； 〃My indisposition was nothing。 And as for your climate； I am beginning to delight in it；one never knows what to expect； or when one may catch a glimpse of the sun。 It is only the grayness which is always the same。〃
〃And even that；〃 the Duchess remarked； smiling； 〃has been yellow for the last few days。 Prince； you know my daughter Grace； and I am sure that you have met Miss Penelope Morse？ We are waiting for two other men； Sir Charles Somerfield and Mr。 Vanderpole。〃
The Prince bowed； and began to talk to his hostess' daughter；a tall； fair girl； as yet only in her second season。
〃Here comes Sir Charles； at any rate！〃 the Duchess exclaimed。 〃Really； I think we shall have to go in。 We can leave a message for Dicky； they all know him at this place。 I am afraid he is one of those shocking young men who entertain the theatrical profession here to supper。〃
A footman at that moment brought a note to the Duchess； which she tore open。
〃This is from Dicky！〃 she exclaimed； glancing it through quickly；〃Savoy notepaper； too； so I suppose he has been here。 He says that he may be a few minutes late and that we are not to wait。 He will pick us up either here or at the theatre。 Prince； shall we let these young people follow us？ I haven't heard your excuses yet。 Do you know that you were a quarter of an hour late？〃
He bent towards her with troubled face。
〃Dear Duchess；〃 he said； 〃believe me； I am conscious of my fault。 An unexpected matter； which required my personal attention； presented itself at the last moment。 I think I can assure you that nothing of its sort was ever accomplished so quickly。 It would only weary you if I tried to explain。〃
〃Please don't；〃 the Duchess begged； 〃so long as you are here at last。 And after all； you see； you are not the worst sinner。 Mr。 Vanderpole has not yet arrived。〃
The Prince walked on； for a few steps； in silence。
〃Mr。 Vanderpole is a great friend of yours； Duchess？〃 he asked。
The Duchess shook her head。
〃I do not know him very well；〃 she said。 〃I asked him for Penelope。〃
The Prince looked puzzled。
〃But I thought；〃 he said； 〃that Miss Morse and Sir Charles〃
The Duchess interrupted him with a smile。
〃Sir Charles is very much in earnest；〃 she whispered； 〃but very very slow。 Dicky is just the sort of man to spur him on。 He admires Penelope； and does not mind showing it。 She is such a dear girl that I should love to have her comfortably settled over here。〃
〃She is very intelligent；〃 the Prince said。 〃She is a young lady； indeed； for whom I have a great admiration。 I am only sorry；〃 he concluded； 〃that I do not seem able to interest her。〃
〃You must not believe that；〃 the Duchess said。 〃Penelope is a little brusque sometimes； but it is only her manner。〃
They made their way through the foyer to the round table which had been reserved for them in the centre of the restaurant。
〃I suppose I ought to apologize for giving you dinner at such an hour；〃 the Duchess remarked； 〃but it is our theatrical managers who are to blame。 Why they cannot understand that the best play in the world is not worth more than two hours of our undivided attention； and begin everything at nine or a quarter…past； I cannot imagine。〃
The Prince smiled。
〃Dear Duchess；〃 he said； 〃I think that you are a nation of sybarites。 Everything in the world must run for you so smoothly or you are not content。 For my part； I like to dine at this hour。〃
〃But then； you take no luncheon； Prince；〃 Lady Grace reminded him。
〃I never lunch out；〃 the Prince answered； 〃but I have always what is sufficient for me。〃
〃Tell me；〃 the Duchess asked； 〃is it true that you are thinking of settling down amongst us？ Your picture is in the new illustrated paper this week； you know； with a little sketch of your career。 We are given to understand that you may possibly make your home in this country。〃
The Prince smiled； and in his smile there seemed to be a certain mysticism。 One could not tell； indeed； whether it came from some pleasant thought flitting through his brain； or whether it was that the idea itself was so strange to him。
〃I have no plans； Duchess；〃 he said。 〃Your country is very delightful； and the hospitality of the friends I have made over here is too wonderful a thing to be described； but one never knows。〃
Lady Grace bent towards Sir Charles； who was sitting by her side。
〃I can never understand the Prince；〃 she murmured。 〃Always he seems as though he took life so earnestly。 He has a look upon his face which I never see in the faces of any of you other young men。〃
〃He is a bit on the serious side；〃 Sir Charles admitted。
〃It isn't only that；〃 she continued。 〃He reminds me of that man whom we all used t