Arms and the Woman

Soft laughter rippled over the fan. She had the most wonderful eyes.

"Are all Americans brave like yourself?" she next asked.

"Brave? What do you call brave?"

"Your utter lack of fear in my presence, in the first place: I am

called dangerous. And then, your exploits in the Balkistan, in the

second place. Are you not the M. Hillars whose bravery not so long ago

was an interesting topic in the newspapers? I know you."

"This is truly remarkable," said I. "The only thing I did was to lead

a regiment out of danger."

"The danger was annihilation. If a Captain or a Colonel had done it,

we should have thought nothing of it; but an utter stranger, who had

nothing in common with either cause--ah, believe me, it was a very

gallant thing to do."

"This is positively the first time I was ever glad that I did the

thing." I placed my hand over my heart. "But, after all, that is not

half so brave as what I am doing now."

"I do not understand," said she puzzled.

"Why, it is simple. Here I am talking to you, occupying your time and

keeping those fierce Generals at bay. See how they are gnawing their

mustaches and biting their lips and asking one another who I am. There

are as many as five challenges waiting for me the moment I depart from

your side."

There was mischief in her eye.

"Then you shall stay with me, find me an ice and waltz once with me,

for if anything happened to you I should always have myself to blame."

I waltzed with her, and the perfume of her hair got into my head, and I

grew dizzy. When the dance came to an end, I went into the smoking

room. Suddenly it went through my brain that the world had changed in

an incredibly short time. I tried to smoke, and for the first time in

my life, tobacco was tasteless, I was falling in love with a Princess.

I confess that it did not horrify me; on the contrary, I grew thrilled

and excited. There was a spice here which hitherto had been denied me.

The cost was unspelled. I fell as far as I could fall. The

uncertainty of the affair was in itself an enchantment.

Well, the next day I strolled up the Avenue of Legations and saw her on

horseback. She was accompanied by an elderly man with a face like an

eagle's. There were various decorations on his breast. As the

Princess saw me, she bent her head. She remembered me. That was all

that was necessary for my transportation. Later, I was informed that

her escort was Prince Ernst of Wortumborg, who was destined to become

her lord and master. I did not care who he was; I knew that I hated

him.