Arms and the Woman

"If a man loved her," I suggested.

"And what man does not who has seen her and talked to her?" he replied,

pacing.

"The interest, then, you take in her discovery is not all due to that

imposed upon you by Count von Walden?" I could not resist this thrust.

"The subject is one that does not admit discussion," squaring his

shoulders.

"Suppose we talk of something that does not concern her? All this is a

blunder for which you are partly to blame. I have a bad lump on my

head and you have a black eye. But as you did what you believed to be

your duty, and as I did what every man does when self-preservation

becomes his first thought, let us cry quits. Come, what do you say to

a game of cards? Let us play ecarte, or I will teach you the noble

game of poker. To tell you the truth, I am becoming dreadfully bored."

"Believe me, I bear you no ill will," he said, "and I am inclined to

your side of the story. Whoever you are, you have the bearing of a

gentleman; and, now that we have come to an understanding, I shall

treat you as such. I have a pack of cards downstairs. I'll go and get

them. This is not my house, or I should have placed you in better

quarters. I shall leave the door unlocked," a question in his eyes.

"Rest assured that I shall return to the city as I came--in a carriage.

And to be honest, I am anxious to see the Count von Walden, who poses

as the Princess's watchdog."

And when he came back and found me still sitting on the pallet, his

face cleared.

We played for small sums, and the morning passed away rather pleasantly

than otherwise. The young officer explained to me that he held an

important position at court, and that he was entitled to prefix Baron

to his name.

"The King is getting out of all patience with her Highness," he said.

"This makes the second time the marriage has been postponed. Such

occurrences are extremely annoying to his Majesty, who does not relish

having his commands so flagrantly disregarded. I shouldn't be

surprised if he forced her into the marriage."

"When he knows how distasteful this marriage is to her, why does he not

let the matter go?"

"It is too late now. Royalty, having given its word, never retracts

it. Events which the King wills must come to pass, or he loses a part

of his royal dignity. And then, a King cannot very well be subservient

to the will of a subject."