登陆注册
15679900000024

第24章 CHAPTER IV WHILE THE PRINCE IS IN THE ANTE-ROOM ..

`Ditch-water!' she replied. `The world is all asleep, grown grey in slumber; I do not remember any waking movement since quite an eternity; and the last thing in the nature of a sensation was the last time my governess was allowed to box my ears. But yet I do myself and your unfortunate enchanted palace some injustice. Here is the last -- O positively!' And she told him the story from behind her fan, with many glances, many cunning strokes of the narrator's art. The others had drawn away, for it was understood that Madame von Rosen was in favour with the Prince. None the less, however, did the Countess lower her voice at times to within a semitone of whispering; and the pair leaned together over the narrative.

`Do you know,' said Otto, laughing, `you are the only entertaining woman on this earth!'

`O, you have found out so much,' she cried.

`Yes, madam, I grow wiser with advancing years,' he returned.

`Years,' she repeated. `Do you name the traitors? I do not believe in years; the calendar is a delusion.'

`You must be right, madam,' replied the Prince. `For six years that we have been good friends, I have observed you to grow younger.'

`Flatterer!' cried she, and then with a change, `But why should I say so,' she added, `when I protest I think the same? A week ago I had a council with my father director, the glass; and the glass replied, "Not yet!" I confess my face in this way once a month. O! a very solemn moment.

Do you know what I shall do when the mirror answers, "Now"?'

`I cannot guess,' said he.

`No more can I,' returned the Countess. `There is such a choice!

Suicide, gambling, a nunnery, a volume of memoirs, or politics -- the last, I am afraid.'

`It is a dull trade,' said Otto.

`Nay,' she replied, `it is a trade I rather like. It is, after all, first cousin to gossip, which no one can deny to be amusing. For instance, if I were to tell you that the Princess and the Baron rode out together daily to inspect the cannon, it is either a piece of politics or scandal, as I turn my phrase. I am the alchemist that makes the transmutation. They have been everywhere together since you left,' she continued, brightening as she saw Otto darken; `that is a poor snippet of malicious gossip -- and they were everywhere cheered -- and with that addition all becomes political intelligence.'

`Let us change the subject,' said Otto.

`I was about to propose it,' she replied, `or rather to pursue the politics. Do you know? this war is popular -- popular to the length of cheering Princess Seraphina.'

`All things, madam, are possible,' said the Prince; and this among others, that we may be going into war, but I give you my word of honour I do not know with whom.'

`And you put up with it?' she cried. `I have no pretensions to morality; and I confess I have always abominated the lamb, and nourished a romantic feeling for the wolf. O, be done with lambiness! Let us see there is a prince, for I am weary of the distaff.'

`Madam,' said Otto, `I thought you were of that faction.'

`I should be of yours, mon Prince, if you had one,' she retorted. `Is it true that you have no ambition? There was a man once in England whom they call the kingmaker. Do you know,' she added, `I fancy I could make a prince?'

`Some day, madam,' said Otto, `I may ask you to help make a farmer.'

`Is that a riddle?' asked the Countess.

`It is,' replied the Prince, `and a very good one too.'

`Tit for tat. I will ask you another,' she returned. `Where is Gondremark?'

`The Prime Minister? In the prime-ministry, no doubt,' said Otto.

`Precisely,' said the Countess; and she pointed with her fan to the door of the Princess's apartments. `You and I, mon Prince, are in the ante-room. You think me unkind,' she added. `Try me and you will see. Set me a task, put me a question; there is no enormity I am not capable of doing to oblige you, and no secret that I am not ready to betray.'

`Nay, madam, but I respect my friend too much,' he answered, kissing her hand. `I would rather remain ignorant of all. We fraternise like foemen soldiers at the outposts, but let each be true to his own army.'

`Ah,' she cried, `if all men were generous like you, it would be worth while to be a woman!' Yet, judging by her looks, his generosity, if anything, had disappointed her; she seemed to seek a remedy, and, having found it, brightened once more. `And now,' she said, `may I dismiss my sovereign? This is rebellion and a cas pendable; but what am I to do? My bear is jealous!'

`Madam, enough!' cried Otto. `Ahasuerus reaches you the sceptre; more, he will obey you in all points. I should have been a dog to come to whistling.'

And so the Prince departed, and fluttered round Grafinski and von Eisenthal. But the Countess knew the use of her offensive weapons, and had left a pleasant arrow in the Prince's heart. That Gondremark was jealous -- here was an agreeable revenge! And Madame von Rosen, as the occasion of the jealousy, appeared to him in a new light.

同类推荐
  • 庸吏庸言

    庸吏庸言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 四十二章经

    四十二章经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 洄溪医案

    洄溪医案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Notes

    Notes

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 占察善恶业报经

    占察善恶业报经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 全职狂龙

    全职狂龙

    穷酸小子龙阳告白被校花拒绝,从而走上重回王者的道路。完美校花?柔情小妹?贤惠御姐?不不不,我一生只爱她。喂喂喂!你们说就说,别乱摸啊!!
  • 南疆探秘

    南疆探秘

    家住云南的一个大学生,因为家乡的一次“盗矿”事件,被卷入了神秘莫测的“狼神七魄”的争夺战之中,经历了云中狼墓、九鼎神宫等七处神秘墓葬的探索,寻求狼神传说的真相!
  • 天格圣帝

    天格圣帝

    女友离他而去,父母在车祸中惨死;不可知的命运,充满风险的科学实验,未来跟终点在哪里?被称为废材宅男的林文究竟该怎样去面对残缺的人生?
  • 帝王宠卿本妖妃

    帝王宠卿本妖妃

    (绝对宠文!虽然是宫斗文,单绝对没有辣么狗血!新人文,请多关照。o(*////▽////*)q)她,陌家嫡女,血统高贵,出生那日,天现祥云,百鸟起鸣,天生凰命。十岁那年,遭遇不测,侥幸存活,却落下病根,体寒。为此,一直在陌家庄子上养病。谁知,十四岁那年,太后一道懿旨下来,“入宫”。入宫之后,本以为生活无趣,可那一个个不长眼的竟来招惹她。“皇上,白日宣淫是不好的。况且,还是在御书房内。”他邪魅一笑,“曦儿,有朕在,谁敢说你。如有,朕便剜掉他的心。”她眨眨眼睛,缓缓靠近,不顾男人呼吸加促,檀口轻启:“皇上,你要剜掉自己的心吗?你刚刚说...曦儿,是个小妖精。”“朕的心,早已被曦儿剜掉了...”
  • 逃出香巴拉

    逃出香巴拉

    为了追一个逃兵,他们身陷危险!不论是南极冰盖下的古文明,还是沉入海底的城市,似乎都在昭示着不远的将来,世界将会陷进一个充满不可思议的恐怖的时代。
  • 龙魂战帝

    龙魂战帝

    这是一个兽魂的世界,弱肉强食。拥有强大兽魂的魂帝,翻手为云覆手为雨,拥有弱小兽魂的魂者,在底层瑟瑟发抖。江辰穿越至此,一次机遇得到了万兽诀,可以猎取无限的兽魂,从低到高,无穷无尽。等别人只有寥寥几个兽魂的时候,他已经拥有了成千上万个。所以江辰不但要更多,还要更强。什么上古异兽,远古大凶,通通猎取,就是传说中的神龙之魂也不放过。万魂在手,天下我有,我是龙魂战帝!
  • 欣枫亦沧海

    欣枫亦沧海

    一次与小混混之间发生的冲突,让林枫意外的获得了一个神器的古玉盒……神奇的古玉盒隐藏着无人知晓的秘密……在疑惑中成长的林枫,凭借着古玉盒的神奇,逐渐走向他的人生之巅……
  • 抛不走的使命

    抛不走的使命

    没有人能预测未来,所以总有人后悔当初.坚守初心,承担起自己的责任与使命!
  • 香灵

    香灵

    相传沉香阁内,没有做不成的交易,只有找不到路的人。相传沉香阁的老板,国色天香身份神秘,是隐世的高人。相传沉香阁主的老板娘精通风水命理,谦谦君子,温润如玉。相传……叶沉香冷冷一笑,高人?君子?放屁!前世她为天下人斩灵引路,天下人却处处相负背信弃义,怀恨惨死。今世她不择手段只为活着,却遇上一断断奇遇纠葛,与他纠缠不休。末世将至,她重生为灵,开启一段不同寻常的末世之旅。【这应该是个坑?慎入,因为我也不知道什么时候想更新……】
  • 告别七年

    告别七年

    《告别七年》七年了,爱有多苦说不出,苦到叫人两眼模糊,岁月冷的像魔窟,看不见我要去的路,总想举起我的全部,能够让你看清楚,从此你领土我的国度,可以成为彼此的归宿。只是你情我愿双手还是握不住。