This was said to obtain a sneer at Petrolaffsky, without his being able to guess why. "I believe I may say, without much fear of contradiction, that these Onslows were all humbugs! The old banker's wealth, my lady's refinement, the guardsman's spirit, were all in the same category,--downright humbugs!"

"How he hates us,--how he detests the aristocracy!" said Mrs. Ricketts, in a whisper to the Pole.

"And de Dalton----what of her?----is she millionnaire?" asked Petrolaffsky.

"The father a small shopkeeper in Baden, sir; children's toys, nut-crackers, and paper-knives being the staple of his riches. Fogla.s.s can tell you all about it. He wants to hear about those Daltons,"

screamed he into the deaf man's ear.

"Poor as Job--has n't sixpence--lives 'three-pair back,' and dines for a 'zwanziger.' Lame daughter makes something by cutting heads for canes and umbrellas. He picks up a trifle about the hotels."

"Ach Gott! and I was so near be in loaf wid de sister!" muttered the Pole.

"She is likely to d-d-do better, Count," cackled in Purvis. "She caught her Tartar----ha, ha, ha!"

"Midchekoff doesn't mean marriage, sir, depend upon it," said Haggerstone.

"Martha, leave the room, my dear," said Mrs. Ricketts, bridling. "He could no more relish a pleasure without a vice than he could dine without caviare."

"But they are be-be-betrothed," cried Purvis. "I saw a letter with an account of the ceremony. Midchekoff fitted up a beautiful chapel at his villa, and there was a Greek priest came sp-epecial from M-M-M-Moscow--"

"I thought you were going to say from the moon, sir; and it would be almost as plausible," croaked Haggerstone.

"I saw the letter. It was n't shown to me, but I saw it; and it was that woman from Breslau gave her away."

"What! old Madame Heidendorf? She has a.s.sisted at a great many similar ceremonies before, sir."

"It was the Emperor sent her on purpose," cried Purvis, very angry at the disparagement of his history.

"In this unbelieving age, sir, I must say that your fresh innocence is charming; but permit me to tell you that I know old Caroline Meersburg,--she was sister of the fellow that stole the Archduke Michael's dress-sword at the Court ball given for his birthday. I have known her five-and-thirty years. You must have met her, madam, at Lubetskoy's, when he was minister at Naples, the year after the battle of Marengo."

"I was wearing trousers with frills to them, and hunting b.u.t.terflies at that time," said Mrs. Ricketts, with a great effort at a smile.

"I have n't a doubt of it, madam." And then muttered to himself, "And if childishness mean youth, she will enjoy a perpetual spring!"

"The ceremony," resumed Purvis, very eager to relate his story, "was dr-droll enough; they cut off a----a----a lock of her hair and tied it up with one of his."

"A good wig spoiled!" croaked Haggerstone.

"They then brought a b-b-b----"

"A baby, sir?"

"No, not a b-baby, a b-basin--a silver basin--and they poured water over both their hands."

"A ceremony by no means in accordance with Russian prejudices," chimed in Haggerstone. "They know far more of train-oil and bears' fat than of brown Windsor!"

"Not the higher n.o.bility, Colonel,--not the people of rank," objected Mrs. Ricketts.

"There are none such, madam. I have lived in intimacy with them all, from Alexander downwards. You may dress them how you please, but the Cossack is in the blood. Raw beef and red breeches are more than instincts with them; and, except the Poles, they are the dirtiest nation of Europe."

"What you say of Polen?" asked Petrolaffsky.

"That if oil could smooth down the acrimony of politics, you ought to be a happy people yet, sir."

"And we are a great people dis minet. Haven't we Urednfrskioctsch, de best general in de world; and Krakouventkay, de greatest poet; and Vladoritski, de most distinguish pianist?"

"Keep them, sir, with all their consonants; and Heaven give you luck with them," said Haggerstone, turning away.

"On Tuesday--no, We-Wednesday next, they are to set out for St.

P-P-Petersburg. And when the Emperor's leave is gr-granted, then Midchekoff is to follow; but not before."

"An de tyrant no grant de leave," said the Pole, gnashing his teeth and grasping an imaginary dagger in his wrath. "More like he send her to work in shains, wid my beautiful sisters and my faders."

"He'll have more important matters to think of soon, sir," said Haggerstone, authoritatively. "Europe is on the eve of a great convulsion. Some kings and kaisers will accept the Chiltern Hundreds before the year's out."

"Shall we be safe, Colonel, here? Ought Martha and I--"

"Have no fears, madam; age commands respect, even from Huns and Croats.

And were it otherwise, madam, where would you fly to? France will have her own troubles, England has the income-tax, and Germany will rake up some old grievance of the Hohenstaufen, or the Emperor Conrad, and make it a charge against Prince Metternich and the Diet! It's a very rascally world altogether, and out of Tattersall's yard I never expect to hear of honesty or good principles; and, _a propos_ to nothing, let us have some piquet, Count."

The table was soon got ready, and the players had just seated themselves, when the sound of carriage-wheels in the court attracted their attention.

"What can it mean, Scroope? Are you quite certain that you said I wouldn't receive to-night?"

"Yes; I told them what you b-bade me; that if the Archduke called----"

"There, you need n't repeat it," broke in Mrs. Ricketts, for certain indications around Haggerstone's mouth showed the sense of ridicule that was working within him.

"I suppose, madam, you feel somewhat like poor Pauline, when she said that she was so beset with kings and kaisers she had never a moment left for good society?"

"You must say positively, Scroope, that I admit no one this evening."

"The Signor Morlache wishes to see you, madam," said a servant. And close behind him, as he spoke, followed that bland personage, bowing gracefully to each as he entered.

"Sorry--most sorry--madam, to intrude upon your presence; but the Prince Midchekoff desires to have a glance at the pictures and decorations before he goes away from Florence."

"Will you mention to him that to-morrow, in the afternoon, about five or----"

"He leaves this to-morrow morning, madam; and if you could--"

[Ill.u.s.tration: 056]

But before the Jew could finish his request the door was flung wide, and the great Midchekoff entered, with his hands in his coat-pockets, and his gla.s.s in one eye. He sauntered into the room with a most profound unconsciousness that there were people in it. Not a glance did he even bestow on the living figures of the scene, nor did a trait of his manner evince any knowledge of their presence. Ranging his eyes over the walls and the ceilings, he neither noticed the martial att.i.tude of Haggerstone, nor the graceful undulations by which Mrs. Ricketts was, as it were, rehearsing a courtesy before him.

"Originals, but all poor things, Morlache," said the Prince. And really the observation seemed as though uttered of the company rather than the pictures.

"Mrs. Ricketts has been good enough, your Highness--" began the Jew.

"Give her a Napoleon," said he, listlessly, and turned away.