OCR Text |
Show JOANs SMMD DM) CHAPTER VII. johann In the Summer Palace. It was with a beating heart Johann Pyrmont knocked nt tho door of Plio summer pataco. "Enter!" said a masculine volco within, with startling suddenness. And opening tho door nnd grasping his papers, tho secretary suddonly found himself In tho presence of tho horo ot tho tournament. "You have business with me, young sir?" said tho prlnco, courteously, courte-ously, turning upon the youth a regard full ot dignity and condescension. Tho knees of Johann Pyrmont trembled. For a full moment his tonguo refused its office "I como," ho said nt last, "to convey theso documents to the mot noble Prlnco of Courtland and Wllna." Ho gained courago as ho spoke, for he had carefully rehearsed this speech to Dcssaucr. "I am acting as secretary secre-tary to tho ambassador In lieu of a better. Theso aro the proposals concerning con-cerning nlllanco between tho realms proposed by our lato master, tho Prlnco Karl, beforo his death; and ow, It Is hoped to bo ratified and car-led car-led out between Courtland nnd Plas-senburg Plas-senburg under his successors, tho Princess Heleno and her husband." Tho tall, falr-halred Prlnco took tho papers from tho hand of Johann Pyrmont, Pyr-mont, nnd laid thorn on n desk be-sldo, be-sldo, him, without, howovcr, broaklng tho seals. Ho stood regarding tho youth, whoso blushes camo and went as ho stood Irrcsoluto beforo him. "A modest lad," said the prlnco to hlniBclf, "this Ingenuousness Is particularly par-ticularly charming In a secretary of legation. I must sco moro of him." Suddenly a thought appeared to cross his mind. "Why, did I not hear that you camo to us by way of KcrnsborK." ho said. The blushes ceased and a certain pallor showed under tho tan, which ovorsprcad tho young man's face as the prlnco continued to gazo fixedly at him. Ho could only bow In assent "Thon, doubtless, you would sco tho Duchess Joan?" he continued. "Is sho very beautiful? They say so." "I do not think so. I never thought about It at all I " answered tho secretary. secre-tary. Tho prlnco laughed, throwing hack his head a llttlo. "That is surely a strange story to bring here to Courtland," ho said, 'whither tho lady Is to como as a brido ero long! Especially strange to toll mo, who " "I ask your pardon," said Johann Pyrmont, "your Highness must boar with mo. I havo nover dono an errand er-rand of such moment before, having mostly spent my llfo among soldiers nnd (ho was on his guard now) In a fortress. For diplomacy and wordplay word-play I havo no skill no, nor any liking!" lik-ing!" "You havo choson your trado strangoly thon," smiled Uio prince, "to proclaim such tastes. Whorofore are you not n soldier?" "I ami I aim!" cried Johann eagerly; eager-ly; "at loast, as much as it Is allowed to ono of my of ray strongth to be." "I doubt not, young sir, that you woro ono of tho mighty army of admirers ad-mirers which, thoy say, contlnunlly surrounds tho Duchess of Hohcn-Btoln!" Hohcn-Btoln!" said the prlnco. "Indood, you arc in great error, ray lord," said Johann Pyrmont, with great earnestness and obvious sincer ity; "I nover In my llfo Raid ono single sin-gle word of lovo to tho Lndy Joan-no, Joan-no, nor to any other womon!" "No," said a now volco from tho doorway, that of tho Princess Margaret, Margar-et, "hut doubtless you took great pleasuro In teaching them forclgu customs. cus-toms. And I am porsuaded you did It well, too!" Tho Prlnco left his desk for tho first tlmo and enmo smiling towards The Prince was standing by a desk, his slstor. Tho Impulsive prlncoss Margaret throw her arms warmly around her brother's neck, nnd then, as quickly roleaslng him, turned to tho secretary, who stood doforontlally looking out of tho window, that ho might not ohscrvo the meeting of brothor and Bister. "This young man knows tho Duchess Duch-ess Joan of Hohcnstoln," said tho Prlnco, still smiling rulotly; "but I do not think ho admtros her very greatly an opinion ho hnd hotter kcop to himself It ho would havo a qulot llfo or It In Courtland I" "Oh, cried tho Princess, laughing outright. "Thoro Is no reason in tho world why, because you aro ready to fall down and worship, this young man or any other should bo compelled to do likewise" And right princess-like sho looked ns Bho pouted her proud llttlo Hps and with her foot pattqd tho polished oak. "Rut," sho wont on again to her brothor. "If you havo dono with this noble youth, I havo a fancy to hear him tell ot tho countries wherein he has sojourned. And, In addition, 1 havo promised to show him tho carp in tho ponds. You have, it seems to me, spont half tho day In each othor's society." Tho tolerant prlnco laughed. Ho was evidently nccustomed to his sister's sis-ter's whims, and knowing how perfectly perfect-ly harmless they were, ho nover Interfered In-terfered with them. "A good day to you," ho said to tho young man, by way of dlsmlsial. "If I do not see you again beforo you leave, you must promise mo to como back to tho wedding of tho Duchess Johanna. In that ovent you must do mo tho honor to bo my guest on that occasion." "I hopo to bo your guest, most noblo prince," said tho secretary, looking up at him quickly as ho went throush tho door. it was a slncular look. For a moment mo-ment It checked and astonished tho prlnco so much that ho stood still on tho threshold. "Whoro havo I scon a look llko that beforo?" ho mused, ns ho cast his memory back Into tho past without rucccss. "Surely, nover on any man's faco beforo," Which, after all, was likely enough. But putting tho matter aside as curious, curi-ous, but of no consequence, tho prlnco rodo away toward that part of tho city from which tho towers of the minister loomed up. A couplo ot priests bowed low beforo him as ho passed, and tho people, standing still to watch his broad shoulders and erect carriage, said ono to another, "Alas! alas! tho truest prlnco of them all to bo thus thrown away! And theso woro tho words tho secretary sec-retary heard from a couplo of guards who stood at tho gate of tho roso garden, gar-den, as thoy, too, stood looking pensively pen-sively after tho prlnco. "Walt," said Johann Pyrmont to himself; "wait, I will yet show them whether ho Is thrown away or not." Tho roso garden of tho summer palaco ot Courtland was u paradise mado for lovers' whisperings. Its bowers wero creeper-tangled. Trees met over paths bedded with fallen petals, a shado In sunshlno, a shelter In rnln, delightful In both. It wns natural that so fair a princess, prin-cess, taking such a sudden fancy to a young mnn, should find her way whero tho shado was deepest and tho labyrinth most entangled. "Do you know," sho began, "thnt I might well havo lodged you In n dungeon dun-geon coll for that which In another hnd been dire Insolence?" They woro pacing a long, dusky nve-nuo nve-nuo of tall yew trees. The secretary turned toward her tho blank look of ono whoso thoughts havo been far away. Rut tho princess rattled on, heedless of his mood. "Nevertheless, I forgive you," she said, "after all, I myself nsked you to teach mo your forolgn customs. If nny ono bo to blamo, It Is I. Rut ono thing I would Impress upon you, sir secretary, do not prnctlco theso out-land out-land peculiarities beforo my brothers. Either of them night look with preju-dlco preju-dlco upon such customs being observed observ-ed generally throughout tho city. I camo back chiefly to warn you." It was with an offort that tho secretary sec-retary detached hlmsolf sufficiently from his revcrlos upon tho Interview In tho summer palaco to understand what tho princess was driving at. "All this mighty pother, all be-causo be-causo I kissed her on tho cheek," ho thought. "A Princess of Courtland Is no such mighty thing and why should I not? Oh, of course, I had forgotten ngaln. I am not now tho porson 1 wns." Rut what need to tell with what In-finite In-finite condescension tho princess took tho young man's hand and read his fortune, dwelling frownlngly on tho lines of Wo nnd llfo? "You havo too protty a hand for a man," sho said; "Why is It hard hero and horo?" "That Is from tho sword grip," Bald tho socrotnry, with no small prldo. "Do you, then, fenco well? I wish I could bco you," sho cried clapping hor hands, "How splendid It would bo to sco n bout between you and Prlnco Wasp that is thd Prlnco Ivnn of Muscovy, I mean. Ho would glvo something to bo Bitting hci'9 teaching mo how they tako hands ani'Jbld oach other good-byo In Ilearland. They rub noses, I havo hoard say, a custom which, to my thinking, would bo more provocatlvo than satisfactory. I llko your Plassonhurg fashion bettor." Whereat thoro was nothing for it but tho secretary should arouso hlmsolf hlm-solf out of his rovorlo and do his part. "I think !n somo wise It wero possible pos-sible to improvo upon tho customs oven of Plnssonburg," said tho Prlncoss Prln-coss Margaret, aftor certain oxperl-monts; oxperl-monts; "but tell mo, slnco you Bay that wo aro to bo friends, and I havo ndmltted your plea, what is your fortune? for-tune? Nav, do you know that I do not oven know your narao at least, not from your own Hps." "My father was tho Count von Loon, nnd I am his holr!" said tho secrotary carefully. "Tfcen yHt aro tho Count von Loon?" said tho princess. "I seem to havo heard that name somowhero. Tell me, aro you the Count von Loon?" "I am certainly tho holr to that title," said tho secretary, grilling within with-in nnd wishing himself a thousand miles away. "I must go directly and toll my brother. Ho will bo back from tho cathedral by this time. I am suro ho did not know. And tho estates aro thoy tai your solo right?" "Tho estates aro extonslve. Thoy aro not encumbered, bo far as I know. Thoy aro all In my own right," ox-plained ox-plained tho newly styled count with porfect truth. ' A now thought seemed to strlko tho princess as ho wns speaking. "Hut bo young, so handsome" sho murmured, "eo apt a pupil nt lovo!" Then nloud, she said, "You nro not deceiving de-ceiving 1110? You nro not nlrcady betrothed?" "Not to any woman!" said tho do-celtful do-celtful count, picking his words with oxnetness. Tho gay laugh of tho princess rang out prompt ns an echo. "I did not oxpect you to bo engaged engag-ed to n man!" sho cried. "Hut now conduct me to tho entrance of ray Found himself face to face with Prince Wasp. chambers" (hero sho reached him her hand). "I llko you," sho said frankly,, looking at him with unflinching unflinch-ing eyes. "I am of tho houso of Courtland, and wo aro accustomed to say what wo think the women especially. es-pecially. And beforo I carry out this wretched contract nnd marry tho Prlnco Wnap, I will run away and wod n dog-whlpper!" "Dut perhaps I may do better than either!" Bho said In her heart, nodding determinedly, as she looked at tho handsomo youth beforo be-foro hor, who now stood with his downcast eyes upon tho ground. They woro almost out of tho yow-trco yow-trco walk, and tho volco of tho prlncoss prln-coss carried far, llko that of most very Impulslvo persons. It reached tho ears of a gay young fashlonablo, who had Just dismounted nt tho gate which lod from tho roso gardon Into tho wing ot tho pnlaco Inhabited by tho Princess Margaret and hor suite "Now," said tho princess, "I will show you how apt a pupil I make Tell mo whether this Is according to tho best traditions of Plnssenburg!" And taking his face botweon her hand3, sho kissed him rapidly upon olthcr cheek and then upon tho Hps. "There!," sho said, "I wonder what my noblo brothers would say to that! I will show thorn that Margaret of Courtland can chooso both whom sho will kiss and whom sho will marry!" And flashing nwny from him like a strong-winged bird sho fled upward Into her chambers. Thon, somewhat dazod by tho rapid succession ot emotions, emo-tions, Johann tho secretary stopped out of tho green gloom of tho yow trco walk Into tho broad glaro of tho September sun nnd found himself faco to faco with Prlnco Wasp. (To ho continued.) |