〃You　admire　Miss　Morse？〃　the　Duchess　asked　him。
  〃Greatly；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃She　is　natural；　she　has　grace；　and　she　has　what　I　do　not　find　so　much　in　this　countrywould　you　say　charm？〃
  〃It　is　an　excellent　word；〃　the　Duchess　answered。　〃I　am　inclined　to　agree　with　you。　Her　aunt；　with　whom　she　lives；　is　a　confirmed　invalid；　so　she　is　a　good　deal　with　me。　Her　mother　was　my　half…sister。〃
  The　Prince　bowed。
  〃She　will　marry；　I　suppose？〃　he　said。
  〃Naturally；〃　the　Duchess　answered。　〃Sir　Charles；　poor　fellow；　is　a　hopeless　victim。　I　should　not　be　surprised　if　she　married　him；　some　day　or　other。〃
  The　Prince　looked　behind　for　a　moment；　then　he　stopped　to　admire　a　magnificent　orchid。
  〃It　will　be　great　good　fortune　for　Sir　Charles　Somerfield；〃　he　said。
  Somerfield　scarcely　waited　until　the　little　party　were　out　of　sight。
  〃Penelope；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you've　given　that　man　four　dances！〃
  〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　answered；　〃that　I　should　have　given　him　eight　if　he　had　asked　for　them。〃
  He　rose　to　his　feet。
  〃Will　you　allow　me　to　take　you　back　to　your　aunt？〃　he　asked。
  〃No！〃　she　answered。　〃My　aunt　is　quite　happy　without　me；　and　I　should　prefer　to　remain　here。〃
  He　sat　down；　fuming。
  〃Penelope；　what　do　you　mean　by　it？〃　he　demanded。
  〃And　what　do　you　mean　by　asking　me　what　I　mean　by　it？〃　she　replied。　〃You　haven't　any　especial　right　that　I　know　of。〃
  〃I　wish　to　Heaven　I　had！〃　he　answered　with　a　noticeable　break　in　his　voice。
  There　was　a　short　silence。　She　turned　away；　she　felt　that　she　was　suddenly　surrounded　by　a　cloud　of　passion。
  〃Penelope；〃　he　pleaded；
  She　stopped　him。
  〃You　must　not　say　another　word；〃　she　declared。　〃I　mean　it；you　must　not。〃
  〃I　have　waited　for　some　time；〃　he　reminded　her。
  〃All　the　more　reason　why　you　should　wait　until　the　right　time；〃　she　insisted。　〃Be　patient　for　a　little　longer；　do。　Just　now　I　feel　that　I　need　a　friend　more　than　I　have　ever　needed　one　before。　Don't　let　me　lose　the　one　I　value　most。　In　a　few　weeks'　time　you　shall　say　whatever　you　like；　and；　at　any　rate；　I　will　listen　to　you。　Will　you　be　content　with　that？〃
  〃Yes！〃　he　answered。
  She　laid　her　fingers　upon　his　arm。
  〃I　am　dancing　this　with　Captain　Wilmot；〃　she　said。　〃Will　you　come　and　bring　me　back　here　afterwards；　unless　you　are　engaged？〃
  The　Prince　found　her　alone　in　the　winter　garden；　for　Somerfield；　when　he　had　seen　him　coming；　had　stolen　away。　He　came　towards　her　quickly；　with　the　smooth　yet　impetuous　step　which　singled　him　out　at　once　as　un…English。　He　had　the　whole　room　to　cross　to　come　to　her；　and　she　watched　him　all　the　way。　The　corners　of　his　lips　were　already　curved　in　a　slight　smile。　His　eyes　were　bright；　as　one　who　looks　upon　something　which　he　greatly　desires。　Slender　though　his　figure　was；　his　frame　was　splendidly　knit；　and　he　carried　himself　as　one　of　the　aristocrats　of　the　world。　As　he　approached；　she　scanned　his　face　curiously。　She　became　critical；　anxiously　but　ineffectively。　There　was　not　a　feature　in　his　face　with　which　a　physiognomist　could　have　found　fault。
  〃Dear　young　lady；〃　he　said；　bowing　low；　〃I　come　to　you　very　humbly；　for　I　am　afraid　that　I　am　a　deceiver。　I　shall　rob　you　of　your　pleasure；　I　fear。　I　have　put　my　name　down　for　four　dances；　and；　alas！　I　do　not　dance。〃
  She　made　room　for　him　by　her　side。
  〃And　I；〃　she　said；　〃am　weary　of　dancing。　One　does　nothing　else；　night　after　night。　We　will　talk。〃
  〃Talk　or　be　silent；〃　he　answered　softly。　〃Myself　I　believe　that　you　are　in　need　of　silence。　To　be　silent　together　is　a　proof　of　great　friendship；　is　it　not？〃
  She　nodded。
  〃It　seems　to　me　that　I　have　been　through　so　much　the　last　fortnight。〃　she　said。
  〃You　have　suffered　where　you　should　not　have　suffered；〃　he　assented　gravely。　〃I　do　not　like　your　laws　at　all。　At　what　they　called　the　inquest　your　presence　was　surely　not　necessary！　You　were　a　woman　and　had　no　place　there。　You　had；〃　he　added　calmly；　〃so　little　to　tell。〃
  〃Nothing；〃　she　murmured。
  〃Life　to　me　just　now；〃　he　continued；　〃is　so　much　a　matter　of　comparison。　It　is　for　that；　indeed；　that　I　am　here。　You　see；　I　have　lived　nearly　all　my　life　in　my　own　country　and　only　a　very　short　time　in　Europe。　Then　my　mother　was　an　English　lady；　and　my　father　a　Japanese　nobleman。　Always　I　seem　to　be　pulled　two　different　ways；　to　be　struggling　to　see　things　from　two　different　points　of　view。　But　there　is　one　subject　in　which　I　think　I　am　wholly　with　my　own　country。〃
  〃And　that？〃　she　asked。
  〃I　do　not　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　rougher　and　more　strenuous　paths　of　life　were　meant　to　be　trodden　by　your　sex。　Please　do　not　misunderstand　me；〃　he　went　on　earnestly。　〃I　am　not　thinking　of　the　paths　of　literature　and　of　art；　for　there　the　perceptions　of　your　sex　are　so　marvellously　acute　that　you　indeed　may　often　lead　where　we　must　follow。　I　am　speaking　of　the　more　material　things　of　life。〃
  She　was　suddenly　conscious　of　a　shiver　which　seemed　to　spread　from　her　heart　throughout　her　limbs。　She　sat　quite　still；　gripping　her　little　lace　handkerchief　in　her　fingers。
  〃I　mean；〃　he　continued；　〃the　paths　which　a　man　must　tread　who　seeks　to　serve　his　country　or　his　household；the　every…day　life　in　which　sometimes　intrigue　or　force　is　necessary。　Do　you　agree　with　me；　Miss　Morse？〃
  〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　faltered。
  〃That　is　why；〃　he　added；　〃it　was　painful　to　me　to　see　you　stand　there　before　those　men；　answering　their　questions；men　whose　walk　in　life　was　different；　of　an　order　removed　from　yours；　who　should　not　even　have　been　permitted　to　approach　you　upon　bended　knees。　Do　not　think　that　I　am　suggesting　any　fault　to　youdo　not　think　that　I　am　forcing　your　confidence　in　any　way。　But　these　are　the　thoughts　which　came　to　me　only　a　little　time　ago。〃
  She　was　silent。　They　listened　together　to　the　splashing　of　the　water。　What　was　the　special　gift；　she　wondered；　which　gave　this　man　such　insight？　She　felt　her　heart　beating；　she　was　conscious　that　he　was　looking　at　her。　He　knew　already　that　it　was　through　her　medium　that　those　despatches　which　never　reached　London　were　to　have　been　handed　on　to　their　destination！　He　must　know　that　she　was　to　some　extent　in　the　confidence　of　her　country's　Ambassador！　Perhaps　he　knew；　too；　those　other　thoughts　which　were　in　her　mind；knew　that　it　had　been　her　deliberate　intent　to　deceive　him；　to　pluck　those　secrets　which　he　carried　with　him；　even　from　his　heart！　What　a　fool　she　had　been　to　dream；　for　a　moment；　of　measuring　her　wits　against　his！
  He　began　to　speak　again；　and　his　voice　seemed　pitched　in　lighter　key。
  〃After　all；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　think　it　strange　of　me　to　be　so　egotisticalto　speak　all　the　time　so　much　of　my　likes　and　dislikes。　To　you　I　have　been　a　little　more　outspoken　than　to　others。〃
  〃You　have　found　me　an　interesting　subject　for　investigation　perhaps？〃　she　asked；　looking　up　suddenly。
  〃You　possess　gifts；〃　he　admitted　calmly；　〃which　one　does　not　find　amongst　the　womenfolk　of　my　country；　nor　can　I　say　that　I　have　found　them　to　any　extent　amongst　the　ladies　of　the　English　Court。〃
  〃Gifts　of　which　you　do　not　approve　when　possessed　by　my　sex；〃　she　suggested。
  〃You　are　a　law　to　yourself；　Miss　Morse；〃　he　said。　〃What　one　would　not　admire　in　others　seems　natural　enough　in　you。　You　have　brains　and　you　have　insight。　For　that　reason　I　have　been　with　you　a　little　outspoken；for　that　reason　and　another　which　I　think　you　know　of。　You　see；　my　time　over　here　grows　nearer　to　an　end　with　every　day。　Soon　I　must　carry　away　with　me；　over　the　seas；　all　the　delightful　memories；　the　friendships；　the　affections；　which　have　made　this　country　such　a　pleasant　place　for　me。〃
  〃You　are　going　soon？〃　she　asked　quickly。
  〃Very　soon；〃　he　answered。　〃My　work　is　nearly　finished；　if　indeed　I　may　dignify　it　by　the　name　of　work。　Then　I　must　go　back。〃
  She　shrank　a　little　away　from　him；　as　though　the　word　were　distasteful　to　her。
  〃Do　you　mean　that　you　will　go　back　for　always？〃　she　asked。
  〃There　are　many　chances　in　life；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　the　servant　of　the　Emperor　and　my　country。〃
  〃There　is　no　hope；　then；〃　she　continued；　〃of　your　settling　down　here　altogether？〃
  For　once　the　marble　immobility　of　his　features　seemed　disturbed。　He　looked　at　her　in　honest　amazement。
  〃Here！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃But　I　am　a　son　of　Japan！〃
  〃There　are　many　of　your　race　who　do　live　here；〃　she　reminded　him。
  He　smiled　with　the　air　of　one　who　is　forced　to　humor　a　person　of　limited　vision。
  〃With　them　it　is；　alas！　a　matter　of　necessity；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　very　hard　indeed　to　make　you　understand　over　here　how　we　feel　about　such　things；there　seems　to　be　a　different　spirit　amongst　you　Western　races；　a　different　spirit　or　a　lack　of　spiritI　do　not　know　which　I　should　say。　But　in　Japan　the　love　of　our　country　is　a　passion　which　seems　to　throb　with　every　beat　of　our　hearts。　If　we　leave　her；　it　is　for　her　good。　When　we　go　back；　it　is　our　reward。〃
  〃Then　you　are　here　now　for　her　good？〃　she　asked。
  〃Assuredly；〃　he　answered。
  〃Tell　me　in　what　way？〃　she　begged。　〃You　have　been　studying　English　customs；　their　methods　of　education；　their　political　life；　perhaps？〃
  He　turned　his　head　slowly　and　looked　into　her　eyes。　She　bore　the　ordeal　well；　but　she　never　forgot　it。　It　seemed　to　her　afterwards　that　he　must　have　read　every　thought　which　had　flashed