up　existence　here？　Your　own　country　is　wonderful；　I　know；　but　it　has　not　progressed　so　far；　has　it？〃
  He　shook　his　head。
  〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　portion　of　our　education　which　we　have　most　grievously　neglected　is　the　development　of　our　recreations。　But　then　you　must　remember　that　we　are　to　a　certain　extent　without　that　craving　for　amusement　which　makes　these　things　necessary　for　you　others。　We　are　perhaps　too　serious　in　my　country；　Lady　Grace。　We　lack　altogether　that　delightful　air　of　irresponsibility　with　which　you　Londoners　seem　to　make　your　effortless　way　through　life。〃
  She　was　a　little　perplexed。
  〃I　don't　believe；〃　she　said；　〃that　in　your　heart　you　approve　of　us　at　all。〃
  〃Do　not　say　that；　Lady　Grace；〃　he　begged。　〃It　is　simply　that　I　have　been　brought　up　in　so　different　a　school。　This　sort　of　thing　is　very　wonderful；　and　I　shall　surely　miss　it。　Yet　nowadays　the　world　is　being　linked　together　in　marvellous　fashion。　Tokio　and　London　are　closer　today　than　ever　they　have　been　in　the　world's　history。〃
  〃And　our　people？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　really　think　that　our　people　are　so　far　apart？　Between　you　and　me；　for　instance；〃　she　added；　meaning　to　ask　the　question　naturally　enough；　but　suddenly　losing　confidence　and　looking　away　from　him；〃between　you　and　me　there　seems　no　radical　difference　of　race。　You　might　almost　be　an　Englishmannot　one　of　these　men　of　fashion；　of　course；　but　a　statesman　or　a　man　of　letters；　some　one　who　had　taken　hold　of　the　serious　side　of　life。〃
  〃You　pay　me　a　very　delightful　compliment；〃　he　murmured。
  〃Please　repay　me；　then；　by　being　candid；〃　she　answered。　〃Consider　for　a　moment　that　I　am　a　typical　English　girl；　and　tell　me　whether　I　am　so　very　different　from　the　Japanese　women　of　your　own　class？〃
  He　hesitated　for　a　moment。　The　question　was　not　without　its　embarrassments。
  〃Men；〃　he　said；　〃are　very　much　the　same；　all　the　world　over。　They　are　like　the　coarse　grass　which　grows　everywhere。　But　the　flowers；　you　know；　are　different　in　every　country。〃
  Lady　Grace　sighed。　Perhaps　she　had　been　a　trifle　too　daring！　She　was　willing　enough；　at　any　rate；　to　let　the　subject　drift　away。
  〃Soon　the　curtain　will　go　up；〃　she　said；　〃and　we　can　talk　no　longer。　I　should　like　to　tell　you；　though；　how　glad　I　amhow　glad　we　all　arethat　you　can　come　to　us　next　week。〃
  〃I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　looking　forward　to　it；〃　he　answered　a　little　gravely。　〃It　is　my　farewell　to　all　of　you；　you　know；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　those　who　will　be　your　father's　guests　are　just　those　with　whom　I　have　been　on　the　most　intimate　terms　since　I　came　to　England。
  She　nodded。
  〃Penelope　is　coming；〃　she　said　quickly；〃you　know　that？Penelope　and　Sir　Charles　Somerfield。〃
  〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃I　heard　so。〃
  The　curtain　went　up。　The　faint　murmur　of　the　violins　was　suddenly　caught　up　and　absorbed　in　the　thunderous　music　of　a　march。　Lady　Grace　moved　nearer　to　the　front。　Prince　Maiyo　remained　where　he　was　among　the　shadows。　The　music　was　in　his　ears；　but　his　eyes　were　half　closed。
  CHAPTER　XXVIII。　PATRIOTISM
  The　Duke's　chef　had　served　an　Emperor　with　honorthe　billiard　room　at　Devenham　Castle　was　the　most　comfortable　room　upon　earth。　The　three　men　who　sat　together　upon　a　huge　divan；　the　three　men　most　powerful　in　directing　the　councils　of　their　country；　felt　a　gentle　wave　of　optimism　stealing　through　their　quickened　blood。　Nevertheless　this　was　a　serious　matter　which　occupied　their　thoughts。
  〃We　are　becoming；〃　the　Prime　Minister　said；　〃much　too　modern。　We　are　becoming　over…civilized　out　of　any　similitude　to　a　nation　of　men　of　blood　and　brawn。〃
  〃You　are　quoting　some　impossible　person；〃　Sir　Edward　Bransome　declared。
  〃One　is　always　quoting　unconsciously；〃　the　Prime　Minister　admitted　with　a　sigh。　〃What　I　mean　is　that　five　hundred　years　ago　we　should　have　locked　this　young　man　up　in　a　room　hung　with　black　crape；　and　with　a　pleasant　array　of　unfortunately　extinct　instruments　we　should　have　succeeded；　beyond　a　doubt；　in　extorting　the　truth　from　him。〃
  〃And　if　the　truth　were　not　satisfactory？〃　the　Duke　asked；　lighting　a　cigar。
  〃We　should　have　endeavored　to　change　his　point　of　view；〃　the　Prime　Minister　continued；　〃even　if　we　had　to　change　at　the　same　time　the　outline　of　his　particularly　graceful　figure。　The　age　of　thumbscrews　and　the　rack　was；　after　all；　a　very　virile　age。　Just　consider　for　a　moment　our　positionsthree　of　the　greatest　and　most　brilliant　statesmen　of　our　dayand　we　can　do　very　little　save　wait　for　this　young　man　to　declare　himself。　We　are　the　puppets　with　whom　he　plays。　It　rests　with　him　whether　our　names　are　written　upon　the　scroll　of　fame　or　whether　our　administration　is　dismissed　in　half　a　dozen　contemptuous　words　by　the　coming　historian。　It　rests　with　him　whether　our　friend　Bransome　here　shall　be　proclaimed　the　greatest　Foreign　Minister　that　ever　breathed；　and　whether　I　myself　have　a　statue　erected　to　me　in　Westminster　Yard；　which　shall　be　crowned　with　a　laurel　wreath　by　patriotic　young　ladies　on　the　morning　of　my　anniversary。〃
  The　Duke　stretched　himself　out　with　a　sigh　of　content。　His　cigar　was　burning　well；　and　the　flavor　of　old　Armignac　lingered　still　upon　his　palate。
  〃Come；〃　he　protested；　〃I　think　you　exaggerate　Maiyo's　importance　just　a　little；　Haviland。　Hesho　seems　excellently　disposed　towards　us；　and；　after　all；　I　should　have　thought　his　word　would　have　had　more　weight　in　Tokio　than　the　word　of　a　young　man　who　is　new　to　diplomacy；　and　whose　claims　to　distinction　seem　to　rest　rather　upon　his　soldiering　and　the　fact　that　he　is　a　cousin　of　the　Emperor。〃
  The　Prime　Minister　sighed。
  〃Dear　Duke；〃　he　said；　〃no　one　of　us；　not　even　myself；　has　ever　done　that　young　man　justice。　To　me　he　represents　everything　that　is　most　strenuous　and　intellectual　in　Japanese　manhood。　The　spirit　of　that　wonderful　country　runs　like　the　elixir　of　life　itself　through　his　veins。　Since　the　day　he　brought　me　his　letter　from　the　Emperor；　I　have　watched　him　carefully；　and　I　believe　I　can　honestly　declare　that　not　once　in　these　eighteen　months　has　he　looked　away　from　his　task；　nor　has　he　given　to　one　single　person　even　an　inkling　of　the　thoughts　which　have　passed　through　his　mind。　He　came　back　from　the　Continent；　from　Berlin；　from　Paris；　from　Petersburg；　with　a　mass　of　acquired　information　which　would　have　made　some　of　our　blue…books　read　like　Hans　Andersen's　Fairy　Tales。　He　had　made　up　his　mind　exactly　what　he　thought　of　each　country；　of　their　political　systems；　of　their　social　life；　of　their　military　importance。　He　had　them　all　weighed　up　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand。　He　was　willing　to　talk　as　long　as　I；　for　instance；　was　willing　to　listen。　He　spoke　of　everybody　whom　he　had　met　and　every　place　which　he　had　visited　without　reserve；　and　yet　I　guarantee　that　there　is　no　person　in　England　today；　however　much　he　may　have　talked　with　him；　who　knows　in　the　least　what　his　true　impressions　are。〃
  〃Haviland　is　right；〃　Bransome　agreed。　〃Many　a　time　I　have　caught　myself　wondering；　when　he　talks　so　easily　about　his　travels；　what　the　real　thoughts　are　which　lie　at　the　back　of　his　brain。　We　know；　of　course；　what　the　object　of　those　travels　was。　He　went　as　no　tourist。　He　went　with　a　deep　and　solemn　purpose　always　before　him。　He　went　to　find　out　whether　there　was　any　other　European　Power　whose　alliance　would　be　a　more　advantageous　thing　for　Japan　than　a　continuation　of　their　alliance　with　us。　Such　a　thing　has　never　been　mentioned　or　hinted　at　between　us；　but　we　know　it　all　the　same。〃
  〃I　wonder；〃　the　Duke　remarked；　〃whether　we　shall　really　get　the　truth　out　of　him　before　he　goes。〃
  The　Prime　Minister　shook　his　head。
  〃Look　at　him　now　teaching　old　Lady　Saunderson　how　to　hold　her　cue。　He　singled　her　out　because　she　was　the　least　attractive　person　playing；　because　no　one　took　any　particular　notice　of　her；　and　every　one　seemed　disposed　to　let　her　go　her　own　way！　Those　girls　were　all　buzzing　around　him　as　though　he　were　something　holy；　but　you　see　how　gently　he　eluded　them！　Watch　what　an　interest　she　is　taking　in　the　game　now。　He　has　been　encouraging　the　poor　old　lady　until　her　last　few　shots　have　been　quite　good。　That　is　Maiyo　all　the　world　over。　I　will　wager　that　he　is　thinking　of　nothing　on　earth　at　this　moment　but　of　making　that　poor　old　lady　feel　at　her　ease　and　enjoy　her　game。　A　stranger；　looking　on；　would　imagine　him　to　be　just　a　kind…hearted；　simple…minded　fellow。　Yet　there　is　not　one　of　us　three　who　has　wit　enough　to　get　a　single　word　from　him　against　his　will。　You　shall　see。　There　is　an　excellent　opportunity　here。　I　suppose　both　of　you　read　his　speech　at　the　Herrick　Club　last　night？〃
  I　did；〃　the　Duke　answered。
  〃And　I；〃　Bransome　echoed。　〃It　seemed　to　me　that　he　spoke　a　little　more　freely　than　usual。〃
  〃He　went　as　near　to　censure　as　I　have　ever　heard　him　when　speaking　of　any　of　the　institutions　of　our　country；〃　the　Prime　Minister　declared。　〃I　will　ask　him　about　it　directly　we　get　the　chance。　You　shall　see　how　he　will　evade　the　point。〃
  〃You　will　have　to　be　quick　if　you　mean　to　get　hold　of　him；〃　the　Duke　remarked。　〃See；　the　game　is　over　and　there　he　goes　with　Penelope。〃
  The　Prime　Minister　rose　to　his　feet　and　intercepted　them　on　their　way　to　the　door。
  〃Miss　Morse；〃　he　said；　〃may　we　ransom　the　Prince？　We　want　to　t