the indiscretion of elsbeth-第3章
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〃But I couldn't call you by your first name on our first meeting；
you know。〃
〃Then you Americans are really so very formaleh？〃 she said slyly；
looking at her imprisoned hand。
〃Well； yes；〃 returned Hoffman； disengaging it。 〃I suppose we are
respectful； or mean to be。 But whom am I to inquire for？ To write
to？〃
〃You are neither to write nor inquire。〃
〃What？〃 She had moved in her seat so as to half…face him with eyes
in which curiosity； mischief； and a certain seriousness alternated；
but for the first time seemed conscious of his hand； and accented
her words with a slight pressure。
〃You are to return to your hotel presently； and say to your
landlord： 'Pack up my luggage。 I have finished with this old town
and my ancestors； and the Grand Duke； whom I do not care to see；
and I shall leave Alstadt tomorrow！'〃
〃Thank you！ I don't catch on。〃
〃Of what necessity should you？ I have said it。 That should be
enough for a chivalrous American like you。〃 She again
significantly looked down at her hand。
〃If you mean that you know the extent of the favor you ask of me； I
can say no more；〃 he said seriously； 〃but give me some reason for
it。〃
〃Ah so！〃 she said； with a slight shrug of her shoulders。 〃Then 1
must tell you。 You say you do not know the Grand Duke and Duchess。
Well！ THEY KNOW YOU。 The day before yesterday you were wandering
in the park； as you admit。 You say； also； you got through the
hedge and interrupted some ceremony。 That ceremony was not a Court
function； Mr。 Hoffman； but something equally sacredthe
photographing of the Ducal family before the Schloss。 You say that
you instantly withdrew。 But after the photograph was taken the
plate revealed a stranger standing actually by the side of the
Princess Alexandrine； and even taking the PAS of the Grand Duke
himself。 That stranger was you！〃
〃And the picture was spoiled；〃 said the American； with a quiet
laugh。
〃I should not say that；〃 returned the lady； with a demure glance at
her companion's handsome face； 〃and I do not believe that the
Princesswho first saw the photographthought so either。 But she
is very young and willful； and has the reputation of being very
indiscreet； and unfortunately she begged the photographer not to
destroy the plate； but to give it to her； and to say nothing about
it； except that the plate was defective； and to take another。
Still it would have ended there if her curiosity had not led her to
confide a description of the stranger to the Police Inspector； with
the result you know。〃
〃Then I am expected to leave town because I accidentally stumbled
into a family group that was being photographed？〃
〃Because a certain Princess was indiscreet enough to show her
curiosity about you；〃 corrected the fair stranger。
〃But look here！ I'll apologize to the Princess； and offer to pay
for the plate。〃
〃Then you do want to see the Princess？〃 said the young girl
smiling； 〃you are like the others。〃
〃Bother the Princess！ I want to see YOU。 And I don't see how they
can prevent it if I choose to remain。〃
〃Very easily。 You will find that there is something wrong with
your passport； and you will be sent on to Pumpernickel for
examination。 You will unwittingly transgress some of the laws of
the town and be ordered to leave it。 You will be shadowed by the
police until you quarrel with themlike a free Americanand you
are conducted to the frontier。 Perhaps you will strike an officer
who has insulted you； and then you are finished on the spot。〃
The American's crest rose palpably until it cocked his straw hat
over his curls。
〃Suppose I am content to risk ithaving first laid the whole
matter and its trivial cause before the American Minister； so that
he could make it hot for this whole caboodle of a country if they
happened to 'down me。' By Jove！ I shouldn't mind being the martyr
of an international episode if they'd spare me long enough to let
me get the first 'copy' over to the other side。〃 His eyes
sparkled。
〃You could expose them； but they would then deny the whole story；
and you have no evidence。 They would demand to know your
informant； and I should be disgraced； and the Princess； who is
already talked about； made a subject of scandal。 But no matter！
It is right that an American's independence shall not be interfered
with。〃
She raised the hem of her handkerchief to her blue eyes and
slightly turned her head aside。 Hoffman gently drew the
handkerchief away； and in so doing possessed himself of her other
hand。
〃Look here； MissMissElsbeth。 You know I wouldn't give you
away； whatever happened。 But couldn't I get hold of that
photographerI saw him； he wanted me to sit to himand make him
tell me？〃
〃He wanted you to sit to him；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃and did you？〃
〃No；〃 he replied。 〃He was a little too fresh and previous； though
I thought he fancied some resemblance in me to somebody else。〃
〃Ah！〃 She said something to herself in German which he did not
understand； and then added aloud：
〃You did well； he is a bad man； this photographer。 Promise me you
shall not sit for him。〃
〃How can I if I'm fired out of the place like this？〃 He added
ruefully； 〃But I'd like to make him give himself away to me
somehow。〃
〃He will not； and if he did he would deny it afterward。 Do not go
near him nor see him。 Be careful that he does not photograph you
with his instantaneous instrument when you are passing。 Now you
must go。 I must see the Princess。〃
〃Let me go； too。 I will explain it to her；〃 said Hoffman。
She stopped； looked at him keenly； and attempted to withdraw her
hands。 〃Ah； then it IS so。 It is the Princess you wish to see。
You are curiousyou； too； you wish to see this lady who is
interested in you。 I ought to have known it。 You are all alike。〃
He met her gaze with laughing frankness； accepting her outburst as
a charming feminine weakness； half jealousy； half coquetrybut
retained her hands。
〃Nonsense；〃 he said。 〃I wish to see her that I may have the right
to see youthat you shall not lose your place here through me；
that I may come again。〃
〃You must never come here again。〃
〃Then you must come where I am。 We will meet somewhere when you
have an afternoon off。 You shall show me the townthe houses of
my ancestorstheir tombs； possiblyif the Grand Duke rampages
the probable site of my own。〃
She looked into his laughing eyes with her clear； stedfast； gravely
questioning blue ones。 〃Do not you Americans know that it is not
the fashion here； in Germany； for the young men and the young women
to walk togetherunless they are VERLOBT？〃
〃VERwhich？〃
〃Engaged。〃 She nodded her head thrice： viciously； decidedly；
mischievously。
〃So much the better。〃
〃ACH GOTT！〃 She made a gesture of hopelessness at his
incorrigibility； and again attempted to withdraw her hands。
〃I must go now。〃
〃Well then； good…by。〃
It was easy to draw her closer by simply lowering her still captive
hands。 Then he suddenly kissed her coldly startled lips； and
instantly released her。 She as instantly vanished。
〃Elsbeth；〃 he called quickly。 〃Elsbeth！〃
Her now really frightened face reappeared with a heightened color
from the dense foliagequite to his astonishment。
〃Hush；〃 she said； with her finger on her lips。 〃Are you mad？〃
〃I only wanted to remind you to square me with the Princess；〃 he
laughed as her head disappeared。
He strolled back toward the gate。 Scarcely had he quitted the
shrubbery before the same chasseur made his appearance with
precisely the same salute； and； keeping exactly the same distance；
accompanied him to the gate。 At the corner of the street he hailed
a droshky and was driven to his hotel。
The landlord came up smiling。 He trusted that the Herr had greatly
enjoyed himself at the Schloss。 It was a distinguished honorin
fact； quite unprecedented。 Hoffman； while he determined not to
commit himself； nor his late fair companion； was nevertheless
anxious to learn something more of her relations to the Schloss。
So pretty； so characteristic； and marked a figure must be well
known to sightseers。 Indeed； once or twice the idea had crossed
his mind with a slightly jealous twinge that left him more
conscious of the impression she had made on him than he had deemed
possible。 He asked if the model farm and dairy were always shown
by the same attendants。
〃ACH GOTT！ no doubt； yes； His Royal Highness had quite a retinue
when he was in residence。〃
〃And were these attendants in costume？〃
〃There was undoubtedly a livery for the servants。〃
Hoffman felt a slight republican irritation at the epithethe knew
not why。 But this costume was rather a historical one； surely it
was not entrusted to everyday menialsand he briefly described it。
His host's blank curiosity suddenly changed to a look of mysterious
and arch intelligence。
〃ACH GOTT！ yes！〃 He remembered now （with his finger on his nose）
that when there was a fest at the Schloss the farm and dairy were
filled with shepherdesses； in quaint costume worn by the ladies of
the Grand Duke's own theatrical company； who assumed the characters
with great vivacity。 Surely it was the same； and the Grand Duke
had treated the Herr to this special courtesy。 Yesthere was one
pretty； blonde young ladythe Fraulein Wimpfenbuttel； a most
popular soubrette； who would play it to the life！ And the
description fitted her to a hair！ Ah； there was no doubt of it；
many persons； indeed； had been so deceived。
But happily； now that he had given him the wink； the Herr could
corroborate it himself by going to the theater tonight。 Ah； it
would be a great jokequite colossal！ if he took a front seat
where she could see him。 And the good man rubbed his hands in
gleeful anticipation。
Hoffman had listened to him with a slow repugnance that was only
equal to his gradual conviction that the explanation was a true
one； and that he himself had been ridiculously deceived。 The
mystery of his fair companion's costume； which he had accepted as
part of the 〃show〃； the inconsistency of her manner and her evident
occupation； her undeniable wish to terminate the whole episode with
that single interview； her mingling of worldly aplomb and rustic
innocence； her perfect self…control and experienced acceptance of
his gallantry under the simulated attitude of simplicityall now
struck him as perfectly comprehensible。 He recalled the actress's
inimitable touch in certain picturesque realistic details in the
dairywhich she had not spared him； he recognized it now even in
their bowered confidences （how like a pretty ballet scene their
whole interview on the rustic bench was！）； and it breathed through
their entire conversationto the
