alive?" I hazarded.

"Suppose who was alive?" said Miss Chantry.

"The dauphin."

"He isn't."

"Did all the people believe he was dead?"

"They didn't care whether he was dead or not. They went on killing one
another until this man Bonaparte put himself at the head of the army and
got the upper hand of them. The French are all fire and tow, and the man
who can stamp on them is their idol."

"You said you hoped you would live to see the Bourbons restored. Dead
people cannot be restored."

"Oh, the Bourbons are not all dead. The king of France had brothers. The
elder one of these would be king now if the Bourbons came back to the
throne."

"But he would not be king if the dauphin lived?"

"No," said Miss Chantry, leaning back indifferently.

My head felt confused, throbbing with the dull ache of healing. I
supported it, resting my elbow on the railing.

The music, under cover of which we had talked, made one of its pauses.
Annabel de Chaumont looked up at us, allowing the gentleman in the
long-tailed silk coat to lead her toward the stairs.

V

Miss Chantry exclaimed, and her face stiffened with an expression which
I have since learned to know as the fear of dignitaries; experienced
even by people who profess to despise the dignitaries. Mademoiselle de
Chaumont shook frizzes around her face, and lifted the scant dress from
her satin shod feet as she mounted the stairs. Without approaching us
she sat down on the top step of the landing with young Bonaparte, and
beckoned to me.

I went at her bidding and stood by the rail.

"Prince Jerome Bonaparte wants to see you. I have told him about the
bear pen, and Madame Tank, and the mysterious marks on you, and what she
said about your rank."

I must have frowned, for the young gentleman made a laughing sign to me
that he did not take Annabel seriously. He had an amiable face, and
accepted me as one of the oddities of the country.

"What fun," said Annabel, "to introduce a prince of the empire to a
prince of the woods!"

"What do you think of your brother?" I inquired.

He looked astonished and raised his eyebrows.

"I suppose you mean the emperor?"

I told him I did.

"If you want my candid opinion," his eyes twinkled, and he linked his
hands around his white satin knees, "I think my brother rules his family
with a rod of iron."

"What will you do," I continued, "when your family are turned out?"

"My faith!" said Annabel, "this in a house