he laughed uneasily, twisting the screen in her hands. For an instant
she raised her eyes to mine, and as they dropped again she whispered:

"A short life and a merry one?"

My hand flew out to her again; she took it, and, after a laughing
glance, curtseyed low over it, as though in formal farewell. I had not
meant that, and laughed in my turn.

"I shan't be old--well, by to-morrow," she murmured, and glanced
ostentatiously at the clock.

"May I come to-morrow?"

"I never invite you."

"Shall you be here?"

"It's not one of my receiving days."

"I like a good chance better than a poor certainty. At least there will
be nobody else here."

"Max, perhaps."

"I don't think so."

"You don't think so? What do you mean by that, Caesar? No, I don't want
to know. I believe it was impertinent. Are you going?"

"Yes," said I, "when I have kissed your hand."

She said nothing, but held it out to me. She smiled, but there seemed to
me to be pain in her eyes. I pressed her hand to my lips and went out
without speaking again. As I closed the door I heard her fling herself
back into her chair with a curious little sound, half-cry, half-sigh.

I left the house quickly and silently; no servant was summoned to escort
me. I walked a few yards along the street to where Wetter lived. My
carriage was ordered to come for me at Wetter's; it had not yet arrived.
To be known to visit Wetter was to accept the blame of a smaller
indiscretion as the price of hiding a greater. The deputy was at home,
writing in his study; he received me with an admirable unconsciousness
of where I had come from. I was still in a state of excitement, and was
glad to sit smoking quietly while his animated, fluent talk ran on. He
was full of this Bill of his, and explained its provisions to me with
the air of desiring that I should understand its spirit and aim, and of
being willing then to leave it to my candid consideration. He did not
attempt to blink the difficulties.

"Of course we have the Prince and all the party of Reaction against us,"
he said. "But your Majesty is not a member of any party."

"Not even of yours yet," said I with a laugh.

He laughed in his turn, openly and merrily.

"I'm a poor schemer," he said. "But I don't know why it should be wrong
for you to hear my views any more than Hammerfeldt's."

The servant entered and announced the arrival of my carriage. Wetter
escorted me to it.

"I'll promise not to mention the Bill,