e must all so much deplore."
"You are not making a speech, dear," the Duchess remarked, looking
coldly across the room at him. "We are all anxious to hear what the
Prince has to say to us."
"Your anxiety," the Duke continued, "and the anxiety of our friends must
be restrained for a few minutes, for there are certain things which I
am determined to say, and to say them now. I must confess that it was
at first a painful shock to me to realise that the time had come when it
was necessary for us to take any heed of the uneducated rabble who seem
born into the world discontented with their station in life, and instead
of making honest attempts to improve it waste their time railing against
us who are more fortunately placed, and in endeavours to mislead in
every possible way the electorate of the country."
The Prince sighed softly, and lit a cigarette. Lady Carey and Felix were
already smoking.
"However," the Duke continued, "I was convinced. I have always believed
in the principle of watching closely the various signs of the times,
and I may say that I came to the conclusion that a combination of the
thinking members of the aristocratic party throughout the world was an
excellent idea. I therefore became what is, I believe, called a general
member of the Order, of which I believe you, Prince, are the actual
head."
"My dear James," the Duchess murmured, "the Prince has something to say
to us."
"The Prince," her husband answered coldly, "can keep back his
information for a few minutes. I am determined to place my position
clearly before all of you who are present here now. It is only since I
have joined this Society that I have been made aware that in addition to
the general members, of which body I believe that the Duchess and I are
the sole representatives here, there are special members, and members of
the inner circle. And I understand that in connection with these there
is a great machinery of intrigue going on all the time, with branches
all over the world, spies everywhere with unlimited funds, and with huge
opportunities of good or evil. In effect I have become an outside member
of what is nothing more nor less than a very powerful and, it seems to
me, daring secret society."
"So far as you are concerned, Duke," the Prince said, "your
responsibility ceases with ordinary membership. You can take no count of
anything beyond. The time may come when the inner circle may be opened
to you."
The Duke cough
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