oke from the cigarette
which he had just lit.

"I do not fancy," he replied, "that I should be much of a success as a
fourth in your little expedition."

"But it is silly of you not to visit Bohemia occasionally," she
declared, ignoring the meaning that lay beneath his words. "It is
refreshing to rub shoulders with people who feel, and who show freely
what they feel; to eat their food, drink their wine, even join in their
pleasures."

The prince shook his head.

"I am not of the people," he said, "and I have no sympathy with them. I
detest the _bourgeoisie_ of every country in the world--my own more
particularly."

"If you only knew how strangely that sounds!" she murmured.

"Does it?" he answered. "You should read my family history, read of the
men and women of my race who were butchered at the hands of that
drunken, lustful mob whom lying historians have glorified. I am one of
those who do not forget injuries. My estates are administered more
severely than any others in France. No penny of my money has ever been
spent in charity. I neither forget nor forgive."

She laughed a little nervously.

"What an unsympathetic person you can be, Eugene!"

"And for that very reason," he replied, "I can be sympathetic. Because I
hate some people, I have the power of loving others. Because it pleases
me to deal severely with my enemies, it gives me joy to deal generously
with my friends. That is my conception of life. May I wish you a
pleasant evening?"

"You are going now?" she asked, a little surprised.

He smiled faintly as he raised her fingers to his lips. She had made a
little movement toward him, but he took no advantage of it.

"I am going now."

"When shall I see you again?" she inquired, as she came back from
ringing the bell.

"A telephone-message from your maid, a line written with your own
fingers," he said, "will bring me to you within a few minutes. If I hear
nothing, I may come uninvited, but it will be when the fancy takes me.
Once more, Louise, a pleasant evening!"

He passed out of the door, which the parlor maid was holding open for
him. Crossing to the window, Louise watched him leave the house and
enter his waiting automobile. He gave no sign of haste or
disappointment. He lit another cigarette deliberately upon the pavement
and gave his orders to the chauffeur with some care.

As the car drove off without his having once glanced up at the window,
she shivered a little. There was a silenc