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'Money？' asked Challoner。
'That's the worst of it；' Desborough admitted。 'We are
deadly hard up。 But the Pri… Mr。 Godall is going to do
something for us。 That is what brings us here。'
'Who was Mrs。 Desborough？' said Challoner； in the tone of a
man of society。
'She was a Miss Luxmore；' returned Harry。 'You fellows will
be sure to like her； for she is much cleverer than I。 She
tells wonderful stories； too； better than a book。'
And just then the door opened； and Mrs。 Desborough entered。
Somerset cried out aloud to recognise the young lady of the
Superfluous Mansion； and Challoner fell back a step and
dropped his cigar as he beheld the sorceress of Chelsea。
'What！' cried Harry； 'do you both know my wife？'
'I believe I have seen her；' said Somerset； a little wildly。
'I think I have met the gentleman；' said Mrs。 Desborough
sweetly； 'but I cannot imagine where it was。'
'Oh no；' cried Somerset fervently： 'I have no notion … I
cannot conceive … where it could have been。 Indeed；' he
continued； growing in emphasis； 'I think it highly probable
that it's a mistake。'
'And you； Challoner？' asked Harry； 'you seemed to recognise
her too。'
'These are both friends of yours； Harry？' said the lady。
'Delighted； I am sure。 I do not remember to have met Mr。
Challoner。'
Challoner was very red in the face； perhaps from having
groped after his cigar。 'I do not remember to have had the
pleasure；' he responded huskily。
'Well； and Mr。 Godall？' asked Mrs。 Desborough。
'Are you the lady that has an appointment with old … ' began
Somerset； and paused blushing。 'Because if so；' he resumed；
'I was to announce you at once。'
And the shopman raised a curtain； opened a door； and passed
into a small pavilion which had been added to the back of the
house。 On the roof； the rain resounded musically。 The walls
were lined with maps and prints and a few works of reference。
Upon a table was a large…scale map of Egypt and the Soudan；
and another of Tonkin； on which； by the aid of coloured pins；
the progress of the different wars was being followed day by
day。 A light； refreshing odour of the most delicate tobacco
hung upon the air； and a fire； not of foul coal； but of
clear…flaming resinous billets； chattered upon silver dogs。
In this elegant and plain apartment； Mr。 Godall sat in a
morning muse； placidly gazing at the fire and hearkening to
the rain upon the roof。
'Ha； my dear Mr。 Somerset；' said he； 'and have you since last
night adopted any fresh political principle？'
'The lady； sir；' said Somerset； with another blush。
'You have seen her； I believe？' returned Mr。 Godall； and on
Somerset's replying in the affirmative； 'You will excuse me；
my dear sir；' he resumed； 'if I offer you a hint。 I think it
not improbable this lady may desire entirely to forget the
past。 From one gentleman to another； no more words are
necessary。'
A moment after； he had received Mrs。 Desborough with that
grave and touching urbanity that so well became him。
'I am pleased； madam； to welcome you to my poor house；' he
said； 'and shall be still more so； if what were else a barren
courtesy and a pleasure personal to myself； shall prove to be
of serious benefit to you and Mr。 Desborough。'
'Your Highness；' replied Clara； 'I must begin with thanks； it
is like what I have heard of you； that you should thus take
up the case of the unfortunate； and as for my Harry； he is
worthy of all that you can do。' She paused。
'But for yourself？' suggested Mr。 Godall … 'it was thus you
were about to continue； I believe。'
'You take the words out of my mouth；' she said。 'For myself；
it is different。'
'I am not here to be a judge of men；' replied the Prince；
'still less of women。 I am now a private person like
yourself and many million others； but I am one who still
fights upon the side of quiet。 Now； madam； you know better
than I； and God better than you； what you have done to
mankind in the past； I pause not to inquire； it is with the
future I concern myself； it is for the future I demand
security。 I would not willingly put arms into the hands of a
disloyal combatant； and I dare not restore to wealth one of
the levyers of a private and a barbarous war。 I speak with
some severity； and yet I pick my terms。 I tell myself
continually that you are a woman； and a voice continually
reminds me of the children whose lives and limbs you have
endangered。 A woman；' he repeated solemnly … 'and children。
Possibly； madam； when you are yourself a mother； you will
feel the bite of that antithesis： possibly when you kneel at
night beside a cradle； a fear will fall upon you； heavier
than any shame； and when your child lies in the pain and
danger of disease； you shall hesitate to kneel before your
Maker。'
'You look at the fault；' she said； 'and not at the excuse。
Has your own heart never leaped within you at some story of
oppression？ But； alas； no！ for you were born upon a throne。'
'I was born of woman；' said the Prince； 'I came forth from my
mother's agony； helpless as a wren； like other nurselings。
This； which you forgot； I have still faithfully remembered。
Is it not one of your English poets； that looked abroad upon
the earth and saw vast circumvallations； innumerable troops
manoeuvring； warships at sea and a great dust of battles on
shore； and casting anxiously about for what should be the
cause of so many and painful preparations； spied at last； in
the centre of all； a mother and her babe？ These； madam； are
my politics； and the verses； which are by Mr。 Coventry
Patmore； I have caused to be translated into the Bohemian
tongue。 Yes； these are my politics： to change what we can；
to better what we can； but still to bear in mind that man is
but a devil weakly fettered by some generous beliefs and
impositions； and for no word however nobly sounding； and no
cause however just and pious； to relax the stricture of these
bonds。'
There was a silence of a moment。
'I fear； madam；' resumed the Prince； 'that I but weary you。
My views are formal like myself； and like myself； they also
begin to grow old。 But I must still trouble you for some
reply。'
'I can say but one thing；' said Mrs。 Desborough： 'I love my
husband。'
'It is a good answer；' returned the Prince； 'and you name a
good influence； but one that need not be conterminous with
life。'
'I will not play at pride with such a man as you；' she
answered。 'What do you ask of me？ not protestations； I am
sure。 What shall I say？ I have done much that I cannot
defend and that I would not do again。 Can I say more？ Yes：
I can say this： I never abused myself with the muddle…headed
fairy tales of politics。 I was at least prepared to meet
reprisals。 While I was levying war myself … or levying
murder； if you choose the plainer term … I never accused my
adversaries of assassination。 I never felt or feigned a
righteous horror； when a price was put upon my life by those
whom I attacked。 I never called the policeman a hireling。 I
may have been a criminal； in short； but I never was a foo