Bang-bang! The earth shivered and rocked. Guerdons
were flying, bugles were blowing, and sabers were flashing.
"It is beautiful," she cried, "this mimic war."
"May your highness never see aught else!" he replied fervently.
"Yes, yes; you have seen it divested of all its pomp. You have seen it
in all its cruelty and horror."
"I have known even the terror of it."
"You were afraid?"
"Many times."
She laughed. It is only the coward who denies fear.
He would certainly ask for his recall or transfer. He was eating his
heart out here in Dreiberg.
They began the incline. She did most of the talking, brightly and gaily;
but his ears were dull, for the undercurrent passed by him. He was, for
the first time, impressed with the fact that the young ladies of the
court never accompanied her on her morning rides. There were frequent
afternoon excursions, when several ladies and gentlemen rode with her
highness, but in the mornings, never.
"Will you return to America?" she queried.
"I shall idle in Paris for a while. I have an idea that there will be
war one of these days."
"And which side will you take?"
"I should be a traitor if I fought for France; I should be an ingrate if
I fought against her. I should be a spectator, a neutral.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197