Litchfield enquirer., 1878-10-03

body else was on the tenter-hooks of ceremc nv and sublime expectation, and the Barones was, as she afterwards confessed, ready ts drop" with an overpOwering sense of persona responsibility, Jack was evidently quite at hi ease. His eyes roved hither and thither, ant presently fixed themselves on Cyril Clarke with such an expression of comic enjoyment as brought a look of severe reproof into hii friends face.
 "Welcome to our humble roof, your Imper. ial Majesty" observed the Baroness, in cleal triumphant voice, at the same time advancing three steps to meet her august visitor.
 The Shah's arms fell fiat on higsides, and he bowed profoundly.
 His Imperial Majesty bids me say that he is very glad to come," said Jack in respectful tones. 'tand that he congratulates you on the weather"
 Then the Baron came forward.
 ''Pr0ud to see your Majesty. Pm sure. Hope it won't be the last time" -154&
 This was the observation he was accustomed to make to every guest to whom he wished to be civil, and he had not the faculty enjoyed by the poetlaureate and others of gracefully varying his phrases.
 Impossible; starts for Teheran to night" whispered Jack, hastily. Then aloud, in grave and deferential tone, he added, "His Imperial Majesty reciprocates your good wish es, but is not inclined fer prolonged conversa- ton upon any topic"
 This was an immense relief to the hostess, who, with her rounded arnl-on which he kept his eyes fixed as though it were some species of sausage forbidden to the true believer linked in that of her distinguished guest, began 10 make progress through the rooms. The Shah looked exquisitely unoom fortable; his face betrayed that mixture of fear and ferce- ness peculiar to Eastern despets when in European society, and every now and then he addressed his interpreter in the Persian lan- guage fin tone of manifest dissatisfaction. Only when Myra came forward to be intro duced to him did he show any symptoms of interest. She was generally mistress of herself, and on this occasion manifested calmness and dignity that were beyond all praise The Duchess, who was witness to the introduc- tion, remarked that the Patterini girl rather overdid it, and would have showed better taste in manifesting a little more humility. But the Shah himself (and nobody cared for the Duchess in comparison with him) appeared more than satisfied.
 After having seen your daughter, Bar oness, said the interpreter, ''his Imperial Majesty feels that there can be nothing left to see worth speaking about, and he would rather go home at once"
 ttGO home What does he want to go home about He's only just come," whispered the Baroness, remonstratingly. The Shah's atten- ton was fortunately engaged at the moment in looking at himself in mirror.
 ''He wants to go home and think about her whether he can afford to buy her," answer cd Jack imperturbably Don't say that money won't do it. because you will make him angry. He is not in sweet temper. He has just put to death"
 Supper is served, said the ma -domo approaching his mistress with a respectful Obesance, and cutting short the sanguinary de- tails.
 The supper was an immense success. So far from the Shah being paT1icular in his food, he ate everything. But the sherbet which had taste.
 'tWhat can we do ?' whispered the Baroness, in great distress. .-.-...-.
 "Hush! pnt some braudy in it," said Jack
 Brandy Why, thought all spirituous drinks were contrary to his religion"
 ''Of course they are-that's why be likes them. Put lots of brandy in it."
 The Shah drank Ntis sherbet like fish. AS the temporal head of the Persian Church he abstained, however, from the champagne, which his two attendants partook of from large goblets.
 The ball was proceeding going on propitious- "Would his Imperial Majesty like turn in the garden ?" inquired the Baroness, willing that her guest should show himself to those who were unable to penetrate the crowd in the hanqueting- hall Jack repeated the invitation. but the Shah shook his twinkling tes.
 ''He'knows what's good for him, and I don't think the open air would quite suit him, Baroness. He has had too much b. and s. brandy and eherhet- He Gtarta tonight for Teheran, and the sooner can get him off the better"
 The baroness looked at her illustrious visitor with an admiration even greater than before. Her mind reverted to his august ancestor in the Arabian Nights who was wont to make his journeys through the air upon an enchant- ed carpet. It did not seem to her that he was likely to. go to Teheran that night by any other means of progression, and yet the air would disagree with him.
 ''There are some chibouks, Mr. Delayne," she whispered Eff you think-".
 "Not for worlds" answered the interpreter hastily. ''Get cup of very strong coffee; then make the band strike up something strong the 'Rogue's March, or anything-and I'll get him away"
 The coffee was brought. The Shah looked at it for moment with grave displeasure, as though he detected chicory in it, or drowning fly, and then kicked it out of the attendants hand Fortunately at that instant the band struck up wild and piercing Eastern air, and, assisted--indeed, compelled-by the arm of his flying interpreter, his Imperial Majesty rose from his divan and proceeded dlagOnally, and now and then with an unexpected move- ment at right angles, like the knight at chess, toward the enterance hail. The Baron hasten ed forward to escort him, put his politeness had nearly cost him dear, for the Eastern pOtentate, mistaking the object of his haste, and ever on the watch for treachery, half drew his sabre, and yelled something in the Persian tongue which sounded uncommonly like an H. fHa hall, closely followed by his two Prime Minis ters, or whatever they were, and at the door found the royal carriage in waiting, which whirled him off to the palace
 Everybody said that nothing had been more characteristic of the illustrious visitor, more redolent of Eastern customs, than the mede of his departure. His breaking the coffee-cup to symbolize how his heart was torn at having to bid adieu to his host, his half drawing his yataghan, as though his despair at parting would have almost led him to cut short his own illustrious existence, and his manifest re- luctance to leave the house, were the themes of universal admiration,
 If a King can do no wrong, Shah is in a still more unassailable position and it is my belief that, if he had cut the Baron's head off, it would have been set down to his Majesty's geniality and condescension.
 Everybody who had caught glimpse of the Shah that evening was daZzled and delighted. The Duchess of Doldrum publicly acknowl- edged to her hostess that she had spent de- lightful evening, and the Baroness was over whelmed with congratulations and invitations frem ''the best people" in Mayfair.
 That very morning, erc tllo rnidd~5 hoAnne began to stream into the deserted ballroom, and when the mistress of Evelyn Lodge was still sunk in dreams of greatness, Cyril Clarke was married by special license in a neighbor- ing church. to Myra Patterini.
 The consent of both her parents, as we know, had been obtained, and had set her scruples quite at ease, and Cyril-who, unlike his father-in-law, was averse to speculation or risks of any kind-had thought it better to settle the matter. He had been kept hanging on and off" so long that he dreaded any more delays.
 When the Baron and Baroness came down Ar tho;r xIasnaaalar