New-York tribune., 1906-05-20

:
now
Count Alexis, sir"
Whv2"
The Count insisted"
Don't do II again It's absurd Go awav.''
\ dull red patched Countess Euenburg's cheeks
LIDS brooded low over the ewes of Stafnitz and of
Stenovlcs. 1t was an awkward little scene-the
Kings irritation had got the better of him for
the moment What would the kindred of the
exalted Princess have said could they have heard
II The King turned TO Countess Elenburg and
forced smile.
The question Of reproof Is one for YOU Counties" "
he said frIgidlv. And now about the Baroness
No. ] mean ! wanted TO ask II my wishes as to the
tour abroad have been communicated to the Prince
OF Siavna."
The Prince has received them sir He read
them the presence of my messenger and requested
leave TO send his answer writing unless he might
wait on Your Majesty
There are reasons why I had better not see
him Just now. Ask him 10 wrIte-but very soon.
The matter isn't one Tor delay" The King rose
from his seat
Your Majesty still wishes me TO send for Baron
The King reflected for a moment, and answered
His brief word broke up the conference-it had
already lasted longer than suave and reassurng
Dr.. NatChefT would have advised The men went
a.-ay with a smile, ali OF them-the King. Stenovics,
Statntz round-faced Markart-each smiling accord
70 the quality 81 each, Their smiles answering to
Max von Holbrandt 5 shrug OF the shoulders
There are things which bring men 10 what painful
youth taught to call the least common denon-
= H..
match, battle TOO IN some sort. Equally etflca-
cious often, though Il IS to be recorded with
reluctance, Is strong Irritation with no proper
issue obvious.
The matter was grave, vet all the men laughed
The matter was grave. and Countess Ellenburg did
not laugh. Was that what StatnItZ called her
views and her temperament In part. no doubt.
Besides men will laugh at the side-issues of the
gravest affairs Il Is not generally the case with
women Added again 10 this. perhaps Countess
Elenburg knew more or OWNED more. In glaring
diversity there was perhaps Something-an atom
II similarity between her and Sophy-not the
something which refuses, but the something which
couples high conditions with assent. The thou
sandth chance IS TO most men negligible; to most
women Il Is no than the tenth their sense of
mathematical odds IS sorely, and sometimes mag
-lucently, imperfect.
II had flashed across Countess Ellenburg's mind
that maybe Sophy TOO played for a big stake-or
rather lived for Il and SO would die. The men had
thought OF that, them the violent Irritation
had It's obvious end and its passing inconvenience
i might delay the Princes departure for awhile;
i might make his marriage more entirely an affair
of duty and OF State. With this idea they smiled
and shrugged their shoulders; the whole business
came under the head which IL their thoughts
and their confidential conversations they would
stTle JnSenSe
Il was not so with the Countess. Disconnected
by that episode OF Lepage and young Alexis, more
moved by the sudden appearance OF Baroness
Dobrava as factor IN the game, she returned TO
prayer.
What now was the form and matter OF her
PRAYER. The form must go unformulated and the
words uncOniectured. Yet she prayed 50 long that
She must have succeeded II putting good tace on
ie- petitions Without q plausible plea nobody
could have rested on their knees so long. 1t IS
1-olalle that she PRAYED for Others as she prayed
Tor herself-she PRAYED that the Prince OF olaNna
and The Baroness DObraVa might escape tempta-
ton Or that # they fell Again, IL was not tor
her 70 dictate 10 Heaven Heaven had its ways OF
Z Vet p6 all her