Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-05-19

II
murmured. "It is too distressing-too
humiliating."
| Virginia picked up q crumpled tele-
graph form and began to read the mes
sage, whicl was dated London and
written in English:
Some one making inquiries here about
the Mowbrays. Beg to advise you to ox-
plain all at at once or leave kronburg TO
avoid almost certain complications.
| LAMBERT.
| Lady Lambert was the wife of the
ex.ambassador to the court Of Rhaetia
from Great Britain.
The princess finished in silence.
isn't it hideous?' asked the grand
duchess. ITO think that you and |
should have deliberately placed or
selves in such position! We are to
run away, like detected adventuresses,
unless-unless you are now ready to
tell the emperor ALL
NO." said Virginia hopelessly.
what! Not yet? oh, my dear. then
you must bring matters to a crisis
instantly-tonight even. It's evident
that some enemy, perhaps some ieal-
Gus person. has been at work behind
our backs. 1t is for you to turn the
tables upon him, and there isn't an
hour to waste. From the first you
meant to make some dramatic revela-
ton. Now the time has come"
"Ah, meant-I meant" echoed Viz
ginia, with a sob breaking the ice In
her voice Nothing has turned out
as l meant. You were right, dear;
was wrong. We ought never to have
come to Rhaetia."
The grand duchess grew paler than
before. She had been vaguely dis
tressed. Now she was sharply alarm.
ed. II Virginia admitted that this
great adventure should never have
been undertaken, then indeed the earth
must be quaking under their feet.
Ought MOTTO have Gomez she re-
peated piteously. What dreadful
thing has happened?"
The princess stood with bent head.
"Its hard to tell" she said, "harder
almost than anything I ever had to do.
But it must be done. Everything's at
an end. dear"
"What-you've told him, and he has
refused to forgive?"
'He knows nothing"
"For heavens sake, don't keep me
IN suspensew
Virgina's lips were dry. "He ask
sd me to he his wife," she said. "Oh,
wait-wait! Don't look happy You
don't understand, and didn't at first.
He had to explain, and he put the
thing as little Extensively as he could.
Oh, mother, he thinks me only good
enough to be his morganatic wife!'
The storm had burst at last, and the
princess fell on her knees by the sofa,
where, burying her face in her moth
er's lap, she sobbed rs IL parting with
her youth.
There had always been mental and
temperamentul barriers between the
Dresden china lady and her daughter,
but they loved each other, and never
had the girl been so dear to her moth
er as now. The grand duchess thought
Of the summer day when Virginia had
knet beside her. saying, I'VE are go
ing to have an adventure, you and H.
Alas, the adventure was over, and
summer and hope were dead. Tears
fpa i,1nI I'm tbn mnthDr'S Poor
little Virginia, so young. SO ineXperi-
enced and, in spite Of her self will and
recklessness, so sweet and loving with.
al.
But, dear, you are making the
worst Of things" the grand duchess
said soothingly, her hand on the girls
bright hair. why, instead Of crying
you ought to be smiling. | think. Leo
pold must love you desperately or he
would never have proposed marriage,
even morganatic marriage. Just ut
first the idea must have shocked you,
knowing who you are. But, remember,
If you were Miss Mowbray it would
have been triumph. Many women Of
high position have married royalty
morganatically, and every one has re-
spected them. You seem to forget that
the emperor knows you only as Helen
Mowbray."
HE ought to have known that Helen
Mowbray was not the girl to consent
no. not more easily than Virginia of
Baumenburg-Drippe. He should have
understood without telling that to a
girl with Anglo-Saxon blood in her
veins such an offer would be like Il
blow over the heart"
How should he understand it? He
is Rhaetian His point of view
His point of view to me is terrible.
Oh, mother. it's useless to argue. Ev-
erything is spoiled. or course If he
knew was Princess Virginia he would
be sorry for what he had proposed,
even II he thought I'd brought ii on
myself. But then 1t would be- too late.
Don't you understand? i valued his
love because it was given to me, not
the princess. If he said, Now | know
you | can offer my right hand instead
Of my left to you as my wife, that
would not be the same thing at all.
No; there's nothing left but 10 go home,
and the emperor of Rhaetia must be
told that Virginia of Baumenburg-
Drippe has decided not to marry. That
will be our one revenge. but Il pitifui
one, since he'll never know that the
princess who refuses his right hand
and the Helen Mowbray who wouldn't
take his left are one and the same.