"Digestion!" the Duchess murmured. "But then, you soldiers lead
such irregular lives."

"Not always from choice," the General reminded her. "The
Russo-Japanese war finished me off. They kept us far enough away
from the fighting, when they could, but, by Jove, they did make
us move!"

"We are waiting now for Prince Maiyo," the Duchess remarked. "You
know him?"

"Know him!" the General answered. "Duchess, if ever I have to
write my memoirs, and particularly my reminiscences of this war,
I fancy you would find the name of your friend appear there
pretty frequently. There wasn't a more brilliant feat of arms in
the whole campaign than his flanking movement at Mukden. I met
most of the Japanese leaders, and I have always said that I
consider him the most wonderful of them all."

The Duchess turned to Penelope.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Penelope smiled.

"The Fates are against me," she declared. "If I may not like, I
shall at least be driven to admire."

"To talk of bravery when one speaks of that war," the General