excuses yet. Do you know that you were a quarter of an hour
late?"

He bent towards her with troubled face.

"Dear Duchess," he said, "believe me, I am conscious of my fault.
An unexpected matter, which required my personal attention,
presented itself at the last moment. I think I can assure you
that nothing of its sort was ever accomplished so quickly. It
would only weary you if I tried to explain."

"Please don't," the Duchess begged, "so long as you are here at
last. And after all, you see, you are not the worst sinner. Mr.
Vanderpole has not yet arrived."

The Prince walked on, for a few steps, in silence.

"Mr. Vanderpole is a great friend of yours, Duchess?" he asked.

The Duchess shook her head.

"I do not know him very well," she said. "I asked him for
Penelope."

The Prince looked puzzled.

"But I thought," he said, "that Miss Morse and Sir Charles--"

The Duchess interrupted him with a smile.