mysterious gentleman who seems to have met with his death so
unexpectedly--he, too, may have been the victim of a cause,
knowing his dangers, facing them as a man should face them."

The Duchess sighed.

"I am quite sure, Prince," she said, "that you are a romanticist.
But, apart from the sentimental side of it, do things like this
happen in your country?"

"Why not?" the Prince answered. "It is as I have been saying: for
a worthy cause, or a cause which he believed to be worthy, there
is no man of my country worthy of the name who would not accept
death with the same resignation that he lays his head upon the
pillow and waits for sleep."

Sir Charles raised his glass and bowed across the table.

"To our great allies!" he said, smiling.

The Prince drank his glass of water thoughtfully. He drank wine
only on very rare occasions, and then under compulsion. He turned
to the Duchess.

"A few days ago," he said, "I heard myself described as being
much too serious a person. Tonight I am afraid that I am living
up to my reputation. Our conversation seems to have drifted into
somewhat gloomy channels. We must ask Miss Morse, I think, to
help us to forget. They say," he continued, "that it is the young
ladies of your country who hold open the gates of Paradise for