spirits and perpetual chatter concerning the champions of this or that
race or match, bored him infinitely, and he was at no pains to disguise
his boredom. During the last year he seemed to have grown up suddenly
into full manhood,--he had begun to assert his privileges as Heir-
Apparent, and to enjoy the freedom his position allowed him. Yet the
manner of his enjoyment was somewhat singular for a young man who
formed a central figure in the circle of the land's Royalty,--he cared
nothing at all for the amusements and dissipations of the time; he
merely showed an abnormal love of solitude, which was highly
unflattering to fashionable society. It was on this subject that the
King had decided to speak with him,--and he watched him with closer
attention than usual on this particular evening when his habit of
absenting himself all day in his yacht had again excited comment. It
was easy to see that the Prince had been annoyed by the message Sir
Roger de Launay had conveyed to him on his arrival home,--a message to
the effect that, as soon as dinner was concluded, he was required to
attend his Majesty in private; and all through the stately and formal
repast, his evident irritation and impatience cast a shadow of vague
embarrassment over the royal party,--with the exception of the princes
Rupert and Cyprian, who were never embarrassed by anything, and who
were more apt to be amused than disquieted by the vexation of others.
Welcome relief was at last given by the serving of coffee,--and the
Queen and all her ladies adjourned to their own apartments. With their
departure the rest of the circle soon dispersed, there being no special
guests present; and at a sign from De Launay, Prince Humphry
reluctantly followed his father into a small private smoking-room
adjacent to the open loggia, where the equerry, bowing low, left the
two together.

For a moment the King kept silence, while he chose a cigar from the