"Now, Dimitri, I've given my opinion, and I can tell you, if my master
has, as I suspect, come here about this young lady, and succeeds in
obtaining her, it will be a blessed thing for you and me; for he's as
generous as the day, and has plenty of money. Do you know who she is?"
"To be sure I do; she is an only daughter of the late Prince
Czartorinski, and now a sort of ward under the protection of the
Emperor. She inherits all the estates, except one which was left to
found an hospital at Warsaw, and is a rich heiress. It is supposed the
emperor will bestow her upon one of his generals. She is at the palace,
and a maid of honour to the empress."
"Whew!" whistled McShane; "won't there be a difficulty."
"I should think so," replied the courier, gravely.
"He must run away with her," said McShane, after a pause.
"How will he get to see her?"
"He will not see her, so as to speak with her, in the palace; that is
not the custom here; but he might meet her elsewhere."
"To be sure, at a party or a ball," said McShane.
"No, that would not do; ladies and gentlemen keep very apart here in
general company. He might say a word or two when dancing, but that is
all."
"But how is he to meet her, when, in this cursed place of yours, if men
and women keep at arm's length?"
"That must depend upon her. Tell me, does she love him?"
"Well, now, that's a home question: she never told him she did, and she
never told me, that's certain; but still I've an idea that she does."
"Then all I can say, Macshanovich, is, that your master had better be
very careful what he is about. Of course, he knows not that you have
told me anything; but as soon as he thinks proper to trust me, I then
will do my utmost in his service."
"You speak like a very rational, sensible, intelligent courier," replied
McShane, "and so now let us finish the bottle. Here's good luck to
Captain O'Donahue, alive or dead: and now--please the fleas--I'll be
asleep in less than ten minutes."