"Tell me," I said. "How did you know I kissed her, that night?"
"I saw it."
"The Dev--! Oh!" I exclaimed. I was brave no longer. I got
interested in the opera. Presently, I ventured to glance at Dehra--she
was laughing behind her fan. Then I ventured again.
"I hope," said I, "I did it nicely."
"Most artistically, my dear Armand. Escamillo, yonder, could not do it
more cleverly."
I winced. It is not especially flattering to an Archduke to be classed
with a toreador--and Carmen's toreador, least of all. Yet, I
recognized the justice of the punishment. Bravery had failed twice; it
was time to be humble.
"I am sorry, Dehra," I said.
"Of course you are, sir, very sorry--that I saw you.--And so was I,"
she added.
"Was?" I echoed.
"It gave me _un mauvais quart d'heure_."
"No longer than that?" tasked.
"No; it lasted only until I had you to myself on the terrace, a little
later."
"And then?" I queried.
"Then? Then I was no longer jealous of the Lady Helen. Your eyes told
me there was no need."
"There never has been anyone but you, my darling," I whispered.
"And never will be, Armand?" she asked.
"Please God, never," I said; and, forgetting where we were, I made as
though to take her hand.
"Not now," she smiled. "Wait until after the Opera."
"It will be a longer wait than that," I said regretfully. "I have told
Courtney I would invite the Radnors and him to take supper with me on
the Hanging Garden, to-night."
"Why don't you say 'take supper with _us_'?"
"You mean it, Dehra?" I asked in surprise. "You have always refused,
hitherto; and I have asked so often."
She smiled. "Hitherto was different from now," she said.
"Thank God for the now," I added.
"We might bid them here for the last act," she suggested.
"I have presumed to hint as much to Courtney," I said; and told her how
it had all come about in my talk with him that morning.
"Delightful!" she exclaimed. "And we will have a jolly party on the
Garden--and let us be just like ordinary folk and have a public
table--only, a little apart, of course."
"It shall be as you want," I said, and dispatched Major Moore to the
Radnor Box with the invitation.
When he returned, I stepped into the corridor and gave him explicit
instructions as to the supper. I had encouraged both him and Bernheim
to intimate when I was about to make an Archducal _faux pas_, and I saw
he did not approve of the public table. But I gave no heed. I knew
perfectly well it was violating official etiquette for the Princess to
appear there at such an hour; but it was her first request since--well,
since what had occurred a few minutes before--and I was determined to
gratify her. And Moore, being a good courtier, and knowing I had
observed his warning, made no further protest, but saluted and departed
on his mission.
When I rejoined Dehra she had moved forward and was looking over the
audience.
"I have found an ex-compatriot of yours," she remarked.
"Yes?" I said, rather indifferently.
"She has just come into the third box on the right. She is wonderfully
beautiful--or, at least, she looks it from here."
"I've got someone wonderfully beautiful beside me," I answered.
"But have you no interest in the American?" she asked.
"None--except that she interests you. In the third box, did you say?"
I asked, turning slowly toward it.
"Why, Armand, you know her!" said Dehra, suddenly.
Trust a woman to read a man's face.
"Yes," said I, "I have seen her before to-night."