PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC
The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him,
in an unusually cheerful frame of mind. He talked with more interest
of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any
rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home. Toward the
end of dinner I asked him a question.
"Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
He stared at me for a moment.
"Why, at any of the diplomatic receptions, I suppose," he said, seeing
that I was in earnest. "He is rather a pal of Freddy's. Why don't you
ring up and ask him?"
"I will, the moment after dinner," I answered.
"Why this sudden interest in Orientalism?" Ralph asked curiously.
"Curiously enough, it is apropos of these Deloras," I answered. "I
called to-day, but only found the girl in. The man I saw later with a
Chinaman whom I believe to be the ambassador."
"What is the girl like?" my brother asked.
"Charming!" I answered. "I am writing Aunt Mary to invite her down to
Feltham. The difficulty seems to be to get hold of Delora."
"So you've written Aunt Mary, eh?" Ralph remarked, looking up at
me. "Austen, I believe you're gone on the girl!"
"I believe I am," I admitted equably. "So would you be if you saw
her."
Ralph half closed his eyes for a moment. It was a clumsy speech of
mine!
"Seriously, Austen," he continued, a few moments later, "have you ever
thought of marrying?"
"Equally seriously, Ralph," I answered, "not until I met Felicia
Delora."
"Felicia Delora!" my brother repeated. "It's a pretty name, at any
rate. I suppose I must go and see her myself."
"Wait for a day or two, Ralph," I begged. "She is a little upset just
now. Her uncle seems to be neglecting her for some precious scheme of
his."
"I wonder if, by any chance, you are in earnest, Austen?" my brother
asked.
"I should not be surprised," I admitted.
"It's an interesting subject, you know," Ralph continued gravely.
"Considering my accident, and other things which we need not allude
to, I think we may take it for granted that there's no chance of my
ever having an heir. It's our duty to look ahead a little, you know,
Austen. There isn't any manner of doubt that some time between now and
the next ten years you will have to take up my place. I only hope you
won't make such a hash of it."
"Don't talk rubbish, Ralph!" I answered.
"It isn't rubbish," he said firmly. "You go and talk to my doctor if
you don't believe me. However, I hadn't meant to say anything about
this to-night. Your mentioning the girl put it into my head.
I want you, of course, to know that I am not forgetful of my
responsibilities. Your two thousand a year may do you very well as a
bachelor, but you are heir apparent to the title now, and if you
should think of marrying, the Fakenham estates are yours, and the
house. They bring in between six and seven thousand a year, I
think,--never less."
"It's very good of you, Ralph,--" I began.
"It's nothing of the sort," he answered. "It's your rightful position.
The Fakenham estates have been held by the heir apparent for
generations. Tell me a little about this Miss Delora."
"I'll bring her to see you presently, Ralph," I answered.
"You are in earnest, then?" he remarked, with a smile.
"I believe so," I answered.
He looked at me once more, searchingly.
"There is something on your mind, Austen," he said,--"something
bothering you. I believe it is about these Deloras, too. Is there
something about them which you can't understand, eh?"
"There is, Ralph," I admitted. "You saw what Dicky said. They are
people of consequence in their own country, at any rate, yet over here
the man seems to behave like a hunted criminal."
"Dicky also said," Ralph remarked, "that the man was intrusted with
some business over here for his government. Nasty underhand lot, those
republics of the Southern Hemisphere. I dare say he is driven to be a
bit mysterious to carry the thing through."
"I shall know more about it soon, I hope," I answered. "I'll go and
ring Freddy up, if you don't mind, now."
Ralph nodded.
"I'm off to my room, at any rate, old chap," he said. "Groves is going
abroad for a month's holiday, and he has brought some papers for me to
look through. See you some time to-morrow."
I made my way into the little sitting-room which belonged to the suite
of rooms my brother had placed at my disposal. There I rang up Lord
Frederic Maynard, my first cousin, and a junior member of the
government. The butler told me that Lord Frederic was dining, but
would doubtless speak to me for a moment. In a minute or two I heard
his familiar voice.
"Freddy," I said, "I want to meet the Chinese ambassador."
"Eleven till one to-night here," he answered. "What the devil do you
want with him?"
"Do you mean that he is coming to your house to-night?" I asked.
"Exactly," Freddy answered. "We've a political reception,
semi-diplomatic. I saw our old friend only yesterday, and he reminded
me that he was coming."
"You're a brick, Freddy!" I answered. "I'll be round."
"You have not answered my question," he reminded me.
"I'll tell you later," I answered, and rang off.
I was at Maynard House very soon after eleven, and, after chatting for
a little while with my hostess, I hung around near the entrance,
watching the arrivals. About midnight His Excellency the Chinese
ambassador was announced, and I felt a little thrill of exultation. I
was right! The tall, powerful-looking man whom I saw bowing over my
cousin's hand was indeed the person whom I had seen with Delora a few
hours ago. I ran Freddy to ground, and presently I found myself also
bowing before His Excellency. He regarded me through his horn-rimmed
spectacles with a benign and pleasant expression. I had been in the
East, and I talked for a few moments upon the subjects which I thought
would interest him.
"Your Excellency, I dare say, is well acquainted with London," I
remarked, apropos of something he said.
"I know your great city only indifferently," he answered. "I am
always anxious to take the opportunity of seeing more of it."
"Last evening, for instance," I remarked, "Your Excellency was, I
think, exploring a very interesting neighborhood."
"Last evening," he repeated. "Let me think. No, not last evening,
Captain Rotherby! I was giving a little dinner at my own house."
I looked at him for a moment in silence. There was nothing to be
learned from his expression.
"I thought," I said, "that I saw your Excellency in a street near
Shaftesbury Avenue, leaving a small foreign restaurant,--the Cafe
Universel. Your Excellency was with a man named Delora."
Very slowly the ambassador shook his head.
"Not me!" he said. "Not me! I did dine with the younger members of the
Legation in Langham Place. What name did you say?"
"A man named Delora," I repeated.
Once more the ambassador shook his head, slowly and thoughtfully.
"Delora!" he repeated. "The name is unknown to me. There are many
others of my race in London now," he continued. "The costume, perhaps,
makes one seem like another to those who look and pass by."
I bowed very low. It was the most magnificently told lie to which I
had ever listened in my life! His Excellency smiled at me graciously
as I made my adieux, and passed on. Despite my disappointment, I felt
that I was now becoming profoundly interested in my quest. The
evidence, too, was all in favor of Delora. It seemed, indeed, as
though this undertaking in which he was involved might, after all, be
connected with other things than crime!