private with my friend, Mr. Godall?"

"It is only fair," answered the young man. "If you will permit, I

will retire."

"You will be very obliging," said the Colonel.

As soon as the two were alone - "What," said Prince Florizel, "is

the use of this confabulation, Geraldine? I see you are flurried,

whereas my mind is very tranquilly made up. I will see the end of

this."

"Your Highness," said the Colonel, turning pale; "let me ask you to

consider the importance of your life, not only to your friends, but

to the public interest. 'If not to-night,' said this madman; but

supposing that to-night some irreparable disaster were to overtake

your Highness's person, what, let me ask you, what would be my

despair, and what the concern and disaster of a great nation?"

"I will see the end of this," repeated the Prince in his most

deliberate tones; "and have the kindness, Colonel Geraldine, to

remember and respect your word of honour as a gentleman. Under no

circumstances, recollect, nor without my special authority, are you

to betray the incognito under which I choose to go abroad. These

were my commands, which I now reiterate. And now," he added, "let

me ask you to call for the bill."

Colonel Geraldine bowed in submission; but he had a very white face

as he summoned the young man of the cream tarts, and issued his

directions to the waiter. The Prince preserved his undisturbed

demeanour, and described a Palais Royal farce to the young suicide

with great humour and gusto. He avoided the Colonel's appealing

looks without ostentation, and selected another cheroot with more

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