The Master of the Horse regained his feet at once.

"Your Highness," he said, "may I be excused in my attendance this

afternoon? I dare not, as an honourable man, venture a second time

into that fatal house until I have perfectly ordered my affairs.

Your Highness shall meet, I promise him, with no more opposition

from the most devoted and grateful of his servants."

"My dear Geraldine," returned Prince Florizel, "I always regret

when you oblige me to remember my rank. Dispose of your day as you

think fit, but be here before eleven in the same disguise."

The club, on this second evening, was not so fully attended; and

when Geraldine and the Prince arrived, there were not above half-a-

dozen persons in the smoking-room. His Highness took the President

aside and congratulated him warmly on the demise of Mr. Malthus.

"I like," he said, "to meet with capacity, and certainly find much

of it in you. Your profession is of a very delicate nature, but I

see you are well qualified to conduct it with success and secrecy."

The President was somewhat affected by these compliments from one

of his Highness's superior bearing. He acknowledged them almost

with humility.

"Poor Malthy!" he added, "I shall hardly know the club without him.

The most of my patrons are boys, sir, and poetical boys, who are

not much company for me. Not but what Malthy had some poetry, too;

but it was of a kind that I could understand."

"I can readily imagine you should find yourself in sympathy with

Mr. Malthus," returned the Prince. "He struck me as a man of a

very original disposition."

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