occupying my mind, to recover which was the
second supreme task I proposed to myself-of what. I also was thinking
upon the stroke of five o'clock, I could recollect nothing. I could not
even recollect whether I happened to be looking on sun and waves when she
must have had them full and glorious in her face.

CHAPTER XXV

ON BOARD A YACHT

With the heartiest consent I could give, and a blank cheque, my father
returned to England to hire forthwith a commodious yacht, fitted and
manned. Before going he discoursed of prudence in our expenditure; though
not for the sake of the mere money in hand, which was a trifle, barely
more than the half of my future income; but that the squire, should he by
and by bethink him of inspecting our affairs, might perceive we were not
spendthrifts.

'I promised you a surprise, Richie,' said he, 'and you have had it;
whether at all equal to your expectations is for you to determine. I was
aware of the margravine's intention to bring the princess to these
sea-sands; they are famous on the Continent. It was bruited last Winter
and Spring that she would be here in the season for bathing; so I held it
likely we should meet. We have, you behold. In point of fact, we owe the
good margravine some show of hospitality. The princess has a passion for
tossing on the sea. To her a yacht is a thing dropped from the moon. His
Highness the prince her father could as soon present her with one as with
the moon itself. The illustrious Serenity's revenue is absorbed, my boy,
in the state he has to support. As for his daughter's dowry, the young
gentleman who anticipates getting one with her, I commend to the practise
of his whistling. It will be among the sums you may count, if you are a
moderate arithmetician, in groschen. The margravine's income I should
reckon to approach twenty thousand per annum, and she proves her
honourable sense that she holds it in trust for others by dispersing it
rapidly. I fear she loves cards. So, then, I shall go and hire the yacht
through Dettermain and Newson, furnish it with piano and swing-cot, etc.;
and if the ladies shrink from a cruise they can have an occasional sail.
Here are we at their service. I shall be seriously baffled by fortune if
I am not back to you at the end of a week. You will take your early
morning walk, I presume. On Sunday see that our chaplain, the excellent
Mr. Peterborough, officiates for the assembled Protestants of all
nations. It excites o