CHAPTER IV

When Princess Theresa Leaney came to herself again, all her strength
and energy seemed gone from her. She would not rise, she scarcely
touched her food, and allowed no one to remain near her. In silence her
companion passed through the large mirror-room that adjoined the
ante-room; in silence she returned when her duties were accomplished,
and when she entered the small Gothic apartment which the princess
occupied near the centre of the palace, she was still careful to
observe the same silence. The servants followed her example. This
elderly chaperon of Theresa's had been brought up in a convent, and had
come out into the world with an exaggerated estimate of her
acquirements and position. But ten or fifteen years' experience of the
selfishness and crude egoism of youth had tended to dissipate such
sentiments, and she eventually took a situation as a sort of superior
companion in an aristocratic family. Slights and humiliations were
inevitable in her position, but she bore them in silence, learning, as
she grew older, to put up with many things; she grew reserved and
taciturn, and applied herself diligently to the steady accumulation of
money. With this object in view, she made a point of studying carefully
the characters and habits of those she served, taking care that the
information thus acquired should subsequently be of profit to both
parties. It was her tactful knowledge of the character of the princess
which had on this particular occasion enjoined that strict silence
should be kept.

Suddenly, after the lapse of a few days, there came from the princess's
little Gothic room the curt command, "Pack up," and subsequently this
was followed by the intimation that a long journey was in prospect. A
little later the princess herself appeared. Still silent and languid,
she moved slowly about the rooms, arranged some trivial matters, wrote
a letter or two, and disappeared again. Next day came forth the order,
"This evening at seven o'clock," and punctually at six o'clock she
herself emerged, dressed in black travelling costume, followed by her
maid, also dressed for a journey. The companion stood in readiness,
waiting, before giving the man-servant the final order to close the
luggage, till the princess had bestowed an approving glance on the
contents. She had not as yet ventured to speak to the princess since
the carriage adventure, but now, approaching her casually, sh