nterest, and without a
sign of pleasure. They were there to see the Prince-Regent arrive,
and they did not suffer themselves to be distracted by any preliminary
excitement. Suddenly the indefinable emotion which expresses the
fulfilment of expectation in a waiting crowd passed through the
multitude, and before he realized it March was looking into the friendly
gray-bearded face of the Prince-Regent, for the moment that his carriage
allowed in passing. This came first preceded by four outriders, and
followed by other simple equipages of Bavarian blue, full of highnesses
of all grades. Beside the Regent sat his daughter-in-law, the Princess
Maria, her silvered hair framing a face as plain and good as the
Regent's, if not so intelligent.

He, in virtue of having been born in Wurzburg, is officially supposed
to be specially beloved by his fellow townsmen; and they now testified
their affection as he whirled through their ranks, bowing right and
left, by what passes in Germany for a cheer. It is the word Hoch,
groaned forth from abdominal depths, and dismally prolonged in a hollow
roar like that which the mob makes behind the scenes at the theatre
before bursting in visible tumult on the stage. Then the crowd
dispersed, and March came away wondering why such a kindly-looking
Prince-Regent should not have given them a little longer sight of
himself; after they had waited so patiently for hours to see him. But
doubtless in those countries, he concluded, the art of keeping the
sovereign precious by suffering him to be rarely and briefly seen is
wisely studied.

On his way home he resolved to confess Kenby's presence; and he did so
as soon as he sat down to supper with his wife. "I ought to have told
you the first thing after breakfast. But when I found you in that mood
of having the place all to ourselves, I put it off."

"You took terrible chances, my dear," she said, gravely.

"And I have been terribly punished. You've no idea how much Kenby has
talked to me about Mrs. Adding!"

She broke out laughing. "Well, perhaps you've suffered enough. But you
can see now, can't you, that it would have been awful if I had met him,
and let out that I didn't know he was here?"

"Terrible. But if I had told, it would have spoiled the whole morning
for you; you couldn't have thought of anything else."

"Oh, I don't know," she said, airily. "What should you think if I told
you I had known he was here ever since last night?" She went o