hat I had attained, for lack
of any rival, to that lonely and that inevitable eminence?'

'Come, you are only laughing at me. I know what I meant myself.'

'Oh, but please don't explain. It is quite delightful as it is.'

They were now under the lights of the windows in Seagate Hall, and only
just in time to dress for dinner.

CHAPTER XXI

MORGIANA

Sir Rupert took the Duchess of Deptford in to dinner. The Duke was
expected in a day or two, but just at present was looking after racing
schooners at Ryde and Cowes. Ericson had the great satisfaction of
having Helena Langley, as the hostess, assigned to him. An exiled
Dictator takes almost the rank of an exiled king, and Ericson was
delighted with his rank and its one particular privilege just now. He
was not in a mood to talk to anybody else, or to be happy with anybody
but Helena. To him now all was dross that was not Helena, as to Faust in
Marlowe's play. Soame Rivers had charge of Mrs. Sarrasin. Professor
Flick was permitted to escort Miss Paulo. Hamilton and Mr. Andrew J.
Copping went in without companionship of woman. The dinner was but a
small one, and without much of ceremonial.

'One thing I miss here,' the Dictator said to Helena as they sat down,
'I miss To-to.'

'I generally bring him down with me,' Helena said. 'But this time I
haven't done so. Be comforted, however; he comes down to-morrow.'

'I never quite know how he understands his position in this household.
He conducts himself as if he were your personal property. But he is
actually Sir Rupert's dog, is he not?'

'Yes,' Helena answered; 'but it is all quite clear. To-to knows that he
belongs to Sir Rupert, but he is satisfied in his own mind that _I_
belong to _him_.'

'I see,' the Dictator said with a smile. 'I quite understand the
situation now. There is no divided duty.'

'Oh, no, not in the least. All our positions are marked out.'

'Is it true, Sir Rupert,' asked the Duchess, 'that our friend,' and she
nodded towards Ericson, 'is going to make an attempt to recover his
Republic?'

'I should rather be inclined to put it,' Sir Rupert said, 'that if there
is any truth in the rumours one reads about, he is going to try to save
his Republic. But why not ask him, Duchess?'

'He might think it so rude and presuming,' the pretty Duchess objected.

'No, no; he is much too gallant a gentleman to think anything you do
could be rude and presuming.'

'Then I'll ask him right away,'