him was going to raise its
foot and take active measures. But the next, I saw that Sir Charles
was right after all, and that pristine innocence has removed from
this planet to other quarters.

He named his lowest price. "M. Ventvorth," he said, "I am a Tyrolese
seigneur; I do not dabble, myself, in commissions and percentages.
But if your influence with Sir Charles--we understand each other, do
we not?--as between gentlemen--a little friendly present--no money,
of course--but the equivalent of say 5 per cent in jewellery, on
whatever sum above his bid to-day you induce him to
offer--eh?--c'est convenu?"

"Ten per cent is more usual," I murmured.

He was the Austrian hussar again. "Five, monsieur--or nothing!"

I bowed and withdrew. "Well, five then," I answered, "just to oblige
your Serenity."

A secretary, after all, can do a great deal. When it came to the
scratch, I had but little difficulty in persuading Sir Charles, with
Amelia's aid, backed up on either side by Isabel and Cesarine, to
accede to the Count's more reasonable proposal. The Southampton Row
people had possession of certain facts as to the value of the wines
in the Bordeaux market which clinched the matter. In a week or two
all was settled; Charles and I met the Count by appointment in
Southampton Row, and saw him sign, seal, and deliver the title-deeds
of Schloss Lebenstein. My brother-in-law paid the purchase-money
into the Count's own hands, by cheque, crossed on a first-class
London firm where the Count kept an account to his high well-born
order. Then he went away with the proud knowledge that he was owner
of Schloss Lebenstein. And what to me was more important still,
I received next morning by post a cheque for the five per cent,
unfortunately drawn, by some misapprehension, to my order on the
self-same bankers, and with the Count's signature. He explained in
the accompanying note that the matter being now quite satisfactorily
concluded, he saw no reason of delicacy why the amount he had
promised should not be paid to me forthwith direct in money.

I cashed the cheque at once, and said nothing about the affair, not
even to Isabel. My experience is that women are not to be trusted
with intricate matters of commission and brokerage.

Though it was now late in March, and the House was sitting, Charles
insisted that we must all run over at once to take possession of our
magnificent Tyrolese castle. Amelia was almost equally burning with
eag