There was a half-column more of comment and veiled suggestion that perhaps the wisest course for the foreign office to pursue, now that Lord Vernon's guiding hand was for the moment withdrawn, would be to let affairs take their course; though it was difficult to see how this could consistently be done if Prince Frederick succeeded in gaining a formal audience and placing his case before the government. Already, it seemed, the jingo papers were taunting the administration with undue truckling to the wishes of Germany, with a lack of stamina and backbone in short--with something like treachery toward Prince Ferdinand and treason toward the royal family, with which the Prince was distantly allied. Rushford gave a long whistle of astonishment; then he laid the paper on his knees and stared thoughtfully out across the sands for some minutes. "Of course, Markeld has followed Vernon here," he said, at last. "I rather admire his pluck. And I'd like to be present at the interview--it'll be interesting. Why, hello, Pelletan," he added, as the latter approached him humbly, as a slave approaches the Sultan. "Want to speak to me?" "Eef monsieur please," answered the little Frenchman, who was plainly labouring under deep excitement. "All right; what is it?" "Wass monsieur serious in hees command t'at I exclude t'e Prince of Zeit-Zeit?" "Never more serious in my life. He's barred! We take only human beings--not monstrosities. Has he applied?" "Yess, monsieur; he tesires hees old apartment." "Which was that?" "Apartment A, monsieur; he hass always had t'e pest in t'e house when he come here mit' hees fat'er." "Well, apartment A's already taken; even if it were empty, he shouldn't have it. Where's your nerve, Pelletan--here's your chance for revenge!" "But to refuse a Prince!" murmured Pelletan. "Eet iss somet'ing unheard of!" "It will make you famous! It's a big ad for the house! 'The Grand Hôtel Royal refuses to receive the Prince of Zeit-Zeit.' Think what a stir that will make! Besides, you have no choice--I require it!" "Fery well, monsieur," agreed Pelletan, with a gesture of despairing obedience. "T'ere iss one t'ing more--I haf an idea." "That's good; let's have it," said Rushford, encouragingly. "There's nothing like ideas." "Monsieur will remember," began Pelletan, in a voice carefully lowered, "t'at we agreed to touble t'e price of entertainment." "Yes--what of it? Anybody been kicking?" "No--au contraire, monsieur--t'e house iss full--efery leetle room." "You see you don't need Zeit-Zeit; it's quite like the old times, isn't it?" "Yess--only petter, monsieur; far petter. Oh, eet iss wunderschön!" "Well, go ahead; what's the idea?"