“Age has many privileges, Lord Donal,” she said to him, laughing outright; “but I don’t think you can yet lay claim to any of them. The pose of the prematurely old is not in the least borne out by your appearance, however hardly the girl you met in Washington dealt with you.” “Ah, Princess, it is very easy for you to treat these serious matters lightly. He laughs at scars who never felt a wound. Time, being above all things treacherous, often leaves the face untouched the more effectually to scar the heart. The hurt concealed is ever the more dangerous.” “I fancy it has been concealed so effectually that it is not as deep as you imagined.” “Princess, I will confess to you that the wound at Washington was as nothing to the one received at London.” “Yes; you told me you had been here for a week.” “The week has nothing to do with it. I have been here for a night--for two hours--or three; I have lost count of time since I met you.” What reply the girl might have made to this speech, delivered with all the fervency of a man in thorough earnest, will never be known, for at that moment their _tête-à-tête_ was interrupted by a messenger, who said,-- “His Excellency the Austrian Ambassador begs to be permitted to pay his regards to the Princess von Steinheimer.” Lord Donal Stirling never took his eyes from the face of his companion, and he saw a quick pallor overspread it. He leaned forward and whispered,-- “I know the Ambassador; if you do not wish to meet him, I will intercept him.” Jennie rose slowly to her feet, and, looking at the young man with a calmness she was far from feeling, said coldly,-- “Why should I not wish to meet the Ambassador of my adopted country?” “I know of no reason. Quite the contrary, for he must be an old friend of yours, having been your guest at the Schloss Steinheimer a year ago.” He stepped back as he said this, and Jennie had difficulty in suppressing the gasp of dismay with which she received his disquieting disclosure, but she stood her ground without wincing. She was face to face with the crisis she had foreseen--the coming of one who knew the Princess. Next instant the aged diplomat was bending over her outstretched hand, which in courtly fashion the old man raised to his lips. “I am delighted to have the privilege of welcoming you to this gloomy old city, Princess von Steinheimer, which you illumine with your presence. Do you stay long in London?” “The period of illumination is short, your Excellency. I leave for Paris to-morrow.” “So soon? Without even visiting the Embassy? I am distressed to hear of so speedy a desertion, and yet, knowing the charms of the Schloss Steinheimer, I can hardly wonder at your wish to return there. The Prince, I suppose, is as devoted as ever to the chase. I must censure his Highness, next time we meet, for not coming with you to London; then I am sure you would have stayed longer with us.”