“Ah, I see.” Cyril turned frankly to Mr Hicks. “You must understand, monsieur, that I make no complaints against Dr Gregorescu, but--and I say this to his face--I am not altogether satisfied with his arrangements. I can quite believe that it was advisable to remove from my brother’s house, since my enemies had tracked me there, and I only escaped assassination by a secret and hasty departure, but I do not care for the situation of this place. It is isolated--exposed. I have the sensation of being set up to be shot at. Moreover, I understand that the doctor intends to take other patients, which is a very different thing from being my private physician, as I intended when I placed myself under his care. Hence I should not refuse to consider--merely to consider--proposals for a change.” “Count, you are colossal!” was the exclamation Mr Hicks only just restrained himself from uttering. He looked inquiringly at the doctor. “His Highness’s remarks compel me to enter upon a rather awkward subject,” was the response. “The money entrusted to me for his Highness’s support by--the lady I mentioned to you, monsieur, is--is very nearly exhausted, and----” “And you think his Highness’s friends might prefer to make their own arrangements in future?” asked Mr Hicks. “Quite so.” “Oh, monsieur, why should we continue this farce?” cried the doctor excitedly. “I see you have no doubt that my patient is in reality your friend, Count Mortimer----” Cyril bowed smilingly. “You are very kind, to endow me with a new name,” he said. “And nothing would please me better than to resign him to your care at once,” the doctor went on; “but how could I reconcile it with my conscience? You have no authority--you are not a relation. If he had even recognised you”--his little black eyes were on Cyril’s face--“but I cannot surrender him to a stranger.” “That is so,” agreed Mr Hicks, wondering what this portended. “If only you could bring his wife here; but you say she is dangerously ill at Vindobona----” Mr Hicks saw Cyril start slightly, very slightly, and interposed hastily. “Not dangerously ill, doctor; you mistook me. In fact, when she hears I have found her husband, I think she will be well at once. As you say, the best thing will be to bring her here. But she could scarcely arrive in less than a week, for she must travel slowly.” “If his Excellency will continue to put up with our poor quarters here for that time----” “By all means,” said Cyril, with a whimsical smile. “But you place me in a curious position, gentlemen. You propose to bring a charming lady--of course she is charming--who is good enough to say that she is my wife, to take care of me. Well and good; the lady and I can but see one another, and the decision will lie with her, naturally. The state of affairs is quite interesting.”