Letters from Riversley informed me that my proceedings were approved, though the squire wanted me near him.  We offered entertainments to the students on a vast scale.  The local newspaper spoke of my father as the great Lord Roy.  So it happened that the margravine at Sarkeld heard of us.  Returning from a visit to the prince’s palace, my father told me that he saw an opportunity for our being useful to the prince, who wanted money to work a newly-discovered coal-mine in his narrow dominions, and he suggested that I might induce the squire to supply it; as a last extremity I could advance the money.  Meanwhile he had engaged to accompany the prince in mufti to England to examine into the working of coal-mines, and hire an overseer and workmen to commence operations on the Sarkeld property.  It would be obligatory to entertain him fitly in London.

‘Certainly,’ said I.

’During our absence the margravine will do her best to console you, Richie.  The prince chafes at his poverty.  We give him a display of wealth in England; here we are particularly discreet.  We shall be surer of our ground in time.  I set Dettermain and Newson at work.  I have written for them to hire a furnished mansion for a couple of months, carriages, horses, lacqueys.  But over here we must really be—­goodness me!  I know how hard it is!—­we must hold the reins on ourselves tight.  Baroness Turckems is a most estimable person on the side of her duty.  Why, the Dragon of Wantley sat on its eggs, you may be convinced!  She is a praiseworthy dragon.  The side she presents to us is horny, and not so agreeable.  Talk German when she is on guard.  Further I need not counsel a clever old son.  Counsel me, Richie.  Would it be adviseable to run the prince down to Riversley?—­a Prince!’

‘Oh! decidedly not,’ was my advice.

‘Well, well,’ he assented.

I empowered him to sell out Bank stock.

He wrote word from England of a very successful expedition.  The prince, travelling under the title of Count Delzenburg, had been suitably entertained, received by Lady Wilts, Serena Marchioness of Edbury, Lady Denewdney, Lady Sampleman, and others.  He had visited my grandfather’s mine, and that of Miss Penrhys, and was astounded; had said of me that I wanted but a title to be as brilliant a parti as any in Europe.

The margravine must have received orders from her brother to be civil to me; she sent me an imperious invitation from her villa, and for this fruit of my father’s diplomacy I yielded him up my daintier feelings, my judgement into the bargain.

Snows of early Spring were on the pinewood country I had traversed with Temple.  Ottilia greeted me in health and vivacity.  The margravine led me up to her in the very saloon where Temple, my father, and I had sat after the finale of the statue scene, saying—­

‘Our sea-lieutenant.’

‘It delights me to hear he has turned University student,’ she said; and in English:  ‘You have made friends of your books?’