“The Princess is quite a famous personage,” Mr. Mangan remarked, “one of the richest widows in Europe.  Her husband was killed in a duel some six or seven years ago.”

Dominey ordered the luncheon with care, slipping into a word or two of German once to assist the waiter, who spoke English with difficulty.  His companion smiled.

“I see that you have not forgotten your languages out there in the wilds.”

“I had no chance to,” Dominey answered.  “I spent five years on the borders of German East Africa, and I traded with some of the fellows there regularly.”

“By the by,” Mr. Mangan enquired, “what sort of terms are we on with the Germans out there?”

“Excellent, I should think,” was the careless reply.  “I never had any trouble.”

“Of course,” the lawyer continued, “this will all be new to you, but during the last few years Englishmen have become divided into two classes—­the people who believe that the Germans wish to go to war and crush us, and those who don’t.”

“Then since my return the number of the ‘don’ts’ has been increased by one.”

“I am amongst the doubtfuls myself,” Mr. Mangan remarked.  “All the same, I can’t quite see what Germany wants with such an immense army, and why she is continually adding to her fleet.”

Dominey paused for a moment to discuss the matter of a sauce with the head waiter.  He returned to the subject a few minutes later on, however.

“Of course,” he pointed out, “my opinions can only come from a study of the newspapers and from conversations with such Germans as I have met out in Africa, but so far as her army is concerned, I should have said that Russia and France were responsible for that, and the more powerful it is, the less chance of any European conflagration.  Russia might at any time come to the conclusion that a war is her only salvation against a revolution, and you know the feeling in France about Alsace-Lorraine as well as I do.  The Germans themselves say that there is more interest in military matters and more progress being made in Russia to-day than ever before.”

“I have no doubt that you are right,” agreed Mr. Mangan.  “It is a matter which is being a great deal discussed just now, however.  Let us speak of your personal plans.  What do you intend to do for the next few weeks, say?  Have you been to see any of your relatives yet?”

“Not one,” Dominey replied.  “I am afraid that I am not altogether keen about making advances.”

Mr. Mangan coughed.  “You must remember that during the period of your last residence in London,” he said, “you were in a state of chronic impecuniosity.  No doubt that rather affected the attitude of some of those who would otherwise have been more friendly.”

“I should be perfectly content never to see one of them again,” declared Dominey, with perfect truth.

“That, of course, is impossible,” the lawyer protested.  “You must go and see the Duchess, at any rate.  She was always your champion.”