"But for you, I see, nothing is impossible," observed the Prince.
"Very few things, Your Highness," agreed Tellier, modestly. "In this case I had but to speak a single word," and he paused with an air of triumph.
"Wonderful!" cried the Prince, and clapped his hands softly. "Some day I must get you to teach me that word. It must be very useful. Well, what next?"
"An hour's rest," Tellier continued, "and I was myself again. I soon made the acquaintance of a chamber-maid—a girl who keeps her eyes open—and I learned many things—"
"It was not to tell me them that you came here, I trust," interposed the
Prince. "I care little for backstairs gossip."
"Oh, not at all! As Your Highness says, they would, most probably, not interest you. But to one in my profession, no fact is uninteresting; no occurrence is too trivial to be noticed."
"Well, get on to your story, then," said the Prince, with some impatience.
"Just after luncheon today, Your Highness walked on the beach," said
Tellier, "accompanied by the dog yonder."
Jax growled softly as he caught the Frenchman's eye, which pleased him no more than it had Glück.
"That is true," agreed the Prince. "What of it?"