At this moment Mr. Montague himself was announced, and, without waiting to enquire of grandpapa whether I might do so, I asked him boldly of what nature was his new enterprise.
CHAPTER X.
THE CRUSADE.
"I will tell you with great pleasure, dear Miss Dolphin," he said, in his sad, rather sweet voice.
He sat down, stroked his clean-shaven chin, drew up his trousers that their elegant appearance might not be spoiled by his sharp, thin knees, and then spoke:
"Your brother and I are engaged in a crusade. Is not that the word, Mr. Dolphin?"
"As good as any other," said my grandpapa.
"Better than any other. You have doubtless heard of Monte Carlo, Miss Dolphin? It is a plague-spot on the fair face of France. God made the Riviera; man is responsible for Monte Carlo. The Prince of Monaco is the landlord, so I understand; the Prince of Darkness is the tenant. Miss Dolphin, it is often necessary to fight the Devil with his own weapons. We are going to Monte Carlo with a golden sword. Your brother finds the sword--I wield it."
"In plain English, Martha, Montague's worked out a dead snip----"
"A system, pardon me."