“Strange people—strange people!”
“It is indeed a strange world, madam,” the fiddler replied; and he then inquired of the Princess whether he might have a little conversation with her in private.
She looked about her, embarrassed and smiling. “My dear sir, I have only this one room to receive in. We live in a very small way.”
“Yes, your excellency is laughing at me. Your ideas are very large, too. However, I would gladly come at any other time that might suit you.”
“You impute to me higher spirits than I possess. Why should I be so gay?” the Princess asked. “I should be delighted to see you again. I am extremely curious as to what you may have to say to me. I would even meet you anywhere—in Kensington Gardens or the British Museum.”
The fiddler looked at her a moment before replying; then, with his white old face flushing a little, he exclaimed, “Poor dear little Hyacinth!”
Madame Grandoni made an effort to rise from her chair, but she had sunk so low that at first it was not successful. Mr Vetch gave her his hand, to help her, and she slowly erected herself, keeping hold of him for a moment after she stood there. “What did she tell me? That you are a great musician? Isn’t that enough for any man? You ought to be content, my dear gentleman. It has sufficed for people whom I don’t believe you surpass.”
“I don’t surpass any one,” said poor Mr Vetch. “I don’t know what you take me for.”
“You are not a conspirator, then? You are not an assassin? It surprises me, but so much the better. In this house one can never know. It is not a good house, and if you are a respectable person it is a pity you should come here. Yes, she is very gay, and I am very sad. I don’t know how it will end. After me, I hope. The world is not good, certainly; but God alone can make it better.” And as the fiddler expressed the hope that he was not the cause of her leaving the room, she went on, “Doch, doch, you are the cause; but why not you as well as another? I am always leaving it for some one or for some thing, and I would sooner do so for an honest man, if you are one—but, as I say, who can tell?—than for a destroyer. I wander about. I have no rest. I have, however, a very nice room, the best in the house. Me, at least, she does not treat ill. It looks to-day like the end of all things. If you would turn your climate the other side up, the rest would do well enough. Good-night to you, whoever you are.”
The old lady shuffled away, in spite of Mr Vetch’s renewed apologies, and the Princess stood before the fire, watching her companions, while he opened the door. “She goes away, she comes back; it doesn’t matter. She thinks it’s a bad house, but she knows it would be worse without her. I remember now,” the Princess added. “Mr Robinson told me that you had been a great democrat in old days, but that now you had ceased to care for the people.”