“How you startle one, Gregorescu!” said Cyril in French, rising and bowing languidly. “This is not the first time I have had to speak to you about your roughness. A man in my unfortunate position has at least the right to expect consideration from his physician. Monsieur,” he turned to Mr Hicks, “pardon the irritability of my nerves. It is difficult for the young”—he waved his hand towards the doctor—“to realise how the knowledge that death may be lurking at any corner tends to unman one. You are an Englishman, I presume? My good doctor will be able to air his linguistic attainments. He is a most accomplished person.”
“No, sir, an American,” said Mr Hicks laconically. “I understood from you just now that you did not speak English?” he added sharply to Dr Gregorescu.
“His Highness is too kind. I speak a few words, just enough to make English people laugh,” was the reply, and another black mark went down against the doctor in Mr Hicks’s mind.
“Mr Hicks is anxious to take your Highness away with him,” the doctor went on.
Cyril raised his eyebrows. “It is really very kind of Mr Hicks, but I don’t quite see why I should go away with him,” he remarked.
“If you remember the conversation we had a day or two ago, Highness——”
“Ah, I see.” Cyril turned frankly to Mr Hicks. “You must understand, monsieur, that I make no complaints against Dr Gregorescu, but—and I say this to his face—I am not altogether satisfied with his arrangements. I can quite believe that it was advisable to remove from my brother’s house, since my enemies had tracked me there, and I only escaped assassination by a secret and hasty departure, but I do not care for the situation of this place. It is isolated—exposed. I have the sensation of being set up to be shot at. Moreover, I understand that the doctor intends to take other patients, which is a very different thing from being my private physician, as I intended when I placed myself under his care. Hence I should not refuse to consider—merely to consider—proposals for a change.”
“Count, you are colossal!” was the exclamation Mr Hicks only just restrained himself from uttering. He looked inquiringly at the doctor.
“His Highness’s remarks compel me to enter upon a rather awkward subject,” was the response. “The money entrusted to me for his Highness’s support by—the lady I mentioned to you, monsieur, is—is very nearly exhausted, and——”
“And you think his Highness’s friends might prefer to make their own arrangements in future?” asked Mr Hicks. “Quite so.”