314 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



trophies and kit to the railway Hne met with no 

 response. At last, aided by Ali Ghirik, who acted as 

 interpreter, since the Prince was better at Russian 

 than anything, I fixed the next day as our time hmit, 

 and informed our host, who was very distrait and 

 jumpy, the result of smoking a fat cigar of the purest 

 El Cabbagio variety before breakfast, of our intentions. 



" You may go," he said, with brutal frankness. 

 " You may go, but she must stay. I keep her here," 

 he went on calmly, " until she promises to marry me." 



" How to goodness can she do that," I answered 

 crossly, " when she is married already ? " 



" She says so, I know, but what matter ? And 

 where is he ? Where is her husband ? " 



" We purposely left him behind," I replied loftily. 



" I do not understand," he said, very uneasily. 

 " In my country a husband does not allow his wife 

 to travel alone." 



" That is because you haven't got a Daily Mail 

 to arrange things for you. All the blame of this affair 

 is attributable to the Editor of The Daily Mail. He 

 said it was highly advisable for husbands and wives to 

 take their holidays apart, and Cecily wanted to try if 

 he was right, and of course he wasn't ! And there 

 it is." 



There it just was ! For our Prince had let love run 

 away with his wits like an Antony or a Romeo, 

 instead of trying to keep a Henry V in his heart. 

 It was his misfortune that Fate had conspired to make 

 all things too easy for him. I do not think I like the 

 man who has no cross to bear — nor the woman either. 



