II

hatiftheyfleditwouldhavetobeonbicycles,shehadpretendedarenewedpassionforit,ridingeverydayroundandroundacircleofwhichthechilledandastonishedCountessDisthal,whosedutyitwastostandandwatch,hadbeenthedisgustedcentralpoint.ButthecobblesofKunitzareverydifferentfromthosesmoothplacesinthepark.AllwhobicycleroundKunitzknowthemastryingtothemostskilful.Naturally,then,thefugitivesadvancedveryslowly,Fritzing'sheartinhismoutheachtimetheypassedabrightly-litshoporapersonwholookedatthem.Conceivehownearlythispoorheartmusthavejumpedrightoutofhismouth,leavinghimdead,whenapolicemanwhohadbeenwatchingthemstrodesuddenlyintothemiddleofthestreet,putuphishand,andsaid,"Halt." Fritzing,unstrungman,receivedashocksoawfulthatheobeyedbyfallingoff.Priscilla,whollyunusedtobeingtoldtohaltandabsorbedbythedifficultiesoftheway,didnotgraspthattheorderwasmeantforherandrodepainfullyon.Seeingthis,thepolicemanverygallantlyremovedherfromherbicyclebyputtinghisarmsroundherandliftingheroff.Hesetherquitegentlyonherfeet,andwasaltogetheracharmingpoliceman,asunlikethosegrimandghastlyeyesofthelawthatglareupanddownthestreetsof,say,Berlin,asitispossibletoimagine. ButPriscillawasperfectlymoltenwithrage,insultedasshehadneverbeeninherlife."Howdareyou—howdareyou,"shestammered,suffocatingandforgettingeverythingbutanoverwhelmingdesiretoboxthegiant'searsshehadactuallyraisedherhandtodoit,whichwouldofcoursehavebeentheruinofherplanandtheendofmytale,whenFritzing,recoveringhispresenceofmind,criedoutintonesofunmistakableagony,"Niece,becalm." Shecalmedatoncetoacalmoffrozenhorror. "Now,sir,"saidFritzing,assuminganairofbriskbraveryandguiltlessness,"whatcanwedoforyou?" "Lightyourlamps,"saidthepoliceman,laconically. TheydidorratherFritzingdid,whilePriscillastoodpassive. "Itoohaveaniece,"saidthepoliceman,watchingFritzingatwork"butIlightnolampsforher.Oneshouldnotwaitonone'sniece.One'snieceshouldwaitonone." Fritzingdidnotanswer.Hefinishedlightingthelamps,andthenheldPriscilla'sbicycleandstartedher. "Ineverdidthatformyniece,"saidthepoliceman. "Confoundyourniece,sir,"wasonthetipofFritzing'stonguebuthegulpeditdown,andremarkinginsteadaspleasantlyashecouldthatbeinganuncledidnotnecessarilypreventyourbeingagentleman,pickeduphisbicycleandfollowedPriscilla. Thepolicemanshookhisheadastheydisappearedroundthecorner."Onedoesnotlightlampsforone'sniece,"herepeatedtohimself."It'sagainstnature.Consequently,thoughthepepperyFr?uleinmaywellbesomebody'sniecesheisnothis." "Oh,"murmuredPriscilla,aftertheyhadriddensomewaywithoutspeaking,"I'mdeterioratingalready.ForthefirsttimeinmylifeI'vewantedtoboxpeople'sears." "Theprovocationwasgreat,ma'am,"saidFritzing,himselfshatteredbythespectacleofhisPrincessbeingliftedaboutbyapoliceman. "Doyouthink—"Priscillahesitated,andlookedathim.Herbicycleimmediatelyhesitatedtoo,andswervingacrosstheroadtaughtheritwouldhavenothinglookedatexceptitshandles."Doyouthink,"shewenton,aftershehadgotherselfstraightagain,"thatthewayI'mgoingtolivenowwillmakemewanttodoitoften?" "Heavenforbid,ma'am.Youarenowgoingtoliveamostnoblelife—theonlyfittinglifeforthethoughtfulandtheearnest.Itwillbe,onceyouaresettled,farmoreshelteredfromcontactwiththatwhichstirsignobleimpulsesthananythingyourGrandDucalHighnesshashithertoknown." "Ifyoumeanpolicemenbythingsthatstirignobleimpulses,"saidPriscilla,"Iwasshelteredenoughfromthembefore.Why,Ineverspoketoone.Muchless"—sheshuddered—"muchlessevertouchedone." "Ma'am,youdonotrepent?" "Heavens,no,"saidPriscilla,pressingonward. OutsideRühl,aboutahundredyardsbeforeitshousesbegin,thereisapondbythewayside.Intothis,afterwaitingamomentpeeringupanddownthedarkroadtoseewhetheranybodywaslooking,Fritzinghurledthebicycles.Heknewthepondwasdeep,forhehadstudieditthedayheboughtPriscilla'soutfitandthetwobicyclesoneaftertheotherwerehurledremorselyintothemiddleofit,disappearingeachinitst