III

TheycrossedfromCalaisintheturbine.TheirquickestroutewouldhavebeenCologne-Ostend-Dover,andeverymomentbeinginfinitelyvaluableFritzingwantedtogothatway,butPriscillawasdeterminedtotrywhetherturbinesarereallyassteadyasshehadheardtheywere.Theturbinewassosteadythatnoonecouldhavetolditwasdoinganythingbutbeingquiescentonsolidearthbutthatwasbecause,asFritzingexplained,therewasadeadcalm,andindeadcalms—briefly,heexplainedtheconductofboatsindeadcalmswithmuchpatience,andPriscillaremarkedwhenhehaddonethattheymightthen,afterall,havecrossedbyOstend. "Wemight,ma'am,andwewouldbeinLondonnowifwehad,"saidFritzing. Theyhad,indeed,lostseveralhoursandsomemoneycomingbyCalais,andFritzinghadlosthistemperaswell. Fritzing,youremember,wassixty,andhadnotclosedhiseyesallnight.Hehadnot,sofarasthatgoes,closedhiseyesfornightswithoutnumberandwhathissoulhadgonethroughduringthosenightswasmorethananysoulnolongerinitsfirstyouthshouldbecalledupontobear.InthetrainbetweenCologneandCalaishehadeven,writhinginhisseat,cursedeverysingleoneofhislong-cherishedideals,calledthemfools,shakenhisfistatthemadreadfulstateofmindtogetto.HedidnotrevealanythingofthistohisdearPrincess,andtalkingtoherontheturbineworetheclearbrowofthephilosopherbuthedidfeelthathewasamuch-triedman,andhebehavedtothemaidAnnaliseexactlyinthewaymuch-triedmendobehavewhentheyhavefoundsomeonetheythinkdefenceless.UnfortunatelyAnnalisewasonlyapparentlydefenceless.Fritzingwouldhaveknownitifhehadbeenmoreusedtorunningaway.Hedid,inhiscalmermoments,dimlyopineit.TheplainfactwasthatAnnaliseheldbothhimandPriscillainthehollowofherhand. Atthispointshehadnotrealizedit.Shestillwasawestruckbyherpromotion,andlookedsosmallandblackanduncertainamonghernewsurroundingsontheturbinethatifnotcleverofhimitwasatleastnaturalthatheshouldaddressherinamannerfamiliartothosewhohavehadtodowithmenwhentheyarebeingtried.Hebehaved,thatis,toAnnalise,ashehadbehavedtohisidealsinthenightheshookhisfistather,andcalledherfool.ItwasbecauseshehadbrokenthePrincess'