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Kunitzmeanwhilewaskeepingstrangelyquiet.Notabreath,notawhisper,hadreachedthenewspapersfromthatafflictedlittletownofthedreadfulthingthathadhappenedtoit.ItwillberememberedthatthePrincessranawayonaMonday,arrivedatBaker'sinthesmallhoursofWednesdaymorning,andhadnowspentbothWednesdayandThursdayinSymford.Therehad,then,beenampletimeforEuropetoreceiveinitsstartledearsthenewsofherflightyetEurope,judgingfromitssilence,knewnothingatallaboutit.InMineheadontheThursdayeveningFritzingboughtpapers,nolongeritistruewiththefrenzyhehaddisplayedatDoverwheneverymomentseemedpackedwithperil,butstillwitheagernessandnotapapermentionedKunitz.OntheSaturdayhedidfindthelaconicinformationintheLondonpaperhehadorderedtobesenthimeverydaythattheGrandDukeofLothen-KunitzwhowasshootinginEastPrussiahadbeenjoinedtherebythatPrince—Iwillnotrevealhisaugustname—whohadsobadlywantedtomarryPriscilla.AndontheSunday—itwasofcoursethepaperpublishedinLondononSaturday—hereadthatthePrincessPriscillaofLothen-Kunitz,thesecondandonlyunmarrieddaughteroftheGrandDuke,wasconfinedtoherbedbyasharpattackofinfluenza.Afterthattherewasuttersilence.FritzingshowedPriscillatheparagraphaboutherinfluenza,andshewasatfirstverymerryoverit.Theeasewithwhichaprincesscanshakeoffherfettersthemomentsheseriouslytriestosurprisedher,andamusedhertoo,foralittle.ItsurprisedFritzing,butwithoutamusinghim,forhewasamanwhowasneveramused.Indeed,IamunabletorecallanysingleoccasiononwhichIsawhimsmile.Otheremotionsshookhimvigorouslyasweknow,butlaughternevervisitedhimwithitspleasantticklingsundertheribsitslunkawayabashedbeforeatasksoawful,andlefthimathishappiesttoamoodofmildcontentment."YourRoyalParent,"heremarkedtoPriscilla,"haschosenthatwhichiseverthebetterpartofvalour,andishushingtheincidentup." "Heneverlovedme,"saidPriscilla,wistfully.Onthinkingitovershewasnotquitesurethatshelikedbeingallowedtorunawaysoeasily.Didnobodycare,then,whatbecameofher?Wassheofpositivelynovalueatall?Runningawayisallverywell,butyourpridedemandsthatthoserunnedfromshallatleastshowsomesignofnotlikingit,makesomeeffort,howeverhumble,tofetchyouback.Iftheydonot,iftheyremainperfectlyquiescentandresigned,notevensendingforthawailthatshallbeaudible,youarenaturallyextremelycrushed."Myfather,"saidPriscillabitterly,"doesn'tcareabit.He'llgiveoutI'mdangerouslyill,andthenyou'llsee,Fritzi—Ishalleitherdie,orbesentawayforaninterminableyachtingcruisewiththeCountess.Andsodustwillbethrowninpeople'seyes.Myfatherisverygoodatthat,andtheCountessisaperfectgenius.You'llsee." ButFritzingneversaw,fortherewasnomorementionatalleitherofKunitzorofinfluenza.AndjustthenhewassomuchtakenupbyhiseffortstogetintothecottagesasquicklyaspossiblethatafterapassingfeelingofthankfulnessthattheGrandDukeshouldbeofsuchaconvenientindifferencetohisdaughter'sfateitdroppedfromhismindintheeasyfashioninwhichmattersofimportancealwaysdiddropfromit.Whatwastheuse,brieflyreflectedthisphilosopher,ofworryingaboutwhattheywereorwerenotthinkingatKunitz?Therewouldbetimeenoughforthatwhentheyactuallybegantodosomething.HefeltverysafefromKunitzinthefoldsoftheSomersethills,andasthedayspassedcalmlybyhefeltstillsafer.ButthoughnodangersseemedtothreatenfromwithouttherewerecertaindangerswithinthatmadeitmostdesirableforthemtogetawayfromBaker'sandintotheirownlittlehomewithoutamoment'sunnecessarydelay.Hecouldnotalwaysbewatchinghistongue,andhefoundforinstancethatitp