The Keepers of the People

1535Althea smiled and said, “For my part, you deserted me, George; you know you did; you got married. Besides, I am a woman now — at least very nearly — and I have — I have — put away childish things, don’t you know? As for Prince Ralph — I’m sure I didn’t know I had deserted you for him — in that way. But if I have, and you’re a judge of these kind of things, it’s very natural.”

1536“How?” said Lord Lisdor.

1537“Well, in England you were most of a man of all the men I met, and I fell in love with you, as much as a child can” — Althea’s “child” was a marvel of mature dignity — “Now, here in Varandaleel, Prince Ralph is most of a man of all the men, so if Ruth and I were to fall in love with him, it would only be natural.”

1538“I see,” said Lord Lisdor. “There’s a good deal in that.”

1539“But of course there is no falling in love. It is only you who fall in love; and you’d much better be finding a way for Vashti and yourself out of this tangle. I cannot see one.”

1540“I’ve been thinking it out,” said Lord Lisdor. “What about polygamy?”

1541“You had better ask Ruth about that,” said Althea, laughing. “You mayn’t find yourself so deserted as you think.”

1542“Well this is the East, isn’t it? It seems to me the basis of a reasonable proposition to the Princes, don’t you know?” said Lord Lisdor cheerfully; and Althea went into the council-chamber laughing.

1543The Princess Agnes had been feeding the flame of her jealousy of Ruth with a thousand trifles, until every word she spoke to Prince Ralph held a hidden meaning, every glance they exchanged pierced her with a fresh pang. Then there came an outburst at dinner. Lord Lisdor had been talking, chiefly for the ear of Vashti, of the loneliness of the forests; Ruth maintained that nothing filled one with so strong a sense of loneliness as riding by night, and appealing to Prince Ralph to confirm her words, ended by saying, in all innocence, “Do we not feel quite alone, very far from the world, Prince Ralph.”