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contained of fashion。
It was true enough； as Lansing had not failed to note； that the
Princess Mother adored prehistoric art； and Russian music； and
the paintings of Gauguin and Matisse； but she also； and with a
beaming unconsciousness of perspective； adored large pearls and
powerful motors； caravan tea and modern plumbing； perfumed
cigarettes and society scandals； and her son； while apparently
less sensible to these forms of luxury； adored his mother； and
was charmed to gratify her inclinations without cost to
himself〃Since poor Mamma；〃 as he observed； 〃is so courageous
when we are roughing it in the desert。〃
The smiling aide…de…camp； who explained these things to Lansing；
added with an intenser smile that the Prince and his mother were
under obligations； either social or cousinly； to most of the
titled persons whom they begged Mrs。 Hicks to invite； 〃and it
seems to their Serene Highnesses；〃 he added； 〃the most
flattering return they can make for the hospitality of their
friends to give them such an intellectual opportunity。〃
The dinner…table at which their Highnesses' friends were seated
on the evening in question represented； numerically； one of the
greatest intellectual opportunities yet afforded them。 Thirty
guests were grouped about the flower…wreathed board； from which
Eldorada and Mr。 Beck had been excluded on the plea that the
Princess Mother liked cosy parties and begged her hosts that
there should never be more than thirty at table。 Such； at
least； was the reason given by Mrs。 Hicks to her faithful
followers； but Lansing had observed that； of late； the same
skilled hand which had refashioned the Hickses' social circle
usually managed to exclude from it the timid presences of the
two secretaries。 Their banishment was the more displeasing to
Lansing from the fact that； for the last three months； he had
filled Mr。 Buttles's place； and was himself their salaried
companion。 But since he had accepted the post； his obvious duty
was to fill it in accordance with his employers' requirements；
and it was clear even to Eldorada and Mr。 Beck that he had； as
Eldorada ungrudgingly said； 〃Something of Mr。 Buttles's
marvellous social gifts。 〃
During the cruise his task had not been distasteful to him。 He
was glad of any definite duties； however trivial； he felt more
independent as the Hickses' secretary than as their pampered
guest； and the large cheque which Mr。 Hicks handed over to him
on the first of each month refreshed his languishing sense of
self…respect。
He considered himself absurdly over…paid； but that was the
Hickses' affair； and he saw nothing humiliating in being in the
employ of people he liked and respected。 But from the moment of
the ill…fated encounter with the wandering Princes； his position
had changed as much as that of his employers。 He was no longer；
to Mr。 and Mrs。 Hicks； a useful and estimable assistant； on the
same level as Eldorada and Mr。 Beck； he had become a social
asset of unsuspected value； equalling Mr。 Buttles in his
capacity for dealing with the mysteries of foreign etiquette；
and surpassing him in the art of personal attraction。 Nick
Lansing； the Hickses found； already knew most of the Princess
Mother's rich and aristocratic friends。 Many of them hailed him
with enthusiastic 〃Old Nicks〃； and he was almost as familiar as
His Highness's own aide…de…camp with all those secret
ramifications of love and hate that made dinner…giving so much
more of a science in Rome than at Apex City。
Mrs。 Hicks； at first； had hopelessly lost her way in this
labyrinth of subterranean scandals； rivalries and jealousies；
and finding Lansing's hand within reach she clung to it with
pathetic tenacity。 But if the young man's value had risen in
the eyes of his employers it had deteriorated in his own。 He
was condemned to play a part he had not bargained for； and it
seemed to him more degrading when paid in bank…notes than if his
retribution had consisted merely in good dinners and luxurious
lodgings。 The first time the smiling aide…de…camp had caught
his eye over a verbal slip of Mrs。 Hicks's； Nick had flushed to
the forehead and gone to bed swearing that he would chuck his
job the next day。
Two months had passed since then； and he was still the paid
secretary。 He had contrived to let the aide…de…camp feel that
he was too deficient in humour to be worth exchanging glances
with； but even this had not restored his self…respect； and on
the evening in question； as he looked about the long table； he
said to himself for the hundredth time that he would give up his
position on the morrow。
Onlywhat was the alternative？ The alternative； apparently；
was Coral Hicks。 He glanced down the line of diners； beginning
with the tall lean countenance of the Princess Mother； with its
small inquisitive eyes perched as high as attic windows under a
frizzled thatch of hair and a pediment of uncleaned diamonds；
passed on to the vacuous and overfed or fashionably haggard
masks of the ladies next in rank； and finally caught； between
branching orchids； a distant glimpse of Miss Hicks。
In contrast with the others； he thought； she looked surprisingly
noble。 Her large grave features made her appear like an old
monument in a street of Palace Hotels； and he marvelled at the
mysterious law which had brought this archaic face out of Apex
City； and given to the oldest society of Europe a look of such
mixed modernity。
Lansing perceived that the aide…de…camp； who was his neighbour；
was also looking at Miss Hicks。 His expression was serious； and
even thoughtful； but as his eyes met Lansing's he readjusted his
official smile。
〃I was admiring our hostess's daughter。 Her absence of jewels
iseran inspiration；〃 he remarked in the confidential tone
which Lansing had come to dread。
〃Oh； Miss Hicks is full of inspirations；〃 he returned curtly；
and the aide…de…camp bowed with an admiring air； as if
inspirations were rarer than pearls； as in his milieu they
undoubtedly were。 〃She is the equal of any situation； I am
sure；〃 he replied； and then abandoned the subject with one of
his automatic transitions。
After dinner； in the embrasure of a drawing…room window； he
surprised Nick by returning to the same topic； and this time
without thinking it needful to readjust his smile。 His face
remained serious； though his manner was studiously informal。
〃I was admiring； at dinner； Miss Hicks's invariable sense of
appropriateness。 It must permit her friends to foresee for her
almost any future； however exalted。〃
Lansing hesitated； and controlled his annoyance。 Decidedly he
wanted to know what was in his companion's mind。
〃What do you mean by exalted？〃 he asked； with a smile of faint
amusement。
〃Wellequal to her marvellous capacity for shining in the
public eye。〃
Lansing still smiled。 〃The question is； I suppose； whether her
desire to shine equals