Page:By order of the Czar.djvu/242




 * 30 BY OR&ER Of THE CZAR.

his exuberance of fancy, none except Dick Chetwynd, who would, Philip felt assured, be rather inclined to regard a severe flirtation as something that might happen to any man, given the opportunity. Mrs. Chetwynd herself, Philip thought, as he drifted into this exculpatory vein, would only have smiled at the idea of his making love to the countess ; and his mother would not have minded it at all so long as it did not interfere with his engagement to Miss Norcott.

Whether he did these worthy people an injustice or not, this was the new way in which Philip's thoughts now began to sail along over the increasingly calm plain of his mind, just as the moon went sailing along behind the ship.

Presently he lighted a cigar, went below, ordered a pint of champagne and a biscuit, drank the former, threw the latter bit by bit into the sea as he stood by the gangway, pulling himself together, as the phrase is, and trying to dismiss from his memory the scene in the railway carriage ; and yet all the time he was wondering whether the countess was aboard. He had, in that vague, unwatchful condition previously described, observed the passengers come on deck, and he had not seen either maid, servant, or coun- tess. His curiosity was piqued. He would find out if her ladyship had come aboard. He did find out : she had not. Satisfied of this, he became more contented with his position, and began to find the railway adventure going further and further away as he neared the French shore. He would forget it. He could if he wished. And he could all the more so if he made up his mind to be true to Dolly ; and he would make up his mind. No good could come of his intrigue with the countess. There was some mystery behind her. A scandal perhaps. She had been quite emphatic in her intimation that what he desired could never be. And, as his mother said, she was ten years his senior. Moreover, he could not pursue