Отель «Гранд Вавилон» / The Grand Babylon hotel

He never for an instant questioned her right to possess her own friends; he had always left her in the most amazing liberty, relying on her inherited good sense to keep her out of mischief; but, quite apart from the wink, he was struck by Nella’s attitude towards Mr Dimmock, an attitude in which an amiable scorn was blended with an evident desire to propitiate and please.

�Nella tells me, Mr Dimmock, that you hold a confidential position with Prince Aribert of Posen,’ said Racksole. �You will pardon an American’s ignorance, but is Prince Aribert a reigning Prince—what, I believe, you call in Europe, a Prince Regnant?’

�His Highness is not a reigning Prince, nor ever likely to be,’ answered Dimmock.

�The Grand Ducal Throne of Posen is occupied by his Highness’s nephew, the Grand Duke Eugen.’

�Nephew?’ cried Nella with astonishment.

�Why not, dear lady?’

�But Prince Aribert is surely very young?’

�The Prince, by one of those vagaries of chance which occur sometimes in the history of families, is precisely the same age as the Grand Duke.

The late Grand Duke’s father was twice married. Hence this youthfulness on the part of an uncle.’

�How delicious to be the uncle of someone as old as yourself! But I suppose it is no fun for Prince Aribert. I suppose he has to be frightfully respectful and obedient, and all that, to his nephew?’

�The Grand Duke and my Serene master are like brothers. At present, of course, Prince Aribert is nominally heir to the throne, but as no doubt you are aware, the Grand Duke will shortly marry a near relative of the Emperor’s, and should there be a family—’ Mr Dimmock stopped and shrugged his straight shoulders.

�The Grand Duke,’ he went on, without finishing the last sentence, �would much prefer Prince Aribert to be his successor. He really doesn’t want to marry. Between ourselves, strictly between ourselves, he regards marriage as rather a bore. But, of course, being a German Grand Duke, he is bound to marry. He owes it to his country, to Posen.’

�How large is Posen?’ asked Racksole bluntly.

�Father,’ Nella interposed laughing, �you shouldn’t ask such inconvenient questions. You ought to have guessed that it isn’t etiquette to inquire about the size of a German Dukedom.’

�I am sure,’ said Dimmock, with a polite smile, �that the Grand Duke is as much amused as anyone at the size of his territory.