II
The room, whose lofty ceiling was supported along the center by three
massive pillars, was already crowded, and people entered constantly. Every
embassy was represented, all the grande noblesse of Paris and even a stray
Bourbon and Bonaparte. A few of the guests were the more distinguished
American residents of Paris and their gowns were as out of date if as
inimitably cut as the Frenchwomen's, for they had worked as hard. But
Alexina ceased to notice them. She had become aware that two American
officers, standing still closer to the window, were talking. One of them
had parted the curtains and was looking out.
"By Jove," he said. "Strikes me this is rather risky. Six long windows
opening on the garden, and the King standing directly in front of one of
them. Fine chance for some filthy Bolshevik or anarchist."
"Oh, nonsense," said the other absently; his eyes were roving over the
room. "Wish I could take to one of these French girls...feel it a sort of
duty to increase the rapport and all that...but although the married women
and the other sort of girls are a long sight more fascinating than ours,
the upper--"
"American girls for me. But I'm still jumpy, and this sort of carelessness
makes me nervous, particularly as the story is going about that the King
came near being assassinated in the station of his home town when he was
leaving. Man fired point blank at his face, but gun didn't go off or some
one knocked up the man's arm.
Pages:
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352