3 16 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
and fro, and there was a great air of calm and repose in the atmosphere, which was in pleasant contrast with the recent bustle and excitement of the Royal fetes. The King and Queen had left amidst salvoes of artillery and braying of trumpets, and whether the Countess Stravensky had followed in their wake or preceded them, was an open question upon which Walter could not satisfy his inquiring spouse. The mysterious disappearance of General Petrono- vitch was the talk of Venice, and it was half hinted on all hands that he had gone away to keep some mysterious rendezvous with the countess. His wife, the Princess Radna, still remained in Venice, but the courteous manager of the hotel had informed Mrs. Milbanke that her Highness had given instructions to her people for their return to Paris on the morrow.
Walter and Jenny had discussed these incidents of fact and gossip over breakfast, but without being moved by them very much either one way or the other, their im- mediate interest in life at the moment being concentrated upon Dolly and Sam Swynford. Walter was enjoying his after-breakfast cigar, and endeavoring to lay out his plans for the remainder of their Italian trip.
" You see," he continued, still looking across the lagoon and trying to blow a cloud of smoke after his thoughts, lt I had made my arrangements for a stay of at least a month here in Venice ; and indeed have taken these rooms for that time."
" I know," said Jenny, " but Dolly's plans were of a much more serious character than that. She had settled, not for a month, but for life."
" And her scheme still holds good," said Walter, smiling, " only she has changed her traveling companion."
" Well, and so have we," said Jenny, endeavoring to drop into Walter's semi-philosophic vein ; " only that our trip is a summer holiday."
" You think she loves Swynford ? "
