" The musicians themselves seemed to have caught
the universal feeling of joy and mirth that was in the air, and played
as if inspired, their leader bowing low to the young American girl as
she passed. It was his affectionate tribute to her. Prince Dantan, to
her amazement, led her up the entire length of the banquet hall, to the
head of the royal table, gorgeous with the plate of a hundred Graustark
rulers, placing her on his left and next to the slightly raised royal
chairs. Candace was on his right, the picture of happiness. Beverly felt
dizzy, weak. She looked helplessly at Prince Dantan. His smile was
puzzling. As if in a daze, she saw Grenfall Lorry with the Countess
Yvonne standing exactly opposite to her, he with the others, awaiting
the appearance of the princess and the one who was to sit beside her.
The music ceased, there was a hush over the room, and then Yetive came
forward, magnificent in her royal robes, smiling and happy. A tall man
in the uniform of an exalted army officer stood beside her, gold braid
and bejeweled things across his breast. Beverly turned deathly white,
her figure stiffened and then relaxed.
It was Baldos!
She never knew how she dropped into the chair the servant held for
her. She only knew that his dark eyes were smiling at her with love and
mischief in their depths. There was a vague, uncertain sound of
chattering; someone was talking eagerly to her, but she heard him not;
there was a standing toast to the Prince of Dawsbergen; then the
audacious ghost of Baldos was proposing a ringing response to the
Princess Yetive; the orchestra was playing the Graustark and Dawsbergen
national hymns.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350