Doctor Claudius, A True Story

n square, rough envelopes, and directed in a large feminine handwriting. The contents intimate

row," said Mr.

in German to the effect that he fervently desired a thousand millio

, Professor?" inquire

ed Claudius. "I have hal

alve of great minds. Swear loudly

window of their sitti

awkward, upon m

d, Professor? T

s-v

d think you would b

ld be: but ther

ure? Anythin

cannot wear on

course-how stupid of me! You are here as a pedestrian, and you have no evening dress. Well, the sooner we go and see a tailor the better, in that case. I wil

laudius, putting a handful o

man were intended by an all-wise Providence

us presentable by the following evening. Baden tailors are used

again before the dinner. Claudius said in some countries he thought it would be the

y," said Barker; "now in Americ

is t

d them to ladies on the

untess an American

Old Southern fami

ion is sufficient. Let us send flowers immed

ctor is going it;" but he trans

good idea. I will s

said Claudius, "we

thing to o

graceful and gentle fashion most peculiar to America. There is no country where the custom is carried to the same extent; there is no other country where on certain occasions it is requested, by advertisement in the newspapers, "that n

t. The Duke lost some money, and Barker won a few hundred francs from a Russian acquaintance. The Duke drank cura?ao and potass water, and Mr. Barker drank champagne, while C

h like Newmarket, doe

position, without the e

racing in Americ

answered Barker, "g

eel

w fast they can go a mile," explained the Du

far beyond the ordinary stature of men, and the close-fitting costume showed off his athletic figure, while the pale, aquiline features, with the yellow heard that looked

le in the drawing-room. Mr. Barker, of course, took in the Countess, and Miss Skeat put her arm in that of Claudius, inwardly wondering how she could ha

of Claudius, as she deposited a spoonful of a wo

Mr. Barker tells me so, but I have great powers of adaptation. I

ssack things to eat. I like some Russian things, but they are so tre

begin with something characteristic. It settles the

n general, or only in di

ance. Take the traditional English stage father. He always devotes himself to eve

nowing the worst-I und

," Claudius put in, "it is always better

nd that very well;" and Margaret

ds many things," said

s of the crusade," continued the Count

of this over-masculine world," answered the Doctor. At this point Miss Skeat attacked Mr. Barker ab

ke very seriously; but the Countess did not allow herself the luxury of being serious, though it was an effort to her to laugh at the enthusiasm of his language, for he had a strong vitality, and something of the gift which carries people away. But Margaret had an impressio

id so little of all they might do, and he had read something of their doings across the ocean. But it had all been vague, thick, and foggy, whereas now it was all sharp and clean-edged. He had made the first step out of his dreams in that he had thought its realisation possible, and none but dreamers know how great and wide that step is. The first faint dawning, "It may be true, after all," is as different from the remote, listless view of the shadowy thought incapable of materialisation, as a landscape picture seen by cand

practice is done with heavy round-tipped arrows that leave an ugly black bruise where they strike, but do not draw the generous blood. He lurks in out-of-the-way places and mopes, and he rarely springs out suddenly on unwary youth and maid, as he used to in the good old days before Darwin and La Rochefoucauld destroyed the beauty of the body and the beauty of the soul,-or man's belief in them, which is nearly the same. Has not the one taught us to see the animal in the an

rying on one conversation and listening to anothe

t the present time I think, with all deference to his superior erudition, that he is running into a dead wall. We have

the alternative of marriage or death set before you in an adequately lively manner, you will, of course, elect to marry. Then your wife, if you get your deserts, w

," said Barker gri

e world who can make it very uncomfortable for sinners like you, and if you do not

y knees to every woman I know, what fate do you pre

Claudius was right. Barker, with all his extreme politeness and his

erted to woman-worship, my friend," said Claudius, evading the questio

which seemed especially Claudius's own, particularly as Mr. Barker seemed inclined to laugh at the Doctor's ent

said, "I do not

f society; whereas the enterprising compilers of the "Boston Blue Book" and the "New York List" only divide society up into streets, mapping it out into so many square feet and so much frontage of dukes, marquesses, generals, and "people we don't know." Miss Skeat listened to the disquisition on the rights of birth with rapt attention, and the yellow candle-l

the Countess, as the two men took their dep

uld have a good deal to say to each other. The one knew a great deal, and the other had seen a great deal; both were given to looking at life rather seriously than the reverse. Barker never deceived himself for a moment about the reality of things, and spent much of his time in the practical adaptation of means to ends he had in vi

marriage contract is, in all civilised and uncivilised countr

consideration for a moment in his doings. "Of course it is wrong; but it cannot be helped. It crops up everywhere, as the question of dollars and cents will i

laudius, "and I

omebody must pay the bills. Supposing the son of one rich father marries the daughter of another rich father; by the time they have got rid of the novelty of the thing the bills begin to come in, and they spend the remainder of their amiable lives in trying t

rned Claudius. "If they

u mean to take the immutability of the human a

enies you the pleasure and profit of contemplating an

s they are instead of as they

are, are not very good, you will very soon be judging them by your own inherent standard of badness, and you will

ry to? Why should my naturally gay disposition suffer on making the discovery that the mille

if you had a conscience and some little feeling for h

because I know that I am just like eve

you are," said Cla

ly. Medieval persons who have a hankering after

chment," answered the Doctor, "

e male population of this merry globe

Margaret underst

t the repetition was so forcible that Claudius looked at his companion rather curiously, and was silent. Barker was examining t

hat with your views about the rights of women you

ided

ht write

," said

tess might write

you j

other day when we called would make a very interesting book, though I

anted when you infer that the Countess would

the Doctor stea

uld do the work she would have any objection whatever

the possibility of a journey to America, in the company

om the bowers of Baden to the wind-swept cliffs of Newport-we can be there be

laudius. "Do you think

o her the glorious future that awaits your joint l

ravelling with her and talking to her; and he woke up with the determination that the thing should be done if it were possible. Why not? She often made

ould have promised a week here and a month there in visits all over Europe, and the idea that she would give up her plans and consent, at the instance of a two days' acquaintance, to go to America was prep

d on the majority, and he knew that there are no complete exceptions to be found in the world's characters. But his standard was necessarily somewhat low, and he lacked the sympathetic element which enables one high nature to understand another better than it understa

notice? Only in books. But as no one asked him the question, he did not ask it of himself, but only went on thinking a great deal of her, and recalling all she said. He was in an unknown region, but he was happy and he asked no questions. Nevertheless his nature comprehended hers, and when he began to go often to the beautiful little villa, he knew perfectly well that Barker was mistaken, and that the dark Countess would think twice and three times before she would be persuaded to go to America, or to write a book, or to do an

onger than it really was. She had mourned him sincerely, but the wound had healed, and being a brave woman, with no morbid sensitiveness of herself, she had contemplated the possibility of marrying again, without, however, connecting the idea with any individual. She had liked Claudius from the first, and there had been something semi-romantic about their

he Duke at Como, where the latter had discovered some attractive metal. The Duke remarked that Como would be a ve

tin." So they said they would go back to Baden together, which they did, and as they had talked a good deal about Claudius, they called on the Countess the same afternoon, and there, sure enough, was the Swede, sitting by the Co

ked Barker, beginning to smoke a

ave happened." The Duke, in virtue of his possessions in America, affected t

arker, "let us go home,

th. Autumn, you know. Glories of t

they wo

uke. "Take them over in

play poker while

ithout some other woman, you kno

dy-companion,

do for res

then." There was sile

ot a sister somewhere. I'll look her up. She is never ill at sea, a

l talk to Claudius. Can you manage the Count

ince she marrie

u ask her." And they

h other, and he depended on the dark lady for his show. Claudius would not have been easily induced to leave Europe by argument or persuasion, but there was little doubt that he would follow the Countess, if she could be induced to lead. The Duke, on the other hand, thought only of making up a well-arranged party of people who wanted to make the journey in any case, an

ce the autumn," he said,

ou start?" a

month. I think I w

s so much pleasanter, and you feel as if

my sister, and I would like to have a little party. Wi

kind. But I was not thinki

since you have been

gravely. "And perhaps that

f we all went together? Do you n

your sister

he will ce

will not say just yet. I need not make up my mind yet

ecide to join us," sa

l worse, of being thrown into the society of some chance acquaintance who would make the most of knowing her-it was all sufficient, even in the absence of other reasons, to deter her from undertaking the journey. But in the party proposed by the Duke it was all very different. He was a gentleman, besides being a peer, and he was an old friend. His sister was a kind-hearted gentlewoman of narrow views but broad humanity; and not least, the yacht was sure to be perfection, and she would be the honoured guest. She would be sorry to leave Baden for

en they were alone, "you h

een there, and until lately I have

u like to

ncient one, "I would

d Margaret, "and of course I would like you t

deal when I was a girl, and the Atl

ot go at all. The end of it was that by dinner-time she had made up her mind to write excuses to all the people who expected her, and to accept the Duke's invitation. After all, it was not until next month, and she could finish the book she was reading with Claudius before that. She post

n one of the finest yachts afloat, with the Duke and