inexperienced youthfrom whom he might obtain a few louis at cards, and thus stave offstarvation for the next few days. Their run of ill-luck had almostknocked them both under until one night after the Captain had won aconsiderable sum at Monte Carlo, a sudden suggestion occurred to them,and together they started a private gaming-house in the BoulevardGambetta, in Nice, a place which, although remaining open only a fewmonths, gained a decidedly unenviable repute. Nevertheless, both menfound their venture a most profitable one, and it is more than likelythat their avarice would have led them into the arms of the police hadnot Brooker, at Liane's instigation, suddenly dissolved the partnership,taken his money, and returned to England.
Liane knew Nice well. Some of the most weary anxious and monotonousdays of her life had been spent in a well-remembered frowsy room high upin that narrow back street which smelt eternally of garlic, where theyhad lived for nine months almost penniless. In those days when theFates were unkind neither she nor Nelly ever ventured upon the Promenadein the day-time, because their dresses were too dowdy, and they fearedlest they should encounter some of the people with whom they had becomeacquainted when living at the big hotels at Monte Carlo, Mentone, orCannes, as they did when their father prospered. Yet she had now comeback to the town she once abhorred. Her father had sufficient to keepthem both respectably and in comfort, and Zertho was almost, if notquite, a millionaire. Fortune they had so often courted had smiled atlast upon them all.
They were almost constantly at the Villa Chevrier. Each morning thePrince would call with his tandem and take her for a drive, returning intime for half an hour's walk on the Promenade before _dejeuner_, then alazy afternoon, a dinner with guests, a visit to the Opera, to theCasino, or perhaps to a ball. So passed the warm, brilliant daysdelightfully.
People soon began to inquire who was the handsome, sweet-faced Englishgirl with whom the Prince was seen so often, but Liane, entirelyignorant of Zertho's mysterious influence over her father, or of hismotive, merely regarded him with the cordiality of an old friend.Zertho, even in the old days, had always treated her with studiedcourtesy, had often bought her sweetmeats and flowers, and was fond ofteasing her good-humouredly and promising to find her a wealthy husband.It was he who had made both girls unexpected presents of bicycles aftertheir return to England, and never once, even when almost penniless, hadhe forgotten to send them some trifle on their birthdays. Although hehad been her friend she nevertheless had regarded him with some slight,ill-defined mistrust. Why, she had never been able to determine.
Though moving in the gay world of fashion and frivolity, of gambling andkindred vices, she was not of it. Her knowledge of man's sins andwoman's frailty was wider than that of most girls of her age, yet shehad remained sweet, simple, and ingenuous. Often, when at home in herroom overlooking the sea, she would stand out upon the balcony and gazeaway at the horizon distant in the broad expanse of blue, thinkingdeeply of George and wondering how he fared. Still she reflected that,after all, life was far more pleasant there than in the lethargicBerkshire village. Yet amid that constant whirl of gaiety she neverforgot those days that were past. Even on that bright morning as atZertho's side she passed along, her sweet face fresh beneath her creamsunshade, she remembered the time when neither Nelly nor herself darewalk there--those days of dire misfortune when only twenty sous laybetween them and starvation.
Strolling on through the well-dressed throng they presently met theCaptain, spruce in a suit of dark grey with soft hat and brown boots,walking slowly, in conversation with a portly Frenchman who had been thePrince's guest on the previous evening. Saluting, Zertho and his faircompanion passed on and continuing their walk strolled leisurely back tothe Villa Chevrier.
"Why are you so thoughtful?" her companion asked presently in French,having noticed her wonderful grey eyes fixed upon the calm sunlit sea.
"It is woman's privilege to think," she replied, laughing as she turnedto him with her clear eyes expressive of the soul that lay behind. "Iwas reflecting upon the difference between our life two years ago andwhat it is to-day."
"Yes, slightly better, isn't it? Well, it is luck--always luck," heanswered. "Your father is going over to Monte Carlo to-morrow, and Ihope that Fortune may be kind also to him. He has waited long enoughfor a change of luck."
Liane regarded him steadily for an instant, then said reproachfully,--
"It is you who have persuaded him. Why have you done this, when youknow full well that half an hour at roulette will bring back upon himthe mania for play, the fatal recklessness that must be his ruin andmine? This is surely not the action of a friend."
"Ah! forgive me," he exclaimed, quickly. "I had no idea that mysuggestion to drive you both over there to-morrow would displease you.
"I'll make an excuse to him, and we will not go," he added,deferentially.
She was not a little surprised that he should thus alter his plans inconformity to her wish, nevertheless his decision satisfied her. Sheknew that her father had but little money, and certainly he had none torisk. Little did she dream that the cost of her rich, perfectly-fittingdresses, which had been so admired of late upon the Promenade and in theCasino, had been defrayed by her whilom friend, and that every sou herfather was spending came also from his pocket. She was in ignorance ofthe strange, inviolable secret which existed between the two men; thatsecret, the price of which was her own self.
Too much of life had she seen to be dazzled by the gay, brilliant set ofwhich she had found herself a centre, nevertheless, time after time shereflected, when alone, that she was neglecting George sadly; she had aninstinctive fear that her letters to him were devoid of any warmth ofaffection, yet somehow she could not prevent it. Being thrown so muchinto Zertho's society he frequently asked her advice, and she thusunconsciously became interested in the success of his fetes.
She and her father spent the day at the Villa, as usual, and afterdinner drove down to the Place Massena to witness one of the greatannual events of Nice, the arrival of King Carnival Long before theydrove down, the town was already agog, for Carnival is in the blood ofthe Southerners. The illuminations were unanimously voted worthy ofNice. From their stands on the balcony of the Casino they could seethat from end to end the broad Avenue de la Gare was ablaze with red andwhite lights, festoons of small lamps being connected at intervals withlarge red stars of hanging lamps. The Place Massena was lighted up withgas-jets in white, blue, and green globes, forming arabesques; theCasino was encircled with lines of gas-jets, and the facade of theimmense tribune opposite a brilliant blaze of colour.
Liane stood up and surveyed the scene. The immense square was thronged,the crowd being kept back by infantry. After some waiting the sounds ofnoisy music, the blasts of many horns, and the dancing lights ofhundreds of torches at last heralded the approach of the Monarch ofMirth. Mounted gendarmes opened the way; then came the trumpeters ofthe 6th Chasseurs, followed by the heralds of Nice in costumesembroidered with the arms of the town. The colours of the Carnival werered and rose, and the shops around were gay with dominoes of those hues.
Madame Carnival was the first gigantic figure to appear amid the glareof the great braziers of crimson fire. Seated on what might be termed agilt throne, and wearing a white frilled cap, a silk shawl, and cleanapron, she looked altogether very smart, gracefully wielding a fan, andoccasionally winking her enormous eyes. In front of the car was hersix-months-old baby, held by two giant hands, while in the rear, in abig basket, was the remainder of her family, a turbulent crowd ofyoungsters in fancy garb. Following another regiment of musicians andtorch-bearers came the lord and master, King Carnival, represented as apeasant in his best white hat with tricolour rosette, astride aturkey-cock, which ever and anon moved its head and spread its tail.
Among the other cars which followed was one representing a cafe-concert;a chimpanzee which moved its head and swallowed smaller monkeys; a carof animated fans; and "a charmer and her fools" represented by a beautywho sat upon a throne, and by pullin
g a string set dancing her crowd offoppish admirers. The _groupes a pied_, too, were amusing and numerous,one entitled "Dragging the Devil by the Tail," representing Satan with atail of enormous length, at which all who were hard up were pullingvigorously. There were polkas of Hammers, Bakers, Felt hats, andwalking alarum clocks, as well as a varying and amusing panorama ofsingle maskers. Among these latter were represented a wine-dealer, whohad closed his shop in order "to baptise his wines;" Cupid bandaging alover's eyes; Love stopping a fair cyclist and asking whether he hadbeen forgotten; "Hurrah!" who had shouted so much that his mouth hadbecome an enormous size, and a drunkard stopping at a fountain believingthe drinking-cup to be a telephone transmitter!
Fully two hours the procession occupied in passing and re-passing, andof the gay party who had met the Prince at his invitation, Liane