"I should like them to break the omnibus up occasionally," she answered,
"and take a wrong turning sometimes, just to see if a little happiness
lay that way."
"Yes," he laughed. "You are a Pole and a Bukaty. I knew it as soon as I
saw you."
"One must do something. We were talking of such things last night, and
Monsieur Deulin said that his ideal combination in a man was an infinite
patience and a sudden premeditated recklessness."
"Now you have come down to a mere career again," said Cartoner.
"Not necessarily."
The prince came into the room again at this moment.
"What are you people discussing," he asked, "so gravely?"
He spoke in French, which was the language that was easiest to him, for
he had been young when it was the fashion in Poland to be French.
"I do not quite know," answered Cartoner, slowly. "The princess was
giving me her views."
"I know," retorted the old man, with his rather hollow laugh. "They are
long views, those views of hers."
Cartoner was still standing near the window. He turned absently and
looked out, down into the busy street. There he saw something which
caused him intense surprise, though he did not show it; for, like any
man of strong purpose, his face had but one expression, and that of
thoughtful attention.
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