A VALIANT IGNORANCE
A
VALIANT IGNORANCE
A Novel
BY
MARY ANGELA DICKENS
AUTHOR OF “CROSS CURRENTS,” “A MERE CYPHER,” ETC.
Prince Hohenstiel Schwangau
IN THREE VOLUMES
VOL. I.
London
MACMILLAN & CO.
AND NEW YORK
1894
Chapter I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV.
A VALIANT IGNORANCE
CHAPTER I
“My dear Mamma,
“I hope you are quite well. I am quite well, and Smut is quitewell. Her tail is very fat. I hope papa is quite well. I have a boxof soldiers. The captain has a horse. Uncle Richard gave them tome. There is a hole in the horse, and he sticks in tight. Auntie isquite well, and so is nurse, and so is cook.
“I am, your loving Son,
“Julian.”
It was the table d’hôte room of one of the best hotels in Nice; a largeroom, gay and attractive, according to its kind, as fresh paint, brightdecoration, and expanse of looking-glass could make it. From end to endwere ranged small tables, varying in size but{2} uniform in the radiantspotlessness of their white cloths, and the brightness of their silver,china, or glass; and to and fro between the tables, and from the tablesto the door, moved active waiters, whose one aim in life seemed to bethe anticipation of the wishes of the visitors for whose pleasure alonethey apparently existed.
It was early, and déjeuner proper was hardly in full swing as yet. Buta good many of the tables were occupied, and a subdued hum ofconversation pervaded the air; a hum compounded of the high-pitchedchatter of American women and the quick, eager volubility of Frenchtongues, backed by a less pronounced but perfectly perceptibleundercurrent of German and English; the whole diversified now and thenby a light laugh.
The sounds were subdued because the room was large and sparsely filled,but they were gay. The smiling alacrity of the waiters was apparently atonce a symptom of, and a subtle tribute to, the humour of the hour.There were sundry strongly-marked faces here and there among the littlegroups; middle-aged men to whom neither ambition{3} nor care could havebeen