"Why, consider it yourself," I said. "He was to be over here with you
during the season. He has not come. You told me yourself that he has
not even answered your letters. Well, that's all there is to it.
Your ladyship, he and his house deserve any punishment that you can
visit upon them."
The idea of punishment appealed where the other had failed. The
outraged pride of woman, especially an Englishwoman, is a terrible
thing. Soon after that I made haste to take my leave. At my quarters
I wrote two letters to myself and signed the Grand Duke's name to
them. In these I offered to pay her ladyship's debts. They were
addressed to me and after allowing a reasonable time to elapse, I
again went out to Mayfair and read them to her. She was now cold and
hard and gave me full permission to go ahead and make any arrangements
I deemed advisable. I thereupon went to the Grand Duke's bank in
London and notified them that I must have 15,000 pounds ($75,000). In
four days I had the money. The rest of the transaction was
commonplace. She handed over all the letters and documents and I gave
her the 15,000 pounds. I know to-day that her ladyship travels
extensively in a very comfortable manner on the yearly appanage
allowed her by the old Grand Duke. I do not know whether she still
goes to Carlton Terrace to eat strawberries, but I flatter myself that
her present good fortune is partially due to the fact that she once
went there.
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