In return for this
narrative, George regaled me with a great deal of what he called "inside
information" (known only to diplomatists), as to the true course of
events in Ruritania, the plots and counterplots. In his opinion, he told
me, with a significant nod, there was more to be said for Black Michael
than the public supposed; and he hinted at a well-founded suspicion that
the mysterious prisoner of Zenda, concerning whom a good many paragraphs
had appeared, was not a man at all, but (here I had much ado not to
smile) a woman disguised as a man; and that strife between the King and
his brother for this imaginary lady's favour was at the bottom of their
quarrel.
"Perhaps it was Madame de Mauban herself," I suggested.
"No!" said George decisively, "Antoinette de Mauban was jealous of her,
and betrayed the duke to the King for that reason. And, to confirm what
I say, it's well known that the Princess Flavia is now extremely cold to
the King, after having been most affectionate."
At this point I changed the subject, and escaped from George's
"inspired" delusions. But if diplomatists never know anything more than
they had succeeded in finding out in this instance, they appear to me to
be somewhat expensive luxuries.
While in Paris I wrote to Antoinette, though I did not venture to call
upon her.
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