The millionaire thought he had once heard of Posen, but he wasn't sure; he rather fancied it was one of those small nondescript German States of which five-sixths of the subjects are Palace officials, and the rest charcoal-burners or innkeepers.

Until the meal was nearly over, Racksole said little--perhaps his thoughts were too busy with Jules' wink to Mr Dimmock, but when ices had been followed by coffee, he decided that it might be as well, in the interests of the hotel, to discover something about his daughter's friend.

He never for an instant questioned her right to possess her own friends; he had always left her in the most amazing liberty, relying on her inherited good sense to keep her out of mischief; but, quite apart from the wink, he was struck by Nella's attitude towards Mr Dimmock, an attitude in which an amiable scorn was blended with an evident desire to propitiate and please.
'Nella tells me, Mr Dimmock, that you hold a confidential position with Prince Aribert of Posen,' said Racksole.

'You will pardon an American's ignorance, but is Prince Aribert a reigning Prince--what, I believe, you call in Europe, a Prince Regnant ?' 'His Highness is not a reigning Prince, nor ever likely to be,' answered Dimmock.

'The Grand Ducal Throne of Posen is occupied by his Highness's nephew, the Grand Duke Eugen.' 'Nephew ?' cried Nella with astonishment.
'Why not, dear lady ?' 'But Prince Aribert is surely very young ?' 'The Prince, by one of those vagaries of chance which occur sometimes in the history of families, is precisely the same age as the Grand Duke.
The late Grand Duke's father was twice married.