"To both, your highness," he answered so fairly that she was for the
moment abashed. "I am loyal to you--loyal to the heart's core, and yet I
am loyal to that unhappy band of tramps, as you choose to call
them. They are my friends. You are only my sovereign."
"And you won't tell me what passed between you? "she said, angered by
this epigrammatic remark.
"I cannot and be true to myself."
"Oh? you are a glorious soldier," she exclaimed, with fierce sarcasm in
her voice. "You speak of being true! I surprise you in the very act
of--"
"Stay, your highness!" he said coldly. "You are about to call me a spy
and a traitor. Spare me, I implore you, that humiliation. I have sworn
to serve you faithfully and loyally. I have not deceived you, and I
shall not. Paul Baldos has wronged no man, no woman. What passed between
Ravone and myself concerns us only. It had nothing to do with the
affairs of Graustark."
"Of course you would say that. You wouldn't be fool enough to tell the
truth," cried she hotly. "I am the fool! I have trusted you and if
anything goes wrong I alone am to blame for exposing poor Graustark to
danger. Oh, why didn't I cry out this afternoon?"
"I knew you would not," he said, with cool unconcern.
"Insolence! What do you mean by that?" she cried in confusion.
"In your heart you knew I was doing no wrong. You shielded me then as
you have shielded me from the beginning.
Pages:
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200