Even the Duke of Mizrox could give no
assurance that his country would remain neutral.
Colonel Quinnox came to the castle in haste and perturbation. It was he
who propounded the question that Yetive and Beverly were expecting:
"Where is Baldos?" Of course, the flight of the suspected guard was soon
a matter of certainty. A single imploring glance from the princess,
meant for the faithful Quinnox alone, told him as plainly as words could
have said that she had given the man his freedom. And Quinnox would have
died a thousand times to protect the secret of his sovereign, for had
not twenty generations of Quinnoxes served the rulers of Graustark with
unflinching loyalty? Baron Dangloss may have suspected the trick, but he
did not so much as blink when the princess instructed him to hunt high
and low for the fugitive.
Marlanx came at eleven. Under the defiant calmness of his bearing there
was lurking a mighty fear. His brain was scourged by thoughts of
impending disgrace. The princess had plainly threatened his
degradation. After all these years, he was to tremble with shame and
humiliation; he was to cringe where he had always boasted of domineering
power. And besides all this, Marlanx had a bullet wound in his left
shoulder! The world could not have known, for he knew how to conceal
pain.
He approached the slender, imperious judge in the council-chamber with a
defiant leer on his face.
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