She blushed. "I said that I trusted monsieur's honor," was her
rejoinder. "Come," with a return of her imperiousness; "it is time
that we were gone!" She drew on her cloak and dropped the veil. "I
might add," she said, "that we will remain in France one hour. From
there you may go your way, and I shall go secretly to my palace."
And the glamour fell away like the last leaves of the year.
I had to wake up the driver, who had fallen asleep.
"Where shall I say?" I asked.
"To your hotel. I shall give the driver the remaining instructions."
"But you haven't told me," said I, as I took my place in the carriage,
"how I am to become a guest at the dinner to-morrow evening."
"I spoke to the King this morning. I said that I had a caprice. He
replied that if I would promise it to be my last he would grant it. I
promised. I said that it was my desire to bring to the dinner a person
who, though without rank, was a gentleman--one who would grace any
gathering, kingly or otherwise. My word was sufficient. I knew before
I asked you that you would come. Twenty-four hours from now we, that
is, you and I, will be on the way to the French frontier.
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