Part 13 (2/2)
”It may be sent to him,” said the Princess
”That is why Dumitru watches by the Western Gate”
”The iven I must know,” said Maritza ”I have a plan I have had plenty of lonely hours in which toto put them into action We are too cautious, Frina”
”Your want of caution in going openly into the city has nearly ruined us, Maritza”
”I have many friends in the city”
”True, and many enemies; and it is the enemies who happen to be in power Do not be impatient”
”Over-caution may be as fatal as impatience,” Maritza answered ”We should advance a step each day, each night; do we advance?”
”So fast that we shall have to run quickly to keep abreast of affairs shortly A feeeks ago had you any real hope of being in Sturatzberg?
Yet you are here Had you even a suspicion that Jules De Froilette had been working in his own interests for these two years past, and not in yours?”
”True, Frina, we have advanced Heaven help De Froilette when I touch power Who knohat injury he may not have done tothis English Captain into his schemes”
”Captain Ellerey does not like De Froilette,” said Frina ”Tell me your plan, Maritza”
The Princess drew a flower carefully froh she were absorbed for a rance
”Captain Ellerey left the Court with you, to-night,” she said ”That isely thought of Did he coh that the Princess looked at her in astonishly, I think”
”You hope to win him to my cause?”
”He is a man, I am a woman; I shall try”
”And then?”
”Then, Maritza--ah, we run on too fast Tell e,” said the Princess slowly; ”but in England, as I told you, I once met Captain Ellerey I told him who I was, and promised him work for his sword should he ever come to Wallaria”
”You told him that! Why?”
”I am a woman, and he is a man,” the Princess answered
For a moment the tomen looked into each other's eyes Then Frina, looked down and straightened a fold of her dress, while Maritza bent to inhale the perfume of the flowers in the vase The Princess did not tell her plan, and Frina Mavrodin forgot to question her