Part 54 (1/2)
”This is a safer retreat forround the room when Hannah had closed the door ”It is a corner of your house I do not know, Frina Thanks for your great care ofthat I shall trouble you”
”What do youidly down to wait are over There has been deadly work in the Bergenstrasse to-night, and to-e it! Do you suppose I shall leave them without a leader? Before dawn, those who love ht's ill convince many who until now have wavered Rest assured, there will be a goodly host aboutsends to take me”
”It is madness, Maritza!” exclaimed the Countess ”What can these ainst the troops which even now doubtless are pouring into every street? Wait”
”My dear Frina, you are a woman; I, in heart at least, aht; would you have e”
”But wait--wait for counsel and advice”
”From whom?” asked Maritza
”Fro into each other's eyes; neither fully understood the struggle in the other's heart, yet each of the of the other's secret For some moments there was silence
”Is Desmond Ellerey here?” asked Maritza presently
”No; but he will co tells me that he will come Wait until then, Maritza That door,” Frina went on, pointing to one which was hardly discernible froe which leads to a s by the river, where there is only rubbish No one is likely to search there Hannah has the key, and it is a way of escape if they come to this house I iled for you? Is he not returning to Sturatzberg to stand beside you in the hour of your need, rather than take the road to safety as he ht have done? Have you not a hundred times in your heart chosen hiht he may help me, but I cannot wait,” was the answer ”The people call for me; they shall not call in vain”
”Maritza! Maritza! I tell you it is madness Be persuaded Think of your love for him; think of his love for you Ah, you must be ruled by ht let you go to your death I have been teo Yes, it is true, look atpart, and temptation comes easily then; ht the King persuaded me to betray his enemies to him; I am to send a list of them to-morrow; no, it is to-day--in a few hours”
”You have pro her hand sharply on her companion's arm ”I promised to think of it--aye! and when I made the promise I meant to think of it Shall I tell you why?”
And Frina looked straight into Maritza's eyes ”The King made me believe that Desmond Ellerey was already in his hands, and he swore to spare hi It was the keenest temptation he could have assailed me with Do you understand, Maritza?”
”And you will send that list?” repeated the Princess
”Can you ask the question now? No, I have fought my battle and won
What is to coht But that the King should so tempt me shows that I am suspected; therefore you are here in this room with the means of escape at hand Wait for Captain Ellerey, Maritza For the present, at least, I believe your cause is lost; but a way of escape, desperate though it be, still lies open, and you will take it with the man you love to defend you Wait, Maritza”
The hand that had rested on Frina's arm stole slowly round her, and the Princess kissed her
”I understand,” she whispered ”I have had o in England, and no I love hied to cry out to hiive doe into my soul the memory of my fathers, and I felt myself a coward If you have been tempted to treachery, so have I I have my mission to fulfil, my work is before me, and there is no place for love in it If ever I call anyill satisfy the State”
”But he loves you, Maritza”
”Do not ently with us both If Desive me counsel Should I taste failure, should I--should I never see hiain, say to him--”
”Maritza!”
”Yes, speak my name and say that you loved me, too If I understand him he will love you for that I am very weary and have much to do to-morrow Send Hannah to me and let me sleep”
In silence the tomen kissed each other, and then Frina returned to her roo beside her Dumitru stood sentinel outside her door
For Frina there was no sleep, only a restless pacing to and fro, and a longing for to-morrow--the end, surely the end would corew diarden whistled a long note, and after a silence it was answered froarden, and then quickly fro purple of the east, the herald of the dawn, and fro