He bowed to me with great courtesy, looking upon me the while with eyes at once compassionate, curious, and yet respectful, as though upon one of newly-discovered importance, and said:
“I grieve, sir, to be the bearer of an order which may cause you displeasure, but I beg you, being a soldier yourself, to consider me only as the instrument which does not presume to judge but obeys. Be pleased to read this—it is addressed to you.”
I took the great sealed envelope with fingers as cold and heavy as marble, broke it open mechanically, and read. At first it was without any comprehension of the words, which were nevertheless set forth in a very free, flowing hand, but presently, as the blood rushed in a tide of sudden anger to my brain, with a quickening and redoubled intensity of intelligence.
“The Princess Marie Ottilie of Sachs-Lausitz,” so ran the precious document, “has received M. de Jennico’s letter concerning a certain lady.
“M. de Jennico has already been given clearly to understand that his importunities are distressing.
“As the lady in question is a member of the Princess’s household, M. de Jennico will not be surprised at the steps which are now taken to secure her against further persecution. He is advised to accept the escort of the officer who carries this letter, and warned that any attempt at resistance, or any future infringement of the order issued by command of his Serene Highness, will be visited in the severest manner.”
In a bloody heat of rage I looked up, ready for any folly—to strangle the poor courteous little instrument of a woman’s implacable resentment—to find death on the bayonets of the hulking sentinels at the door, and be glad of it, so that I had shed somebody’s blood for these insults! But, meeting Captain von Krappitz’s steady glance, I paused. And in that pause my sense returned.
If love itself be a madness, as they say, what name shall we give to our wrath against those that we love! For that minute no poor chained Bedlamite could have been more dangerously mad than I. But my British dread of ridicule saved my life that day, and perhaps that of others besides.
Perhaps also the real pity, the sympathy, that was stamped on the captain’s honest face had something to say to calming me. At any rate, I recovered from my convulsion, and awoke to the fact that blood was running down my shirt from where I had clenched my teeth upon my lip.