But Balsamo ran after him and caught him by the arm.
“Take care, sir,” he said: “the secret will become public; it will come out and the echo in royal residences is noisy.”
“To think it is Gilbert and that he was close to us, listening,” said Philip: “I might have killed the wretch—woe to him!”
“Yes: but silence: you will find him yet. But you must think of your sister. You see how fatigued she is with all this emotion.”
“Yes: I understand what she must suffer by my own feelings; the misfortune is so great and so difficult to repair. I shall die of the shame.”
“No, you will live for her sake. She has need of you, love her, pity her and preserve her! But you have no more want of me?” he asked after a pause.
“No: overlook my suspicions and my insults: although the evil happened through you.”
“I do not excuse myself: but remember what your sister said: that she would have drunk the sleeping draft but for my calling her away. In that case the guilt would have fallen on the King. Would you have considered the fate worse?”
“No, the same crime: I see that we were doomed. Awaken my poor sister, my lord.”
“Not for her to see me and perhaps guess what occurred. Better to do it when at a distance, as I sent her to sleep.”