"I have never told your Majesty a lie in my life."
The unexpected character of the reply set him thinking, and he fixed his eyes on mine.
"What do you mean by that? Who are you and what was your real motive in this?"
Von Augener was also staring hard at me, and I could see that both were thinking hard in the effort to solve the puzzle I had evidently set them.
I let a minute pass without a word, and then said in a low voice:
"I am a man who for years has been under a ban, condemned to live an empty, useless, purposeless life. I saw in this affair at once a means of helping a helpless girl who was sorely beset by dangers; I longed for some sphere of activity for myself again; and I hoped that possibly I might even achieve an object that is never out of my thoughts."
I found myself speaking for the first time with nervousness and hesitation; and I faltered, and then stopped.
The Emperor made no reply, but kept his eyes fixed piercingly on my face.
Old von Augener sneered.
"We are getting to the truth now, I suppose."