"Nothing less than that I have endeavoured to compass the death of my brother."
"Yes, that is grave enough and odious enough. To whom has the accusation been made?"
"To me, so far; but she threatens to make it public."
"Surely you do not take such a thing seriously. What could you have to fear from such a charge?" Cleverly said; as though the whole thing were just a monstrous absurdity.
"Nothing, of course; but——" he finished with a gesture to imply that such conduct could not be tolerated by an honourable person like himself.
"Surely you would not wish to shut up a lady in a lunatic asylum for fear she might utter impossible charges against you."
"I believe her to be insane—on that point, of course; however reasonable and clever she may be in other respects."
"My dear Count Gustav, can't you see the extraordinary unwisdom of what you proposed to do? Why, the first effect would be to make every one who heard the charge believe there was some ground for it, and that she was shut away because you were afraid to face the thing. Your high position, your well-known probity, and your acknowledged and admired honour and love of justice render you able to laugh at such a thing. It would fly off from you like a pebble flung at an ironclad and leave no more injury."
Very astute and extremely diplomatic. I had certainly done his Excellency much less than justice. He was making it impossible for my adversary to go any further; and at the same time showing his own admiration of the Count's qualities and his regard for the ducal family.
Count Gustav found himself very awkwardly placed. "That is no doubt true, but I cannot take the same lenient view of the matter. Such things are apt to do much harm in the present disturbed state of public feeling."