"I may be wrong. Count Gustav may not come."
"You have probably made sure of him. Give me the address. We must know it. You see that, I am sure."
I thought earnestly. "If I give it you, will you wait at home here and do nothing for an hour; and if you bring the Duke will you promise to tell him first of Gareth? I may be back within the hour with nothing done."
"Yes, I give you my word on both points. It will be a trying hour."
I wrote down the address then and handed it to him. "It is twelve o'clock. I must go. If I do not return, I shall look for you in an hour and a-half from now."
"I wish you would let us come at once," he said as he went out to the carriage.
"You might only witness my failure; and I am jealous of my reputation for succeeding."
"I have no smile just now to answer yours," he said, as he handed me into the carriage.
In some respects he had influenced me more than I had let him see during our conversation. Indeed, I scarcely cared to own to myself how differently I viewed the conduct and offer of the Duke.
I was in truth intensely delighted at the news that Karl had asked the Duke's consent to make me his wife. I had known of course that he was willing to set everything else aside if he could prevail upon me to marry him. He had told me no less than that. But I fastened upon this formal request for the Duke's permission almost greedily, as though it gave a fresh practical turn to the position. My heart was indeed only too willing to find any reason or pretext for playing traitor to my resolve.