“I will put it another way,” She interposed again. “Which party are you with? The army are intriguing against the present dynasty; are you with them? The Crown is intriguing to secure the next succession for the Queen’s brother; are you with them? Another party is intriguing to secure the Princess Gatrina in her rights; are you with them?—with us, I should say. If you are, then indeed your millions may be safe.”
“I fear I do not understand you. The Queen is responsible for the betrothal of the Princess to the Prince Albrevics; how then....”
The interposing laugh was now scornful.
“You have indeed much to learn. You will hold what I may say in confidence?”
“Yes; but without pledging myself to make no use privately of any information; and I think you should not speak,” I answered after a pause of doubt whether I could rightly let her speak freely. But she had no hesitation.
“I will take your word and any risks. I wish you, if you take any side, to take ours. The Queen’s object in promoting the marriage of the Princess—as good a girl as ever lived—with such a vile reprobate as this Albrevics is—what do you think? Nay, you would not see it, not understanding the cross currents of our matters here. She knows, as all the country knows—except Gatrina herself, perhaps—that of all the impossible successors to the throne he is the most impossible. She does it that Gatrina’s claims may thus be destroyed finally and Gatrina herself in this clever way removed from the path of the Queen’s brother.”
“Very smart, very subtle, and very feminine,” I said, with a smile as though the plan appealed to my appreciation of a really clever move. “And what is your plan?”
“First, what is your motive in Belgrade? Would you help in so shameful a scheme against the Princess?”
I affected to consider and then answered with more truth than she knew.
“No, I think I can safely say I should not.”