“I do, and can prove it.” Her eyes hardened and her lip curled.
“I congratulate you upon your manliness, Mr. Bergwyn. I know the real reason for your presence in Belgrade; the Baroness told me that: your old and intimate friend whom you are now maligning in this chivalrous way.”
And then I knew that Elma had, indeed, been talking about that old time; and I understood many things; amongst them the mess of mischief she had brewed for me.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A DECLARATION OF WAR.
The position was so full of ludicrous absurdity owing to the monstrous distortion of my motives, and yet so embarrassing in my inability to explain things without going into the whole matter of my past relations with Elma, that I did not know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be angry at the injustice. I was angry and yet I wanted to laugh; but that did not help me to find a reply to Gatrina’s scornfully delivered indictment.
My silence and apparent confusion made the matter worse. Every second that I hesitated seemed to increase her indignation; and I could not help perceiving that my influence was running down so fast that it would soon be many degrees below zero.
My first attempt to remedy the matter was unfortunate.
“We have got suddenly on to very delicate ground, Princess, but I can only say that I did not know the Baroness was in Belgrade when I resolved to come here.”
“That means that you give the lie to a woman behind her back, Mr. Bergwyn; and that woman my friend and also an old friend of yours.” Cold, contemptuous and cutting in every syllable, her words hurt me to the quick.
“Pardon me, you must not twist my words. I am telling you no more than the truth and no less. If the Baroness told you——”