“I judge by what I have found here: but I shall know for certain within a few hours. I do not act in the dark. But if you have not, it will make no difference in regard to the Queen’s Advocate.”
“I prefer not to discuss the Princess with you.”
“You will find someone else who will wish to do so. Prince Albrevics attributes the failure of his marriage to you and will force a quarrel upon you. Rumours of that Bosnian adventure have reached him. I wish to warn you.”
“Have you anything more to say?” I asked as I rose. “If you have, it will be well to say it at once, as you will have no opportunity in the future.”
“I suppose I have made you feel like that, and that you won’t believe I am sorry. You have driven me so hard. Yet I—” She paused, looked down, and then rising came toward me and said half wistfully, half defiantly: “I need not be your enemy, and would much rather be your friend. Why won’t you see this? All the influence I have could be yours if you would only let it be so.”
“I prefer to trust to myself and take my own course, thank you,” I said, coldly.
She sighed wearily. “I suppose we all have our hours of weakness and perhaps this is mine. I am not ashamed for you to see it. Let me be your friend, Chase. I—I won’t ask for anything else. But I feel such a coward now for all that I have had to do against you. I could help you in all—all except Gatrina. That can never be possible for you. But you are being so shamefully betrayed.”
“I have given you my answer.”
“Yes, I know, and I know how dogged you are. But if you trust these officers, this Colonel Petrosch, he will only deceive you. I told you before, that their policy is to be summed up in one word—assassination; if once they resolve to move. We all know that and dread it for the sake of Servia. And if you help them with money, they will take it and only lie to you. Everyone lies here. It is the common coin of negotiation. Trust me a little, just a little, for the sake of old times, and I’ll be true to you. I swear on my soul I will.”
“I do not need your help.”