“You spoke of taking me to the Palace?”
“I meant to do it, too. I would have got you to the Emperor. I should have had some claim on him for this business, and I’d have got you a hearing. But I suppose it looks to you like treachery.”
“And you made me think that, as the Emperor, you were taking me there to do me justice. I should never trust you again.”
“Don’t rub it in. I feel quite mean enough already. You might be sorry, too. I’m not going to ask you to trust me again.”
“And you could listen as you did to all my story! To think I should have put myself in the power of such a man.”
I winced under this punishment as a dog under the lash.
“Do you think I should betray you?”
“How can I tell, after what has happened?”
“True. There is that, of course.” I paused with a frown of pain. “Is it any good for me to say I should not? I wish you could say you don’t think it.”
“What are your wishes to me?” she cried, flashing her eyes at me.