“They will do you no good. You have to account for how you obtained them, and I will swear, if necessary, that I forged them myself. You shall not ruin me. We have been your dupes too long.”
“Your carriage is waiting, madame. Good-night, messieurs,” and with a bow which included me as well as Boreski, she turned her back upon us and went into an adjoining room.
“We had better go,” said Boreski.
“She is a dangerous, deceitful, treacherous woman,” exclaimed the Duchess passionately. “Come, M. Denver.”
“Excuse me, madame, I am remaining,” I said.
“You will repent it, monsieur,” she exclaimed angrily as she swept past me.
“Possibly, madame; but at present I see nothing but congratulation in being able to number myself among Mademoiselle Helga’s friends.”
“The Emperor will hear of it from me.”
Boreski lingered a moment as if wishful to speak to me, but his wife called him sharply, and he contented himself with a glance which may have meant many things to him but nothing to me, and they drove off.
I looked after the carriage thoughtfully and went back into the house. Ivan was in the hall.