“But if you are to run this risk, it will be so much harder for me. I cannot bear it.”
“So long as you remain on this side of the frontier I remain too; so that you’ll have to bear it, I’m afraid;” and I took her out to the carriage in which Madame Korvata was already shivering in the nipping morning air. That good lady was not in a pleasant temper, moreover, at having been dragged from her bed at such an early hour; and as she did not know all that had occurred, and was not fully in our confidence, Helga and I could not speak much during the long drive.
Helga lay back in her seat most of the time wrapped in thought, and I on my side was equally absorbed; but once, when Madame Korvata had fallen asleep, we exchanged a few words.
“I am going straight to the Palace,” I told her; “and shall do my utmost to get to the Emperor at once. If I am successful I shall send immediately for you.”
“You will not succeed. Prince Kalkov will not let you,” she replied.
“I hope to evade him altogether.”
“He is a vigilant watchdog, and all those about the Palace are at his beck and in his service.”
“Then I shall try to hoodwink him. I know I can get to His Majesty. What you have to do is to be prepared with all the proof of Kalkov’s infamy—all particulars, so as to hit right home at once, and as hard as possible.”
“Do not be afraid that I shall fail at such a moment—if it ever comes.”
“It will come. It shall,” I said firmly. “But there is another thing. If we get our chance and yet fail—what then?”