“Ah, do not fear, de Brancas!” he exclaimed, bitterly, dropping into a chair as though utterly weary. “I am quite safe. I have no need to leave Paris.”
I gazed at him a moment in amazement. Never had I seen that pleasant face so wretched. His hair was disordered, his eyes bloodshot, his clothing disarranged.
“What is it?” I asked, with a sudden fear at my heart. “What has happened?”
“You do not know, then?” and he turned his eyes wearily towards me.
“On my honor, no.”
“It was the regent who released me,” and he paused as one pauses at the brink of a chasm which must be crossed.
“The regent?” I was too astonished to say more.
“Yes, the regent. But he had his price. It was not out of kindness of heart. It was because he knew that it was worse than death. Do you know what his price was, de Brancas? I will tell you. His price was his daughter. To save me Charlotte has agreed to marry the Duc de Modena. The marriage takes place to-morrow morning at the Palais Royal, and she sets out at once for Italy.”
CHAPTER XX
THE SECRET STAIRCASE
I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror. This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet. The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time. In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.