“No, I know what you would do. You would kill yourself. It is what is in your mind now. I won’t risk losing you. I have waited long enough already. Give me a ring of yours, and a written word from you to du Laurier, saying that you find you have made a mistake; and not only will I do nothing to injure him, but will guard against the discovery of—you know what. Besides, as a matter of course, I’ll bring all my influence to bear in keeping your name out of this or any other scandal. I can do much, everything indeed, for I admit that it was through me the Commissary of Police trapped you with Dundas. I will say that I blundered. I know what to do to save you, and I will do it—for my future wife.”
“No power on earth could induce me to break with Raoul du Laurier in the way you wish,” I said. “If—if I am to give him up, I must tell him with my own lips, and bid him good-bye. I will do this to-morrow, if you will hold your hand until then.”
We looked at each other for a long moment in silence. Godensky was trying to read my mind, and to make up his accordingly.
“You swear by everything you hold sacred to break with him to-morrow?”
“By the memory of my father and mother, martyred by bureaucrats like you, I pledge my word that—that—if I can’t break with Raoul, to let you know the first thing in the morning, and dare you to do—what you will.”
“You will not ‘dare’ me, I think. And because I think so, I will wait—a little longer.”
“Until this time to-morrow?”
“No. For if you cheated me, it would be too late to act for another twelve hours. But I will give you till to-morrow noon. You agree to that?”
“I agree.” My lips formed the words. I hardly spoke them; but he understood, and with a flash in his eyes took a step towards me as if to snatch my hand. I drew away. He followed, but at this instant Marianne appeared at the door.
“There is a young lady to see Mademoiselle,” she announced, her good-natured, open face showing all her dislike of Count Godensky. “A young lady who sends this note, begging that Mademoiselle will read it at once, and consent to see her.”