“My God!” he cried, “tell me why you are here, and whatever you may say, I will believe you, in spite of all and through all, because you are You, and I know that you can do no wrong.”
“Your Majesty!” exclaimed the Chancellor. But the Emperor did not hear. With a broken exclamation that was half a sob, the girl held out both her hands, and Leopold sprang forward to crush them between his ice-cold palms.
“Thank Heaven!” she faltered. “You are true! You’ve stood the test. I love you.”
“At last, then, I can introduce you to my sister Virginia,” said the Crown Prince of Hungaria, with a great sigh of relief for the ending of his difficult part.
CHAPTER XX
AFTER THE CURTAIN WENT DOWN
They were alone together. Adalbert and Count von Breitstein had stolen from the room, and had ceased to exist for Leopold and Virginia.
“I’ll tell you now, why I’m here, and everything else,” she was saying; but the Emperor stopped her.