“Listen, Domiloff,” he said. “If Nicholas of Reist were to go to the King and hold out his hand, and beg his pardon, would the King receive him?”
“Of course.”
“Would he give him the command at Althea if he were to ask for it?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Then he must ask for it and get it. Then I will talk to him if you find him so difficult. These are not times for neutrality. He must be for the King or against the King. With the Althean passes unguarded for an hour the thing is done. Then there can be as much intervention as you like. Theos will be ours.”
Domiloff stood silent, with knitted brows and downcast eyes.
“The scheme is good,” he said, “but I fear very much whether Reist will consent.”
“He will have to,” Hassen answered, coolly. “He is your man, is he not? He has already committed himself too deeply to draw back. You can show him that it is for the salvation of Theos.”
“You shall show him yourself,” Domiloff answered. “I will take you to him. You will understand then the mood of the man with whom we have to deal.”