"You understand why I insisted on your coming with me," he continued, after a pause. "There were witnesses to our meeting. The Superintendent of Police had his eye upon us. I almost think some suspicion was already dawning in his mind. It was necessary to crush this in the bud; and a lengthened interview with me will serve you as a sort of guarantee."
"No doubt; it would naturally be supposed that the Governor of R---- would at once give over any suspicious person into the hands of the police. I was prepared for that when you recognised me."
"Moderate your tone, Rudolph," said Raven, warningly; but the other went on unmoved:
"And I really do not know to what caprice I owe my rescue. But to be candid, Arno, I had a longing to meet you once more face to face, else I would rather have given myself up to that man's myrmidons than have followed you."
Raven bit his lip.
"Since our parting you have so boldly and openly proclaimed yourself my enemy that I ought to have been prepared for some such attitude on your part. You will remember, however, that in our young days I never submitted to an insult, and in the course of years my temper has not grown more enduring in this respect. So do not misuse your temporary advantages, or forget that your position bars me from seeking satisfaction. Let me, at least, feel that I may continue to address you without loss of dignity."
These words made little or no impression on Brunnow. His manner was, if possible, more hostile than before, as he replied:
"I see you have not unlearned the tone of command. I remember it of old. Even in those days the man who sought to rise in revolt against your will yielded in the end, cowed by that sovereign mien. As for me, though truly mine is no slavish nature, I gave myself up to you body and soul. I worshipped you with a blind worship; I followed whithersoever you led, for the goal before you must, I thought, be the highest and best--until one day my idol crumbled to dust, fell shattered to the ground. Do not try to exercise the old power over me. I bent to you only while I believed in you. That is over and past long ago; but you, in whom ambition has ever usurped the place of a heart, you little guess all that I lost when that faith went from me."
A long oppressive pause ensued. Raven had turned away, and stood some minutes in silence. At length he said:
"If once you loved me, you hate me now all the more intensely."