"Waiting for some one?"
"My chauffeur."
Rosal settled his eye-glass, extracted a case of cigarettes which he proceeded to offer to Allard, and himself selected one of the contents.
"Tell me," he said confidentially, "is it true that the Emperor took scarcely any interest in the Regent's escape?"
"No." Allard watched a descending elevator with keen anxiety; the fear that Adrian had been decoyed into some trap was becoming unbearable, yet it was impossible to go in search of him.
"They say so at the palace, and all over the city. They say he did not even give a word of praise to you."
Aroused to justice as well as a desire to shield Stanief, Allard withdrew his eyes from the hotel entrance to regard his visitant.
"Does this seem so?" he demanded irritably, and pushed aside his coat to permit a glimpse of the fiery gem he wore.
Rosal's cigarette fell to the pavement; the idle patrician was well skilled in matters heraldic.
"That!" he cried, dazzled and envious.