"Watch," she said. "Watch and pray, and wait. Oh, no speaking!—at least, not yet."
"But till when?" I asked.
"I should say, till you all return here—unless something happen in the interim. But if thou dost speak, little one—do not be surprised if nobody believe thee. Very impulsive men, like thy brother, rarely indulge suspicion or mistrust: and Sybil is most unsuspicious. They are likely enough to think thee fanciful and unjust."
"It would be too bad!" said I.
"It would be very probable," she responded.
"Holy Mother," said I, "what do you think he aims at doing?"
I wanted to know, yet scarcely dared to ask, if the same dread had occurred to her as to me.
"I think," she said unhesitatingly, "he aims at making himself King, by marriage, either with Sybil or with Isabel."
"But he would have to murder his own wife and the lady's husband!" cried I.
"No need, in the first case. The Lady Countess suffers under some internal and incurable disorder, which must be fatal sooner or later; it is only a question of time. Her physicians think she may live about two years, but not longer. And so long as she lives, thy brother's life is safe."