“And is that not reason enough?”
“Reason enough that he should not be tried, since he is not guilty. But perhaps Your Majesty has thought of sending him under guard to the frontier, back to his own country, where he would not longer be an annoyance?”
“My dear young lady,” returned the Emperor, “it seems that you expect me to blot out the processes of law simply because even I cannot make them infallible. But you do not answer my question. I offer you protection to the City?”
“He must stand trial then?”
“Yes–but will you be ready to start this afternoon?”
“Your Majesty should know that I cannot accept.”
“Does this trial interest you so much, mademoiselle?”
155“Thanking Your Majesty,” said Jacqueline coldly, “I should rather not accompany him.”
Maximilian swung on his heel and called Lopez aside. “Mi coronel,” he said, “when you follow to-morrow, you will offer to bring the Señorita d’Aumerle, if she desires it.–And Lopez, you remember the young Mexican girl we used to meet near here, during the last few evenings?”
“When you and I, sire, would ride over from Las Palmas incognito?”