“Yes; did he tell you?”
“He said you had made him a promise to give him Helena for his wife, if he carried out your plans.”
“That’s a lie!” cried Justinian impetuously. “I said he could pay his addresses to Helena, but the question of marriage I left entirely in her own hands.”
“Oh,” said Crispin quickly, “that puts quite a different face on the affair.”
“At all events, Helena will never marry him,” said Maurice abruptly, whereon the King turned on him in surprise.
“What do you know of Helena?”
“Only this,” replied Maurice, handing the portrait of the girl to her father. “Caliphronas showed me that face, and I fell in love with it.”
“Oh, you fell in love with it!” remarked Justinian in a tone of satisfaction.
“Yes; in fact, it was that which brought me to Melnos.”
Justinian smiled in a satisfied way, but suddenly frowned.