“There is to be no regular court-martial, such as was to have been as soon as the doctor said Sir Robert could bear it.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Oh, it’s no, no, Frank. He’s to be dismissed from his regiment.”
“I was afraid so,” cried Frank. “But to exchange into another. What regiment is he to go in?”
Andrew was silent.
“Well, go on! Why don’t you speak?” cried Frank wildly. “I asked you what regiment he was to go in.”
“No regiment at all. He’s dismissed from the King’s service, and he is to leave the country. If he comes back, he is to be severely punished.”
“Oh, they could not punish him more severely,” cried Frank, with an angry stamp of the foot.
“Yes, they could. His Majesty”—Andrew Forbes said the two last words with bitter irony in his tones—“might order his execution.”
“Then we are all to go away,” said Frank, frowning.