“Not a brother king, Sire, but the Comte de la Seine, who had entered his Court in disguise.”
“Impossible, Leoni! I repeat, he would not dare.”
“Sire, your death warrant was made out.”
“What!”
“I saw it, Sire, in Lord Hurst’s hands; and he told me indirectly what was to take place.”
“Leoni!” cried the King.
“Those are the simple words of truth, Sire. That death warrant, signed by the King’s own hand, was the mainspring of my action. Was I not justified in doing anything to save your life?”
The King was silent.
“Leoni!” he exclaimed at length. “I am faint with hunger. Is there no place near where we can get food?”
“There is a farm we passed a little lower down, Sire,” replied Leoni; “but we dared not stay for fear the pursuers might be searching either bank.”