“On what ground then shall I put it?”
“Tell them he has changed his opinions.”
“Wouldn’t that be rather like denouncing him as a traitor—and doing it hypocritically?”
“Tell them then it’s simply my wish.”
“That won’t do you much good,” Paul said with his natural laugh.
“Will it put me in danger? That’s exactly what I want.”
“Yes; but as I understand you, you want to suffer for the people, not by them. You’re very fond of Robinson; it couldn’t be otherwise,” the young man argued. “But you ought to remember that in the line you’ve chosen our affections, our natural ties, our timidities, our shrinkings——” His voice had become low and grave, and he paused a little while the Princess’s deep and lovely eyes, attaching themselves to his face, showed how quickly she had been affected by this unwonted adjuration. He spoke now as if he were taking her seriously. “All those things are as nothing, they must never weigh a feather, beside our service.”
She began to draw on her gloves. “You’re a most extraordinary man.”
“That’s what Rosy tells me.”
“Why don’t you do it yourself?”