The Marquis looked hard at Wilfrid.
“There is no one higher than a Grand Duke except the Czar.”
“Incredible as it may appear, my adversary is the Czar!”
The Marquis showed surprise, yet that surprise was not so great as Wilfrid had expected. There was about him an air of satisfaction, as if he were pleased at the situation.
“With what weapons do you fight?”
“With swords.”
“And you are deadly with the sword, I understand,” said the Marquis. “As most duels are caused by a lady,” he went on, “I presume yours is no exception to the rule?”
“No exception.”
He begged for a little light on the matter, and Wilfrid accordingly gave a hurried account of the events that had brought him into connection with the Princess Marie, making no mention, however, of the compromising adventure at the Silver Birch. The Marquis was deeply interested, and—a puzzling point to Wilfrid—even pleased. He seemed to brighten more and more as the story reached its climax.