"Yes—I believed him. I wanted to believe him—Did he deceive me?"
"Listen," said I. "He reached Dornlitz two days ago. Yesterday afternoon he insulted me repeatedly in my office at Headquarters. Last night I attended the Vierle Masque. While in the Garden I was struck in the back with a dagger."
"Stabbed!" she exclaimed, and clutched my arm.
"No, dear—not even scratched, thanks to Bernheim's steel vest I was wearing. Half an hour later, our cousin of Lotzen, with Mrs. Spencer on his arm, met me, alone, in a retired part of the Garden, forced a duel, and did his level best to run me through, by a trick of fence he thought he, alone knew."
"And, again, the vest saved you?"
"No—I was fortunate enough to disarm him."
"Glorious, dear, glorious!" she exclaimed. And tears filled her eyes.
And, as it was I that had caused them, it was but fair that I should take them away.
Then she made me go over the whole story in detail.
"Of course you will tell the King," said she.