“The facts will have to prove my honest motive, I see; and I came from Paris, hoping that I could render you this service, as a small requital for the injury I did you a little while ago.”
The Archduke laughed in her face.
“And for how much in gold coin of the realm, from some one of my enemies?” he asked.
She put the words aside with another smile.
“I’ve been in Dornlitz for more than two weeks,” she went on; “can you guess where?—yes, I see you can; the only place I could have been, and you not know of it.”
“And you mean to say the Book is in Ferida Palace?” said Armand.
“I do.”
“And you are ready to restore it to the Regent?”
“No,” said she, “I’m not ready to restore it to the Regent; I’m ready to give it to you if I were able, but I’m not—it will be for you to recover it.”
“How do you know it is the Book of Laws—did the Duke tell you?”