“Will I pass?” she asked.—“See, the hat covers my hair, and its wide brim shadows my face; the coat reaches almost to my feet, and its big collar quite hides the back of my head; and, as for what’s under the coat, see again”—and loosing the frogs, she swung it back, disclosing the tunic of her Blue Guards, and, below it, the close-fitting knee skirts, and high spiral puttees of a shooting suit.
“And is that as unattractive as you could make yourself?” the Archduke asked, with affected seriousness, as he fastened her coat and adjusted her sword.
“It’s as unobtrusive as I could make myself—some day, if you wish, sir, I’ll show you just how unattractive I can be.”
But he only laughed, and, taking her hand, hurried her to the carriage.
On the drive, he told her briefly how they were to reach Mrs. Spencer’s apartments, and cautioned her, as tactfully as he could, against doing anything which might serve to disclose her identity.
“Don’t worry, dear,” she said, “I’m going simply to see the Book; I shall not even speak without permission—you are in command, not I;” and she found his hand, and held it; rather sorry now that she had ordered her Adjutant inside with them, when he was about to mount his horse to follow.
“Will there be others with us?” she asked, presently.
“Yes, Captain De Coursey and Lieutenant Marsov, of the Cuirassiers; both guaranteed by Colonel Moore to be skillful swordsmen, and friendly to me as against Lotzen.”
“And besides,” the Adjutant added, “devoted to an adventure, and in discretion unsurpassed.”
“Will you tell them who I am?” she asked.