Moore turned quickly away—and the Archduke looked once into the soft eyes, and at the adorable smile; and the eyes and the smile conquered, as eyes and smile always will when the one woman uses them, as the one woman always can, if she try.
“I ought not to let you persuade me,” he said, with a half serious shake of his hand, “but—you’re pretty hard to resist. At least, you won’t prohibit my riding over toward the Castle, and having a look at it now, in broad day, if I promise not to venture inside nor very near.”
“On the contrary, I should like to go with you; come, we will all go—you tell the Ambassador, and I’ll get Helen and Elise,” with a nod and a smile at Moore.
“A reconnaissance in force!” the Archduke laughed, when the Regent had gone; then he ordered the horses, and he and Moore went off to get into riding uniform.
A wide, macadamized avenue wound sharply down from the castle to the valley, where the roads were of the soil, soft and sandy. Once there, the six loosed bridle and sped away across the level country; nor drew rein but thrice until they came to the forks, where the road to Lotzen took off for its mile of tortuous ascent.
Here they halted, and Armand and Moore scanned through their glasses the Castle and its approach; and by riding a very little way up toward it, they were able to see the postern gate, which was on the edge of the hill about a third of the distance around from the bridge, and was approached by a narrow, rain-washed, boulder-strewn path, leading almost straight up the side of the acclivity. The moat ran only across the front, the almost sheer descent on the other sides of the wall having been deemed, even in the old days, quite sufficient protection against assault.
“Well,” said the Archduke, as he shoved the glasses back into their case, “thank God, we have old Jessac to tell us how to find that postern path—and, Colonel, before we start, it might be wise for each of us to make his will, and to say good-bye to his lady, for, of a truth, it is going to be a rather serious business.”
They rode back by way of Porgia, the garrison town, five miles down the valley. It was also the railway station for both Castles, though some years before, King Frederick had run a track over as close as possible to Dalberg, so his own train could always be at hand to hurry him away. And there it had brought the Regent that morning, and was now waiting, ready for instant use.
A regiment of Uhlans were at drill on the edge of the town, and the Princess waved her cocked hat to them as she cantered by. The Colonel in command answered with his saber, while from two thousand lusty throats went up a wild cheer of passionate devotion.
Armand reached over and patted her on the arm.