Bernheim’s answer was another salute, but he could say as much with it, in an instant, as some men in an hour of talk.
“Here are two sealed orders,” she continued; “immediately after dinner you will ride down to Porgia; there, not before, you will open the one addressed to yourself, and deliver the other to the Commanding Officer of the garrison. For the rest, the orders will speak for themselves.”
Once more, the martinet’s hand went up.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he said; “but how am I to go without getting leave from the Archduke?”
“I will get it for you—you need not say anything to him—just go——Ah! there he is now—Armand,” said she, when he had greeted her, “I want to borrow Colonel Bernheim for a little while after dinner, may I have him?”
“Take him,” said the Archduke, with a smile at his Aide; and when Bernheim had gone: “but why don’t you borrow me instead?”
“Because, sweetheart, one doesn’t need to borrow what one has,” she answered, and gave him both her hands.
XXI
IN THE DUKE’S LIBRARY
The Princess managed so well that by a little after eleven o’clock the card games were over, and she, laughingly, had escorted Armand to his own door and received his promise to retire at once.
Then she went to her apartment and dismissed all the attendants except her maid. To-night she must ride as a man, so she donned a close-fitting divided skirt, high boots, and her Blue Guard’s jacket, and topped it with a long military overcoat that came almost to her spurs.