“You are exiles but, still hope and plot, and never relinquish your heart’s desire?”
“Never, mademoiselle!”
“You are in danger?”
“In daily peril of losing all we most love and long for,” answered Karl, with such passion that Helen found patriotism a lovely and inspiring thing.
“You have enemies?” she asked, unable to control her interest, and feeling the charm of these confidences.
“Alas! yes,” was the mournful reply, as Karl dropped his eyes to hide the curious expression of mirth which he could not banish from them.
“Can you not conquer them, or escape the danger they place you in?”
“We hope to conquer, we cannot escape.”
“This accounts for your disguise and Casimer’s false name?”
“Yes. We beg that mademoiselle will pardon us the anxiety and perplexity we have caused her, and hope that a time will soon arrive when we may be ourselves. I fear the romantic interest with which the ladies have honored us will be much lessened, but we shall still remain their most humble and devoted servants.”