There was a little of the usual fencing with the subject, and then Roscoria came out with a few leading questions. He had heard rumors—very disquieting rumors—in short, would she set his mind at rest?
Lyndis bent the glory of her mystic eyes upon him for an instant, whilst she said:
"I was going to be married, but we were obliged to put it off. Where are you going, Mr. Roscoria?"
"I don't know," said Louis miserably. He had risen and taken a few steps away, but he came back again and leant against the wall by her side, breathing quick and brokenly.
"What is the matter?"
"Oh!" groaned Roscoria, "I wanted you."
He heard no answer, so he straightened up and took her kind hand and said, "Never mind; I was a fool not to be silent; but—but—if you had known your own charm, would you have made me so unhappy?"
Then there seemed a light in her eyes which was not there before, and a whisper was borne to him low and far away as if it were the echo of the voice of Fate thousands of years ago:
"By the favor of Heaven I am free!"
Shortly afterward Louis believed he heard himself saying, "Why did you forsake him, for he never did it?"