He rose, quivering with horror.
"My mobilization orders?" he repeated, deadly pale.
"Yes," she said calmly. "Oblige me by handing them over to Monsieur Vignerte. We might be stopped between here and the frontier. Of course I know that in all probability I shall only have to mention my name to get through. But we might come across some stupid sentry. We must not lose any time. Lieutenant von Hagen will be able to get anywhere. Come. Quick!"
The officer was white as death. A terrible conflict was raging within him.
"You are now taking my honour from me, Madam!" he blurted out at length.
"I should only be taking back what I gave you myself, Herr von Hagen," said Aurora, pitilessly. "But you mustn't exaggerate. It will be your own fault if you are compromised. I ask but two things of you. First that you wait until ten o'clock to give the alarm that we have gone. Secondly, that you arrange matters so that they shall think we have taken the Aix-la-Chapelle route. If the Grand Duke is shameless enough to telegraph or telephone it must not be in our direction. Come. Good-bye. I shall be back by this time tomorrow."
She held out a hand which he bathed with his tears.
"I may count on you, friend, mayn't I?"
Choking with emotion, he nodded.
I myself was utterly overcome and went forward to offer my hand to the man who was risking everything for me at that moment. But he started back and replied with a look of unutterable hatred.