"The lady with the black hair and eyes," said the Landgrave, gloating across the distance.
Dick turned cold. "Why," said he, in what faint voice he could command, "I thought your highness's favorite was Mademoiselle F——!"
"King David himself changed his mistress now and then," said the Landgrave.
Mad with grief and humiliation, Dick sprang forward to Catherine de St. Valier—for she it was whom the Landgrave had pointed out—and said:
"Mademoiselle, is it true,—what I am told?"
She gave a start at first seeing him, then stood for a moment in a kind of sudden dismay. This gave way to an expression of surprise, as if he who addressed her were a stranger; and then she turned to hasten from him.
"Ah!" he cried bitterly, in a voice that drew the attention of the whole assembly; for, as consternation had stopped his heart, rage now set it beating fiercely. "It is true, then! Faithless!"
She turned and faced him, with a countenance as pale as death. At that instant Gerard confronted Dick from out of the throng, with cheeks as colorless as Catherine's, and cried out:
"Monsieur, it is of my sister that you speak!"
"You know where to find me, Monsieur de St. Valier!"