Possessed by a sort of cringing exaltation, he rose to his thin, splay feet, and pointed a meager finger almost in the shocked face of Thusis.
"That is the Duchess of Naxos!" he squealed.
At that Thusis was on her feet, white as a slim sword-blade, and her gray eye charged with lightning.
I rose, too, incredulous, astounded.
"Thusis, Duchess of Naxos!" piped the excited voice of Secretary Gizzler. "She and The Laughing Girl are one! I know! I was in the Intelligence! I procured that photograph so that if this woman ever gave our fatherland any trouble she could be easily recognized wherever she might be!" He beat his temples and glared at Thusis: "Stupid! Stupid!" he squealed; "why did I not recognize her at once! Why did not a single German present recognize the chief mischief-maker in Greece!—the instigator of revolt!—the pupil of Venizelos!—the enemy of their majesties King Constantine and Queen Sophia!—the plotter who aided in their downfall!—Thusis, Duchess of Naxos!"
The huns seemed thunderstruck; Thusis, very pale, swept them with insolent cool eyes.
All at once King Ferdinand got to his feet and loomed up like a bad dream.
"Naxos! Where is Naxos?" he demanded.
And when Secretary Gizzler would have answered him: "The man's mad," he said heavily; "there's no such place."
At that I saw Thusis's face flame; but the boche all around her burst into a roar of ironic laughter.