"You lie!" she said.
I tried to control myself:
"Naxos is a Venetian Duchy, belonging to Italy," I repeated. "I am happy and proud of the privilege of acknowledging the restoration of Naxos to Italy—and I salute its ruler—Thusis, Duchess of Naxos!"
And I lifted the white hand of Thusis and touched it with my lips.
"There's conspiracy here!" shouted Tino, very drunk, and vainly attempting to stand up. "We're all tangled up in treason here! We're in the web of the Ægean League! What are these people doing here, anyway!—all these Yankees and Duchesses running about underfoot——"
A hiccough terminated his activities and he slid up against his spouse who shoved him away, her eyes flashing.
"That lying Yankee," she began, almost beside herself, "has set a trap for us here!"
At the word "trap," King Ferdinand, drunk as he was, got up hastily and started toward the door.
"You'd better defend yourselves!" he shouted. "I've got pistols in my room——"
His voice ceased: Raoul blocked his way: