"She shall not be arrested," I said, coldly.
"What!" he cried, "you dare to disobey me?"
"Yes," I replied, "I dare to disobey such an order as that. It shall not be."
"Are you a traitor, also? Was Michael right?"
There was that sneering smile upon his face now, but I held my ground.
"I am not a traitor, but I will not carry out your request, and I will not permit it to be carried out." He was aghast at my effrontery. He could only gaze at me in amazement, too greatly confounded for speech; and I continued: "Listen to me one moment, your majesty."
"I will not listen to you. The road to Siberia may be traveled by you as well as by the friends whom you apprehended last night, and by heaven, you shall follow it!"
"You forget one thing," I said. "You have forgotten——"
"What have I forgotten?"
"The Fraternity of Silence."