“For he is secretly married already. So it follows that these ghastly political murders have all been unnecessary. There is every reason now why you should live.”
“Ah!”
“But unfortunately you died three days ago.”
“I died—three days ago!”
“So Count Furello told his Excellency.”
She thought a moment. “Ah, yes, I understand.”
“So it seems to me, Fräulein, that now it is only the Count you have to fear.”
She gave a little shudder. “And that is bad enough. But at least I would rather a million times have his hate than his love. Ah, I cannot bear to think of it, yet I must tell you. About half an hour after you had gone yesterday the Count came to my prison room. He told me that to let me live was as much as his life was worth. His own risk was so great that only upon one condition would he face it. Of course you guess the condition; that I would marry him; otherwise that day must be my last. ‘Remember,’ he urged in his smooth hateful voice, ‘you are already dead in theory. The grave is dug for you in the wood outside; in ten minutes from the moment I give the word you will be lying in it. It is painful for me to have to tell you this, but my life is precious too; I cannot afford to risk it unless I have a stake to play for.’
“I pretended to be in great fear and distress, which perhaps was not all pretence—but for your brave discovery what should I have felt? I begged for time; I could not die, I was too young for that, and yet—how could I love him at once? You see what a hypocrite I can be. He was rejoiced, when he saw signs of my yielding, at the success of his appeal. He went down on his knees and vowed he would gladly risk his life for one loving look from me, that he would be my slave—I need not recapitulate the hateful scene. Happily it was interrupted, just as I was beginning to fear I could not stave off his love-making without arousing his suspicions. The girl Telka came in; he turned upon her, furious at the interruption. She said to him under her breath, yet loud enough in her flurry for me to catch the words, ‘Rallenstein is here!’ He turned grey at the news, and his face changed to the index of the man he really is.”
“I can well imagine it,” I said. “It was a critical moment for you.”