'And gave him the letter?'
'Yes, my lady.'
'Well'--this with impatience, and her foot began to tap the floor--'did he give you no answer?'
'No, my lady.'
She looked astonished, offended, then troubled. 'Neither in writing nor by word of mouth?' she said faintly.
'Only--that the King was about to give battle,' I stammered; 'and that if he survived, he would answer your excellency.'
She started, and looked at me searchingly, her colour fading gradually. 'That was all!' she said at last, a quaver in her voice. 'Tell me all, Martin. Count Leuchtenstein was offended, was he not?'
'I think that he was hurt, your excellency,' I confessed. 'He thought that the news about his child--should have been sent to him sooner. That was all.'
'All!' she ejaculated; and for a moment she said no more, but with that word, which thrilled me, she began to pace the floor. 'All!' she repeated presently. 'But I--yes, I am justly punished. I cannot confess to him; I will confess to you. Your girl would have had me tell him this, or let her tell him this. She pressed me; she went on her knees to me that evening. But I hardened my heart, and now I am punished. I am justly punished.'
I was astonished. Not that she took it lightly, for there was that in her tone as well as in her face that forbade the thought; but that she took it with so little passion, without tears or anger, and having been schooled so seldom in her life bore this schooling so patiently. She stood for a time after she had spoken, looking from the window with a wistful air, and her head drooping; and I fancied that she had forgotten my presence. But by-and-by she began to ask questions about the camp, and the preparations, and what men thought of the issue, and whether Wallenstein would come down from his heights or the King be driven to the desperate task of assaulting them. I told her all that I had heard. Then she said quietly that she would go to church; and she sent me to call Fraulein Max to go with her.