The Comte hesitated. The keenly intelligent gaze of the woman interrogated him.
“Proceed, M. le Comte,” she encouraged.
“Will it be permitted a mere Comte to speak frankly of the prince?”
“By all means.”
“Then I shall dare to say, by the lack of knowledge and perspicacity of the Dauphin.”
In spite of herself, a flush stole into the face of the woman.
“Ah! You are naïve!” she exclaimed, in pain. “Cruelly so.”
“Nay, Mademoiselle. It is not naïveté in the circumstances, for I have a definite plan to defeat the machinations of the Cardinal.”
In amazement the woman stared at her companion.
“But how—?” she began.