"Here, Monsieur." The hand was extended, but the face was averted.

"Countess, you are too charming a woman to lend yourself to such
schemes."

There was no reply.

"Did you not volunteer to make me fall in love with you to keep me from
interfering with Madame's plans?" It was brutal, but he was compelled to
say it.

Silence.

"Did you not?" he persisted. "When one writes such messages as these,
one should use an intricate cipher. Had I been other than a prisoner,
what I have done would not be the act of a gentleman. But I am a
prisoner; I must defend myself. To rob a man through his love! And
such a man! He is a very infant in the hands of a woman. He has been a
soldier all his life. All women to him are little less than angels; he
knows nothing of their treachery, their deceit, their false smiles. It
will be an easy victory, or rather it would have been, for I shall do my
best to prevent it. Madame is not unknown to me; I have been waiting to
see what meant this peculiar house party.

"Perhaps I am now too late. Madame distrusts me. I dare say she has her
reasons. She went to you. You were to occupy me. I was young, I liked
the society of women, I was gay and careless. She has decked me out as
one would deck a monkey (and doubtless she calls me one behind my back),
and has offered me a sword to play with.

"In America, when a man puts a sword in his hand, it is to kill
somebody. Here--aye, all over the continent, for that matter--swords are
baubles for young nobles, used to slash each other in love affairs. I
respect and admire you; had I not done so, I should not have spoken.
Countess, be frank with me, as frank as I have been with you; have I not
guessed rightly?"

"Yes, Monsieur," her head bowed and her cheeks white. "Yes, yes! it was
a miserable game. But I love Madame; I would sacrifice my pride and my
heart for her, if need be."

"I can believe that."

"And believe me when I say that the moment I saw you, I knew that my
conduct was going to be detestable. But I had given my promise. A woman
has but little to offer to her country; I have offered my pride, and I
am a proud woman, Monsieur. I am ashamed. I am glad that you spoke, for
it was becoming unbearable to throw myself at a man whose heart I knew
intuitively to be elsewhere." She raised her eyes, which were filled
with a strange luster. "Will you forgive me, Monsieur?"

"With all my heart. For now I know that we shall be friends. You will