defame my lips by speaking to you. If you have a spark of compassion
left in your heart for one who hath never wronged you, I but ask you to
relieve me of your presence as much as you can during the weary hours of
this miserable journey."

"Have I your leave to go at once?" he said with unalterable cheerfulness
and made haste to reach the door.

"Only one moment more must I detain you," she rejoined haughtily. "I
wish you to understand that from this hour forth until such time as it
pleaseth God to free me from this humiliating position, I will follow
your commands to the best of my ability; not because I recognize your
right to dictate them but because I am helpless to oppose you. If I and
my waiting woman obey your orders meekly, if we rise when so ordered,
are ready to start on the way whenever so compelled, get in or out of
the vehicle at the first word from you, can we at least rest assured
that we shall be spared further outrage?"

"Do you mean, mejuffrouw, that I must no longer attempt to lift you out
of a coach or to carry you up to your chamber, even if as to-night you
are faint and but half-conscious?" he asked with whimsical earnestness.

"I desire, sir, that you and those who help you in this shameful work,
do in future spare me and my woman the insult of laying hands upon our
persons."

He gave a long, low whistle.

"Dondersteen," he exclaimed flippantly, "I had no thought that so much
hatred and malice could lurk in the frail body of a woman ... 'tis
true," he added with a shrug of the shoulders, "that a rogue such as I
must of necessity know very little of the workings of a noble lady's
mind."

"Had you known aught of mine, sir," she retorted coldly, "you would
have understood that it is neither hatred nor malice which I feel for
you and for those who are paying you to do this infamy ... what I feel
is only contempt."

"Is that all?" he queried blandly. "Ah, well, mejuffrouw, then am I all
the more indebted to you for the great honour which you have done me
this hour past."

"Honour? I do not understand. It was not in my mind to do you honour."

"I am sure not. You did it quite unconsciously and the honour was
enhanced thereby. You honoured me, mejuffrouw," he said while a tone of
earnestness crept into his merry voice, "by trusting me--the common
thief, the cut-throat, the hired brigand, alone in your presence for a
whole hour, while the entire household here was abed and your duenna
snori