"In your heart you knew I was doing no wrong. You shielded me then as
you have shielded me from the beginning."
"I don't see why I sit here and let you talk to me like that," she said,
feeling the symptoms of collapse. "You have not been fair with me,
Baldos. You are laughing at me now and calling me a witless little
fool. You--you did something to-day that shakes my faith to the very
bottom. I never can trust you again. Good heaven, I hate to confess
to--to everyone that you are not honest."
"Your highness!" he implored, coming close to the chair and bending over
her. "Before God, I am honest with you. Believe me when I say that I
have done nothing to injure Graustark. I cannot tell you what it was
that passed between Ravone and me, but I swear on my soul that I have
not been disloyal to my oath. Won't you trust me? Won't you believe?"
His breath was fanning her ear, his voice was eager; she could feel the
intensity of his eyes.
"Oh, I don't--don't know what to say to you," she murmured. "I have been
so wrought up with fear and disappointment. You'll admit that it was
very suspicious, won't you? "she cried, almost pleadingly.
"Yes, yes," he answered. His hand touched her arm, perhaps
unconsciously. She threw back her head to give him a look of
rebuke. Their eyes met, and after a moment both were full of
pleading. Her lips parted, but the words would not come. She was
afterwards more than thankful for this, because his eyes impelled her to
give voice to amazing things that suddenly rushed to her head.
"I want to believe you," she whispered softly.
"You must--you do! I would give you my life. You have it now. It is in
your keeping, and with it my honor. Trust me, I beseech you. I have
trusted you."
"I brought you here--" she began, defending him involuntarily. "But,
Baldos, you forget that I am the princess!" She drew away in sudden
shyness, her cheeks rosy once more, her eyes filling with the most
distressingly unreasonable tears. He did not move for what seemed hours
to her. She heard the sharp catch of his breath and felt the repression
that was mastering some unwelcome emotion in him.
Lights were springing into existence in all parts of the park. Beverly
saw the solitary window in the monastery far away, and her eyes fastened
on it as if for sustenance in this crisis of her life--this moment of
surprise--this moment when she felt him laying hands upon the heart she
had not suspected of treason. Twilight was upon them; the sun had set
and night was rushing up to lend unfair advantage to the forces against
which they were struggling. The orchestra in the castle was playing
something soft and tender--oh, so far away.