"So I judged," said Sir Norman, rather bitterly, "or she would not have
been left to die alone of the plague. She was brought to my house, sir,
and I am the friend who would have stood by her to the last!"
Sir Norman sat up very straight and haughty on his horse; and had it
been daylight, he would have seen a slight derisive smile pass over the
lips of his companion.
"I have always heard that Sir Norman Kingsley was a chivalrous knight,"
he said; "but I scarcely dreamed his gallantry would have carried him
go far as to brave death by the pestilence for the sake of an unknown
lady--however beautiful. I wonder you, did not carry her to the
pest-house."
"No doubt! Those who could desert her at such a time would probably be
capable of that or any other baseness!"
"My good friend," said the stranger, calmly, "your insinuation is not
over-courteous, but I can forgive it, more for the sake of what you've
done for her to-night than for myself."
Sir Norman's lip curled.
"I'm obliged to you! And now, sir, as you have seen fit to question me
in this free and easy manner, will you pardon me if I take the liberty
of returning the compliment, and ask you a few in return?"
"Certainly; pray proceed, Sir Norman," said the stranger, blandly; "you
are at liberty to ask as many questions as you please--so am I to answer
them."
"I answered all yours unhesitatingly, and you owe it to me to do the
same," said Sir Norman, somewhat haughtily. "In the first place, you
have an advantage of me which I neither understand, nor relish; so,
to place us on equal terms, will you have the goodness to tell me your
name?"
"Most assuredly! My name," said the stranger, with glib airiness, "is
Count L'Estrange."
"A name unknown to me," said Sir Norman, with a piercing look, "and
equally unknown, I believe, at Whitehall. There is a Lord L'Estrange in
London; or you and he are certainly not one and the same."
"My friend does not believe me," said the count, almost gayly--"a
circumstance I regret, but cannot help. Is there anything else Sir
Norman wishes to know?"
"If you do not answer my questions truthfully, there to little use in
my asking them," said Sir Norman, bluntly. "Do you mean to say you are a
foreigner?"
"Sir Norman Kingsley is at perfect liberty to answer that question as he
pleases," replied the stranger, with most provoking indifference.
Sir Norman's eye flashed, and his hand fell on his sword; but,
reflecting that the count might find it inconvenient to answer any more
questions if he ran him through, he restrained himself and went on.
"Sir, you are impertinent, but that is of no consequence, just now. Who
was that lady--what was her name?"