"Your highness!" he exclaimed gently, joyously. "What are you doing out
there?"
"Wondering, Baldos--wondering what you were thinking of as you stood
under the lamp over there."
"I was thinking of your highness," he called up, softly.
"No, no!" she protested.
"I, too, was wondering--wondering what you were dreaming of as you
slept, for you should be asleep at this hour, your highness, instead of
standing out there in the rain."
"Baldos," she called down tremulously, "you don't like this work, do
you?"
"It has nothing but darkness in it for me. I never see the light of your
eyes. I never feel the--"
"Sh! You must not talk like that. It's not proper, and besides someone
may be listening. The night has a thousand ears--or is it eyes? But
listen: to-morrow you shall be restored to your old duties. You surely
cannot believe that I had anything to do with the order which compels
you to work at this unholy hour."
"I was afraid you were punishing me for my boldness. My heart has been
sore--you never can know how sore. I was disgraced, dismissed,
forgotten--"
"No, no--you were not! You must not say that. Go away now,
Baldos. You will ride with me to-morrow," she cried nervously. "Please
go to some place where you won't get dripping wet."
"You forget that I am on guard," he said with a laugh. "But you are a
wise counsellor. Is the rain so pleasant to you?"
"I have an umbrella," she protested. "What are you doing?" she cried in
alarm. He was coming hand over hand, up the trellis-work that enclosed
the lower verandah.
"I am coming to a place where I won't get dripping wet," he called
softly. There was a dangerous ring in his voice and she drew back in a
panic.
"You must not!" she cried desperately. "This is madness! Go down, sir!"
"I am happy enough to fly, but cannot. So I do the next best thing--I
climb to you." His arm was across the stone railing by this time and he
was panting from the exertion, not two feet from where she
crouched. "Just one minute of heaven before I go back to the shadow of
earth. I am happy again. Marlanx told me you had dismissed me. I wonder
what he holds in reserve for me. I knew he lied, but it is not until now
that I rejoice. Come, you are to shield me from the rain."