Wogan went downstairs. He could leave the three of them shut up in that
room to come by a fitting understanding. Besides, there was other work
for him below,--work of a simple kind, to which he had now for some
weeks looked forward. He crept down the stairs very stealthily. The hall
door was still open. He could see dimly the figure of a man standing on
the grass.
* * * * * When the Chevalier came down into the garden an hour afterwards, a man
was still standing on the grass. The man advanced to him. "Who is it?"
asked the Chevalier, drawing back. The voice which answered him was
Wogan's.
"And Whittington?"
"He has gone," replied Wogan.
"You have sent him away?"
"I took so much upon myself."
The Chevalier held out his hand to Wogan. "I have good reason to thank
you," said he, and before he could say another word, a door shut above,
and Maria Vittoria came down the stairs towards them. O'Toole was still
standing sentry at the postern-door, and the three men escorted the
Princess Caprara to the Pilgrim Inn. She had spoken no word during the
walk, but as she turned in the doorway of the inn, the light struck upon
her face and showed that her eyes glistened. To the Chevalier she said,
"I wish you, my lord, all happiness, and the boon of a great love. With
all my heart I wish it;" and as he bowed over her hand, she looked
across his shoulder to Wogan.
"I will bid you farewell to-morrow," she said with a smile, and the
Chevalier explained her saying afterwards as they accompanied him to his
lodging.
"Mlle. de Caprara will honour us with her presence to-morrow. You will
still act as my proxy, Wogan. I am not yet returned from Spain. I wish
no questions or talk about this evening's doings. Your friend will
remember that?"
"My friend, sir," said Wogan, "who was with me at Innspruck, is Captain
Lucius O'Toole of Dillon's regiment."
"Et senator too," said the Chevalier, with a laugh; and he added a
friendly word or two which sent O'Toole back to his lodging in a high
pleasure. Wogan walked thither with him and held out his hand at the
door.
"But you will come up with me," said O'Toole. "We will drink a glass
together, for God knows when we speak together again. I go back to
Schlestadt to-morrow."
"Ah, you go back," said Wogan; and he came in at the door and mounted
the stairs. At the first landing he stopped.