Clementina

"I lose a wife, gentlemen, and very likely a kingdom too, so that a lady

may have her jewels reset at Augsburg, where, to be sure, there are

famous jewellers."

His glance, wandering in a dazed way about the room, settled again on

Hay. He stamped his foot on the ground in a feverish irritation.

"And those eight days gave just the time for a courier from the Emperor

at Vienna to pass you on the road and not press his horse. One should be

glad of that. It would have been a pity had the courier killed his

horse. Oh, I can fashion the rest of the story for myself. You trailed

on to Innspruck, where the Governor marched out with a troop and herded

you in. They let you go, however. No doubt they bade you hurry back to

me."

"Sir, I did hurry," said Hay, who was now in a pitiable confusion. "I

travelled hither without rest."

The anger waned in the Chevalier's eyes as he heard the plea, and a

great dejection crept over his face.

"Yes, you would do that," said he. "That would be the time for you to

hurry with a pigeon's swiftness so that your King might taste his bitter

news not a minute later than need be. And what said she upon her

arrest?"

"The Princess's mother?" asked Hay, barely aware of what he said.

"No. Her Highness, the Princess Clementina. What said she?"

"Sir, she covered her face with her hands for perhaps the space of a

minute. Then she leaned forward to the Governor, who stood by her

carriage, and cried, 'Shut four walls about me quick! I could sink into

the earth for shame.'"

Wogan in those words heard her voice as clearly as he saw her face and

the dry lips between which the voice passed. He had it in his heart to

cry aloud, to send the words ringing through that hushed room, "She

would have tramped here barefoot had she had one guide with a spirit to

match hers." For a moment he almost fancied that he had spoken them, and

that he heard the echo of his voice vibrating down to silence. But he

had not, and as he realised that he had not, a new thought occurred to

him. No one had remarked his entrance into the room. The group in front

still stood with their backs towards him. Since his entrance no one had

remarked his presence. At once he turned and opened the door so gently

that there was not so much as a click of the latch. He opened it just

wide enough for himself to slip through, and he closed it behind him

with the same caution. On the landing there was only the usher. Wogan

looked over the balustrade; there was no one in the hall below.