"Why, you poor foolish boy, you needn't scold and go on so. I don't believe he's dead any more than you are. I believe that "His Majesty" only said it in fun. In fact, he never did actually say so." Harry sighed a sigh of perplexity. "But, you know," continued Katie, "Mrs. Russell went and got it into her poor old head. Oh, she's very, very imaginative, poor dear old auntie, and she would have it so. And she thinks that all the speeches which "His Majesty" makes at me are intended for her." "The wretched creature!" said Harry; "to speculate upon her husband's death, and think of such a thing as marriage." "Oh, but she says that it is not love that makes her think of it, but State policy." "State fiddlesticks!" "She says that Mary Queen of Scots married Bothwell after her husband's murder, from motives of State policy." "Oh, good heavens!" said Harry, whose sense of honor and loyalty and affection, and even of common decency, was utterly outraged at such a revelation; "and she always seemed such a quiet, good, well-meaning sort of a person." "But she means well now," said Katie. "She says her marriage is to be for the good of Spain and the world generally." At this Harry was silent. He could find no more words to express his feelings. Besides, although all the words, ejaculations, and exclamations above reported were uttered with as much caution and in as low a tone as were consistent with his excited feelings, still, they made more noise than was wise under the circumstances, and there were signs that some of the sleepers were restless. These, at last, attracted the attention of the two and interrupted their conversation. Several heavy sighs from a remote corner of the room showed that some one was awake, or waking, and this warning forced them to keep silence for some time. At length all was still, and Harry ventured to speak again. "Oh, Katie," said he, "can't you do something with that wretched woman?" "No," said Katie. "I'm sure all I say only makes her worse. She wants me now to address her as 'Your Majesty!'" "She's mad," said Harry; "the woman's utterly mad!" "Well, she's got some great secret now which she won't tell. As 'His Majesty' was leaving, the last time, he kept up some very mysterious whisperings with her. I've been teasing her all day to tell me what they were, but in vain. She's as close as the grave. A great crisis is approaching. And the fun of it is she doesn't know that it's me, and not her, that 'His Majesty' means." "You! Oh, Katie, don't talk in that indifferent way." "Why?" "Oh, don't you see? You are here so much in his power. Oh, we must fly. I'll hunt along the passage to-night, and I'm sure I'll find something. I'm sure there must be a way out." "But I don't want to go," said Katie; "that is, not just yet." "Not want to go?" "No, not till I have some more fun, and see how this is going to end; but--"