“As heaven is my witness, I bore this man no jealousy: nay, I told her I would love him for her sake, that when I was Czar I would invite him to my Court and pay him high honour as one who had preserved for me a sweet and fair bride. “But mark the sequel. “One night—it is now about two years ago—I entered her bed-chamber at a late hour, and found her fast asleep. As I bent over her, admiring her beauty, a smile curved her lips, and from them came a word softly spoken. That word was—‘Wilfrid’! “I started back as from the hiss of a serpent. The Englishman was in her thoughts, his name was on her lips, his image within a locket lay upon her breast! “That night was the beginning of my suspicions.” “Suspicions which Baranoff did his best to fan,” interjected Pauline. “Baranoff has been the zealous guardian of my honour. ’Twas he who bade me observe. And I observed. I watched and waited and found my suspicions verified. Her guilt at the Inn of the Silver Birch rests on the testimony of others, but at the Sumaroff Masquerade I had the evidence of my own eyes. In a retired part of the gardens I surprised her, wrapped in Lord Courtenay’s arms, submitting to his caresses. Detected in the very act of guilt she durst not face me: she durst not return to the palace. She fled that very night. Lord Courtenay disappeared at the same time. Is it not plain that they went together?” “Is that the talk of St. Petersburg?” “Neither St. Petersburg nor the Court itself is aware of her flight. Would you have me make my humiliation the theme of every gossip’s tongue? No! the matter is kept a secret. The public journals have received notification that the Czarina is spending a few weeks in religious seclusion at the Convent of the Ascension. Meantime the police agents have received their orders—to make diligent search for Lord Courtenay. Where he is, there will Marie be found.” “And when they are found?” “For her, the nun’s cell; for him, the headsman’s axe.” “Your Majesty is somewhat severe upon them. Seeing you have resolved that Plato shall pronounce your divorce, why should she not be left free to go with Lord Courtenay, if she will?” “An ex-Czarina to re-marry! That were to put a premium upon adultery and set a dangerous precedent. Let her have her lover? Give her the prize she has been guiltily striving for? Let him parade Europe with an ex-empress for his bride, boasting how he had won her from Alexander? That were a humiliation too much to be borne. No! Death for him; for her, life-long penitence in a convent.—She has chosen to forfeit my affection and my throne; let me think no more of her.” He took Pauline’s hand; she did not resist, but let her fingers rest passively within his. “Pauline, you know our compact?” She knew, and the memory of it troubled her.