“Please do not trouble!” she said--“I am quite able to move--to stand--see!” And she rose to her feet, trembling a little, and steadying herself by resting one hand on the edge of the sofa. “I do not know who you are, but I am sure you have been most kind to me! And if you would do me a still greater kindness, you will let me go away from here at once!” “Impossible, Madame!” declared the Professor, firmly--“His Majesty, the King----” “What of his Majesty, the King?” demanded Lotys with sudden hauteur--“Am I not mistress of my own actions?” The Professor made an elaborate bow. “Most unquestionably you are, Madame!” he replied--“But you are also for the moment, a guest in the King’s Palace; and having saved his life, you will surely not withhold from him the courteous acceptance of his hospitality?” “The King’s Palace!” she echoed, and a little disdainful smile crossed her lips--“I,--Lotys,--in the King’s Palace!” She moved a few steps, and drew herself proudly erect. “You, sir, are a servant of the King’s?” “I am his Majesty’s resident physician, at your service!” he said, with another bow--“I have had the honour of attending to the wound you so heroically received in his defence,--and though it is not a dangerous wound, it is an exceedingly unpleasant one I assure you,--and will give you a good deal of pain and trouble. Let me advise you very earnestly to stay where you are, and rest--do not think of leaving the Palace to-night.” She sighed restlessly. “I must not think of staying in it!” she replied. “But I do not wish to seem churlish--or ungrateful for your care and kindness;--will you tell the King--” Here she broke off abruptly, and fixed her eyes searchingly on his face. “Strange!” she murmured--“I seem to have seen you before,--or someone very like you!” The Professor was troubled with a sudden fit of coughing which made him very red in the face, and obliged him to turn away for a moment in order to recover himself. Still struggling with that obstinate catch in his throat he said: “You were saying, Madame, that you wished me to tell the King something?” “Yes!” said Lotys eagerly--“if you will be so good! Tell him that I thank him for his courtesy;--but that I must go away from this Palace,--that I cannot--may not--stop in it an hour longer! He does not know who it is that saved his life,--if he did, he would not wish me to remain a moment under his roof! He would be as anxious and willing for me to leave as I am to go! Will you tell him this?” “Madame, I will tell him,” replied the Professor deferentially, yet with a slight smile--“But--if it will satisfy your scruples, or ease your mind at all,--I may as well inform you that his Majesty does know who you are! The populace itself declared your name to him, with shouts of acclamation.” She flushed a vivid red, then grew very pale.