Like elfin music--or like the voice of a human being in pain--the note of sadness became the only real note now! What really happened after this Crystal never rightly knew. Whenever in the future her memory went back to this hour, she could not be sure whether in truth she had been waking or dreaming, or at what precise moment she became fully conscious of a presence close beside her--just behind the bank of roses--and of a voice--low, earnest, quivering with passionate emotion--that reached her ear as if through the tender melodies played by the orchestra. It almost seemed to her--when she thought over all the circumstances in her mind--that she must have been subtly conscious of the presence all along--all the while that Maurice was still with her and she felt so curiously languid, longing only for darkness and solitude. Something encompassed her now that she could not define: the warmth of Love, the sense of protection and security--almost as if unseen arms, that were strong and devoted and selfless, held her closely, shielding her from evil and from the taint of selfish human passions. And presently she heard her name--whispered low and with a note of tender appeal. Her eyes were closed and she paid no heed: but the appeal was once more whispered--this time more insistently, and almost against her will she murmured: "Who calls?" "An unfortunate whom you hate and despise, and who would have given his life to serve you." "Who is it?" she reiterated. "A poor heart-broken wretch who could not keep away from your side, and longed for one more sound of your voice even though it uttered words more cruel than man can stand." "What would you like to hear?" "One word of comfort to ease that terrible sting of hate which has burned into my very soul, till every minute of life has become unendurable agony." "How could I know," she asked, and now her eyes were wide open, gazing out into nothingness, not turned yet in the direction whence that dream-voice came: "how could I know that my hatred made you suffer or that you cared for comfort from me?" "How could you know, Crystal?" the voice replied. "You could know that, my dear, just as surely as you know that in a stormy night the sky is dark, just as you know that when heavy clouds obscure the blue ether above, no ray of sunshine warms the shivering earth. Just as you know that you are beautiful and exquisite, so you knew, Crystal, that I loved you from the deepest depths of my soul." "How could I guess?" "By that subtle sense which every human being has. And you did guess it, Crystal, else you would not have hated me as you did." "I hated you because I thought you a traitor." "Is it too late to swear to you that my only thought was to serve you? . . ." "By working against my King and country?" she retorted with just this one brief flash of her old vehemence.