But the Emperor was not at all inclined to let his new companion remain away from him very much, and Allard was quite as willing to stay at what he privately considered the post of duty. So it happened that he went riding with Adrian more frequently than he went motoring with Rosal, and accepted readily a routine which left him few hours unoccupied. It was not possible to live at the palace without learning many things. But it required just one day for Allard to learn enough of Adrian to make him smile at ever having thought Stanief imperious. The desire for absolute dominion and power over those near him was the most obvious characteristic of this descendant of a hundred autocrats. Moreover, he tolerated no contradiction, no evasion of a resolve. "You are not rich in your own right, Monsieur Allard?" he said one day, with his mature directness and self-possession. They were strolling up and down a terrace overlooking the river, and Allard involuntarily paused in surprise and with no slight embarrassment. "No longer, sire," he admitted, truth coming as the one course. "My cousin,--you served him as his secretary?" "Yes, sire." Adrian sat down on a broad marble seat under the trees, lifting his head with the movement usually to be translated as a signal of danger. "You serve me at present, not the Regent. As one of my household, you will accept from me in future." "Pardon me, sire--" "I will have it so, monsieur. You must be all mine, all. I shall speak to Feodor. Why do you object? You do, then, consider yourself his, not mine?" "Sire, you misinterpret; I am assuredly of your service." "Then you accept?" Allard met the flashing gaze helplessly; it was the other Adrian, distrustful, jealous, haughty, whom he faced and to whom he yielded. "It is as you wish, sire, of course. I thank you." "You do not," he retorted shrewdly, although his brow relaxed. "Why did you resist?" Again Allard took refuge in the simple truth, a little sadly. "We Americans, sire, are not accustomed to serve, I am afraid. We would stand alone. If I could accept the Grand Duke Feodor's protection without such reluctance, it was because of old reasons and old love." "For him?" "Yes, sire." "Do you know Dalmorov secretly urges to me your love for Feodor as a cause for dismissing you?" "I had not known it, although I might have guessed. But you could not believe me, sire, if I told you I did not love him." "No; you are very easy to read. And I know more: I know that Feodor is glad to have you near me, although he is fond of keeping you with himself. Why?" Allard regarded his keen young inquisitor candidly. "Because--I use his own phrase, sire--because I am the only one that he feels he can wholly trust." Adrian's eyes opened, then he laughed outright and the sinister personality faded altogether from his expression.