"Because I wished to see whether you really loved me," she answered, drawing herself up and regarding me with sudden calmness. At that moment she assumed the air of the Grand Duchess. "I did love you," I declared, "and I took no heed of her assertions. I notice, however," I added, turning and pointing towards the piano, "I notice that you have placed in a position of conspicuousness the portrait of the man she declared was your lover. Side by side you have placed the pictures of betrayer and betrayed." She held her breath, gazing across to the spot I had indicated. Then, in a voice full of emotion, she said,-- "You were foully betrayed, Geoffrey, it is true, but the evil that was done has now been eradicated." "In other words, Ogle has paid the death penalty, eh?" I observed, with a grim expression of satisfaction. "No, no, not that," she protested seriously. "I mean that the strained relations between your country and mine have now been readjusted, and that a feeling more amicable than before prevails. Even the Earl of Warnham must admit the plain truth that no Power joins another in war unless it sees its own interest in so doing. Russia now, as before the effusion of hearts here in Paris, will attend to her own business, and will not send her Black Sea and Baltic Fleets flying out unless her interests bring her into collision with your British Government--and then it may happen it will not be the interest of France to fight. In the latter days of Louis Philippe there was talk of a Franco-Russian alliance, and there were people who knew--they did not think they knew on the best authority--that the two would be one next spring. Yet Louis Philippe went over to your England an exile by the useful name of Smith, and before long France and England were allied in war against my country. No, good counsel has prevailed, and by the very revelation of the secret alliance contracted between England and Germany, European peace has been secured." "You talk like a diplomatist," I observed reflectively. She shrugged her shoulders, and with a forced laugh said,-- "It is but natural that I should take an interest in the affairs of nations, I suppose." "Let us put them aside," I said. "We are not rival diplomatists, but husband and wife; we--" "Yes, yes," she cried, interrupting. "I am happy because you are here with me; you, whose presence I have been fearing for so long. See! I smile and am happy;" and she gave vent to a hollow, discordant laugh. "Happy because you have so successfully mystified me," I sighed. "No. Happy because I love you, Geoffrey," she exclaimed, again throwing her arms affectionately about my neck, and raising her full red lips to mine. "Forgive me; do say you will forgive me," she implored.