Page:Anthony Hope - Rupert of Hentzau.djvu/26



I knew that Sapt was in the way of jeering at all sentiment, and I took no notice of the terms that he applied to the Queen's farewell. I contented myself with answering the last part of what he said.

"No, it's better you should be here," I urged. "For if I should lose the letter—though there 's little chance of it—you could prevent it coming to the King."

"I could try," he grinned. "But on my life, to run the chance for a letter's sake! A letter's a poor thing to risk the peace of a kingdom for."

"Unhappily," said I, "it's the only thing that a messenger can well carry."

"Off with you, then," grumbled the Colonel. "Tell Rassendyll from me that he did well. But tell him to do something more. Let 'em say good-bye and have done with it. Good God, is he going to waste all his life thinking of a woman he never sees?" Sapt's air was full of indignation.

"What more is he to do?" I asked. "Isn't his work here done?"

"Aye, it's done. Perhaps it's done," he answered. "At least he has given us back our good King!"

To lay on the King the full blame for what he was would have been rank injustice. Sapt was not guilty of it, but his disappointment was bitter that all our efforts had secured no better ruler for Ruritania. Sapt