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Rh came not again by the morning he was to march, openly and in force, to the castle, and demand the person of the king: if Black Michael were not there, as I did not think he would be, the marshal would take Flavia with him, as swiftly as he could, to Strelsau, and there proclaim Black Michael's treachery and the probable death of the king, and rally all that there was honest and true round the banner of the princess. And, to say truth, this was what I thought most likely to happen.

For I had great doubts whether either the king or Black Michael or I had more than a day to live. Well, if Black Michael died, and if I, the play-actor, slew Rupert Hentzau with my own hand, and then died myself, it might be that Fate would deal as lightly with Ruritania as could be hoped, notwithstanding that it demanded the life of the king—and to her dealing thus with me I was in no temper to make objection.

It was late when we rose from conference, and I betook me to the princess' apartments. She was pensive that evening; yet when I left her she flung her arms about me and grew, for an instant,