tween her husband and his sister: she was silent in her
perplexity.

"It is a matter of history," she said slowly. "Doubtless your Majesty
knew that many of us in Cyprus had taken oath of fealty to Carlotta
before the Sultan sent us Janus and upheld him for our King. It is a
difficult tale to speak of before our Sovereign lady--whom we love."

She looked up, a smile transforming her grave, dark face and deep, sad
eyes; the rare sweetness and directness of the young Queen's nature had
already won her reverent love: but suddenly, as the Lady Margherita
looked at her she grew aware of the unsuspected fund of strength beneath
the gracious girlish exterior, realizing that the spring of her actions
would be in true nobility--not in selfish pleasure. Might not some good
for her dear land come from the enlightened love of its youthful Queen?
Yet she hesitated to bring any shadow into the life which had seemed all
sunshine during these few months of bridal festivity, and the Queen was
young to look at life through such serious eyes. But she had asked, and
the King, who was still a lover, might be steadied by his wife's
influence.

Caterina put out her hand in response to the smile and clasped that of
Margherita.

"It is for your Majesty to command silence or speech," the Cyprian
maid-of-honor said tentatively, as Caterina still held silence. "Yet, if
it be speech, I pray your Majesty to remember that it is not I, who am
the cause, if my page of history should offend. If I must speak, it can
only be what I believe to be truth."

"It is only those who speak truth, my Margherita, of whom one may trust
the friendship," Caterina answered gravely. "And I have chosen thee for
my friend."

A deep flush colored the Cyprian's ivory cheek as she knelt and kissed
the queen's hand in acknowledgment; for the reticent maid had opened her
heart, with unwonted warmth, to the appeal of the rare simplicity and
force of her liege lady's gentle nature.

"I would rather _know_, than fear I know not what," Caterina pursued.
"Our most Reverend and beloved Patriarch of Venice hath given me this
talisman to help me in my new land," there was a little pathetic
lingering on the words, which touched her listener, "'Seek to know the
truth concerning _all_ thy people. And tell thy perplexity, if there be
any, to Christ and the Madonna.' I would know that I may help the King,"
the young wife pleaded.

IX

And now, by the Queen's command whi