my, as I am of all those who seek the downfall of France, I do
not deny. You know _who_ I am and _what_ I am, and I have no excuses to
make for being either. As brave Englishmen, you will know how to allow
for the love a Frenchman bears his country. As for coming on board this
ship, you cannot bring that as a charge against me, since it was at your
own invitation I did it. The rites of hospitality are as sacred as they
are general."

The members of the court exchanged significant glances with each other,
and there was a pause of more than a minute. Then the Judge Advocate
resumed his duties saying;

"I wish you to understand, prisoner, the precise legal effect of your
admissions; then I wish them to be made formally and deliberately; else
we must proceed to the examination of other witnesses. You are said to
be Raoul Yvard, an alien enemy, in arms against the king."

"Monsieur, this I have already admitted; it cannot honorably be denied."

"You are accused of coming on board His Majesty's ship Proserpine
disguised, and of calling yourself a boatman of Capri, when you were
Raoul Yvard, an alien enemy, bearing arms against the king."

"This is all true; but I was invited on board the ship, as I have just
stated."

"You are furthermore accused of rowing in among the ships of His
Majesty, now lying in the Bay of Naples, and which ships are under the
orders of Rear-Admiral Lord Nelson, Duke of Bronte, in Sicily, you being
in the same disguise, though an alien enemy, with the intent to make
your observations as a spy, and, doubtless, to avail yourself of
information thus obtained, to the injury of His Majesty's subjects, and
to your own advantage and that of the nation you serve."

"Monsieur, this is not so--_parole d'honneur_, I went into the bay in
search of Ghita Caraccioli, who has my whole heart, and whom I would
persuade to become my wife. Nothing else carried me into the bay; and I
wore this dress because I might otherwise have been known and arrested."

"This is an important fact, if you can prove it; for, though it might
not technically acquit you, it would have its effect on the
commander-in-chief, when he comes to decide on the sentence of
this court."

Raoul hesitated. He did not doubt that Ghita, she whose testimony had
just proved so serious a matter against him, would testify that she
_believed_ such was alone his motive; and this, too, in a way and with
corroborative circumstances that would carry we