ter all, nearly so well pleased with the untruth
he had told her. She was an uncomfortable woman to go about with shifts
and contrivances. Her open face, with its broad forehead and the clear,
steady eyes of darkest blue, claimed truth as a prerogative. The blush
which had faded from her cheeks appeared on his, and he began to babble
some foolish word about his unworthiness when the Princess-mother
interrupted him in a grudging voice,--

"Mr. Wogan, you were to bring a written authority from the Prince my
husband."

Wogan drew himself up straight.

"Your Highness," said he, with a bow of the utmost respect, "I was given
such an authority."

The Princess-mother held out her hand. "Will you give it me?"

"I said that I was given such an authority. But I have it no longer. I
was attacked on my way from Ohlau. There were five men against me, all
of whom desired that letter. The room was small; I could not run away;
neither had I much space wherein to resist five men. I knew that were I
killed and that letter found on me, your Highness would thereafter be
too surely guarded to make escape possible, and his Highness Prince
Sobieski would himself incur the Emperor's hostility. So when I had made
sure that those five men were joined against me, I twisted that letter
into a taper and before their faces lit my pipe with it."

Clementina's eyes were fixed steadily and intently upon Wogan's face.
When he ended she drew a deep breath, but otherwise she did not move.
The Princess-mother, however, was unmistakably relieved. She spoke with
a kindliness she had never shown before to Wogan; she even smiled at
him in a friendly way.

"We do not doubt you, Mr. Wogan, but that written letter, giving my
daughter leave to go, I needs must have before I let her go. A father's
authority! I cannot take that upon myself."

Clementina took a quick step across to her mother's side.

"You did not hear," she said.

"I heard indeed that Mr. Wogan had burnt the letter."

"But under what stress, and to spare my father and to leave me still a
grain of hope. Mother, this gentleman has run great risks for me,--how
great I did not know; even now in this one instance we can only guess
and still fall short of the mark."

The Princess-mother visibly stiffened with maternal authority.

"My child, without some sure sign the Prince consents, you must not go."

Clementina looked towards Wogan for assistance. Wogan put his hand into
his pocket.