"But, where, in my case, is there any proper cause?" she demanded.
"Besides, he avers I am not his wife--therefore, he can have no
authority over me."

The King smiled. "My dear madame, you forget that it is you who insist
upon submitting yourself to his authority."

"That may be, Sire; yet, I appeal to your sense of fairness. Should he
be permitted to exercise a husband's authority to imprison me, and, at
the same time, deny that he is my husband?"

Of course, theoretically, she was in the right. My action was, in that
particular, utterly inconsistent with my position and protestations.
For a moment, I was a trifle uneasy as to the King's answer.

But he brushed it lightly aside.

"The circumstances of the case are so extraordinary, madame, that I
fear it cannot well be judged by the usual standard."

She smiled very sweetly. "Which means that I am to be held to the
strict obligations of my position, but that the Grand Duke Armand can
perpetrate any inconsistency he choose."

The King smiled back at her. "I do not doubt that His Royal Highness
will be most happy to be relieved of the necessity for being
inconsistent," he said.

"Good!" she exclaimed. "I am ready to leave Dornlitz and Valeria this
very day."

The King turned to me, interrogatingly.

"Then, you admit you are not Madeline Dalberg?" I asked.

"On the contrary, I re-affirm it; but, I offer you a divorce."

I shrugged my shoulders and made no reply.

"You see, Sire," she said, "how reasonable he is. He condescends to be
consistent only if, by forcing me to perjure myself, he can further
his--schemes"--and she deliberately turned and looked at the Princess.

I stepped quickly between them.

She laughed scornfully.

"How like you, Armand," she said. "It's only a short while since you
were just as thoughtful for me."

I was too angry to reply, but she could read my thoughts in my eyes.
And she answered them with a taunting smile and a toss of her head.

So there was silence, for a space; then, she spoke to Courtney:

"I understand. Your Excellency refuses me your protection because I am
a Valerian subject?"

Courtney bowed.

"Made so by your own statements," he answered.

"And Your Majesty refuses to interfere between the Governor of Dornlitz
and me, because, as his wife, I am subject to his authority?"

"In effect, yes," said Frederick.

"And you, my Lord Armand, declare that I am not your wife and,
therefore, that I am