She turned upon him fiercely.

"Have you forgotten what I told you only a few days ago?"

"One does not remember too long," he answered, lightly, "the words of
an angry woman."

Her eyes flashed upon him wrathfully. The odour of the violets at her
bosom seemed to fill the dark, stuffy room. He remarked suddenly how
beautiful she was.

"If you do not know when a woman is in earnest," she declared, "you
are a fool. I have come to tell you this. That the moment evil happens
to him I go at once to the King. I tell him everything. Mind, this is
no idle threat. I swear to you that I will do this."

A cloud of evil passions swept up from the man's heart. He drew a
little closer to her and took up his stand nearer the door.

"It is folly," he said, in a low tone, "the man is working up all
Europe with his accursed letters. He must be removed."

"If evil comes to him," she said, steadily, "the King shall know all."

He drew a little closer to her. An ugly smile curved his lips.

"It cannot be, Countess, that your interest in this fellow is
personal. He is not of your order. You would not be so cruel as to
bestow upon him a consideration which you deny to your equals!"

"It seems to me," she said, calmly, "that you are trying to be
impertinent. The nature of my interest in Mr. Brand can be no concern
of yours. It is sufficient that what I have said I mean!"

"I do not find it sufficient," he answered, quietly.

She turned upon him haughtily. Her delicate eyebrows were drawn
together. Her eyes were aglow with anger. Domiloff watched her
stealthily. Why had he never realized how handsome she was? He drew a
little nearer to her.

"What do you mean?" she demanded. "Insolent!"

"Countess," he answered, "it is very strange to me that you should so
long have been ignorant of the truth. Do you think that it is for the
sake of Theos I have planned for the overthrow of Ughtred of Tyrnaus?
Do you think that it is for your brother's sake that I have smoothed
his _way_ to the throne? No! My reward has always been clear before
me. I have looked for it always at your hands."

"At my hands?"

He winced before the amazed scorn of her words. Yet he continued
steadily.

"If you are surprised, Countess," he said, "well, I have been the
victim of that time-worn fallacy which ascribes to any woman at any
time the knowledge of being loved. You have always been the object of
my respectful admiration. You are now----"

She threw o