There was a moment when in view of that I was almost led to despair.
I am glad, however, mademoiselle, that I was so fortunate as to
persuade the King to just so much clemency."
"And for five years, then, I shall not see my parents." She sighed,
and her distress was very touching.
"That need not be. Though they may not come to France, it still
remains possible for you to visit them in Spain."
"True," she mused; "that will be something - will it not?"
"Assuredly something; under the circumstances, much."
She sighed again, and for a moment there was silence.
"Will you not sit, monsieur?" said she at last. She was very quiet
to-day, this little maid - very quiet and very wondrously subdued.
"There is scarce the need," I answered softly; whereupon her eyes
were raised to ask a hundred questions. "You are satisfied with
my efforts, mademoiselle?" I inquired.
"Yes, I am satisfied, monsieur."
That was the end, I told myself, and involuntarily I also sighed.
Still, I made no shift to go.
"You are satisfied that I - that I have fulfilled what I promised?"
Her eyes were again cast down, and she took a step in the direction
of the window.
"But yes. Your promise was to save my father from the scaffold.
You have done so, and I make no doubt you have done as much to
reduce the term of his banishment as lay within your power. Yes,
monsieur, I am satisfied that your promise has been well fulfilled."
Heigho! The resolve that I had formed in coming whispered it in
my ear that nothing remained but to withdraw and go my way.
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