in the middle of them. I understand that you are content to serve him?'

'I wish to serve my country.'

'By serving the Emperor you do so, for without him the country becomes
chaos.'

'From all we hear it is not a very easy service,' said my cousin.
'I should have thought that you would have been very much more
comfortable in England--and then you would have been so much safer
also.'

Everything which the girl said seemed to be meant as an insult to me,
and yet I could not imagine how I had ever offended her. Never had I
met a woman for whom I conceived so hearty and rapid a dislike. I could
see that her remarks were as offensive to her father as they were to me,
for he looked at her with eyes which were as angry as her own.

'Your cousin is a brave man, and that is more than can be said for
someone else that I could mention,' said he.

'For whom?' she asked.

'Never mind!' he snapped, and, jumping up with the air of a man who is
afraid that his rage may master him, and that he may say more than he
wished, he ran from the room.

She seemed startled by this retort of his, and rose as if she would
follow him. Then she tossed her head and laughed incredulously.