you in. They let _you_ go, however. No doubt they bade you hurry back to
me."

"Sir, I did hurry," said Hay, who was now in a pitiable confusion. "I
travelled hither without rest."

The anger waned in the Chevalier's eyes as he heard the plea, and a
great dejection crept over his face.

"Yes, you would do that," said he. "That would be the time for you to
hurry with a pigeon's swiftness so that your King might taste his bitter
news not a minute later than need be. And what said she upon her
arrest?"

"The Princess's mother?" asked Hay, barely aware of what he said.

"No. Her Highness, the Princess Clementina. What said she?"

"Sir, she covered her face with her hands for perhaps the space of a
minute. Then she leaned forward to the Governor, who stood by her
carriage, and cried, 'Shut four walls about me quick! I could sink into
the earth for shame.'"

Wogan in those words heard her voice as clearly as he saw her face and
the dry lips between which the voice passed. He had it in his heart to
cry aloud, to send the words ringing through that hushed room, "She
would have tramped here barefoot had she had one guide with a spirit to
match hers." For a moment he almost fancied that he had spoken them, and
that he heard the echo of his voice vibrating down to silence. But he
had not, and as he realised that he had not, a new thought occurred to