he would say something discourteous or foolish, but he was
quite discreet until he told Erhaupt that he had kept back
none of the money. Then I lost interest. Fiction is never so
entertaining to me as the truth and real people. But tell us
now of your mission and of all you did; and whether successful
or not, be assured you are most welcome."

The Countess Zara smiled at him doubtfully and crossed her
hands in her lap, glancing anxiously over her shoulder.

"I must be very brief, for Kalonay and Father Paul are close
behind me," she said. "They only stopped for a moment at the
custom-house. Keep watch, Baron, and tell me when you see
them coming."

Barrat moved his chair so that it faced the garden-path, the
King crossed his legs comfortably and wrapped his padded
dressing-robe closer around his slight figure, and Erhaupt
stood leaning on the back of his chair with his eyes fixed on
the fine insolent beauty of the woman before them.

She nodded her head toward the soldiers who sat at the
entrance to the terrace, as silent and immovable as blind
beggars before a mosque. "Do they understand?" she asked.

"No," the King assured her. "They understand nothing, but
that they are to keep people away from me--and they do it very
well. I wish I could import them to Paris to help Niccolas
fight off creditors. Continue, we are most impatient."