How have you kept
your oath?"
But the Marshal was incapable of answer. One looking at him
would have said that he was suffering from a stroke of apoplexy.
"I admit," went on the General, not wholly unembarrassed, "that
the part I play is not an agreeable one to me, but it is
preferable to the needless loss of human life. The duchess was
to have entered Bleiberg at night, to save us this present
dishonor, if you persist in calling it such. But his Highness,
who is young, and Monseigneur the archbishop, who dreams of
Richelieu, made it impossible. No harm is intended to any one."
The prince, white and shivering as if with ague, broke his sword
on the pommel of the saddle and hurled the pieces at Kronau, who
permitted them to strike him.
"God's witness," the prince cried furiously, "but your victory
shall be short-lived. I have an army, trusty to the last sword,
and you shall feel the length of its arm within forty-eight
hours."
"Perhaps," said Kronau, shrugging.
"It is already on the way."
"Your Highness forgets that Carnavia belongs to the
confederation, and that the king, your father, dare not send you
troops without the consent of the emperor, which, believe me,
will never be given;" and he urged his horse down the slope.
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