But she only uttered sounds.
'Compose yourself,' said he, giving her certainly a brave example in
his own demeanour. 'My chaise is close at hand; and I shall have, I
trust, the singular entertainment of abducting a sovereign
Princess.'
'Sir John!' she said, at last.
'At your Highness's disposal,' he replied.
She sprang to her feet. 'O!' she cried, 'have you come from
Mittwalden?'
'This morning,' he returned, 'I left it; and if there is any one
less likely to return to it than yourself, behold him!'
'The Baron - ' she began, and paused.
'Madam,' he answered, 'it was well meant, and you are quite a
Judith; but after the hours that have elapsed, you will probably be
relieved to hear that he is fairly well. I took his news this
morning ere I left. Doing fairly well, they said, but suffering
acutely. Hey? - acutely. They could hear his groans in the next
room.'
'And the Prince,' she asked, 'is anything known of him?'
'It is reported,' replied Sir John, with the same pleasurable
deliberation, 'that upon that point your Highness is the best
authority.'
'Sir John,' she said eagerly, 'you were generous enough to speak
about your carriage. Will you, I beseech you, will you take me to
the Felsenburg? I have business there of an extreme importance.'
'I can refuse you nothing,' replied the old gentleman, gravely and
seriously enough.
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