"A l'outrance," he assented.
"And between us two alone," I suggested.
His answering smile was not good to see, nor was the tone in
which he spoke to the Governor good to hear.
"It is now some weeks, sir," he said, "since there disappeared from
court a jewel, a diamond of most inestimable worth. It in some sort
belonged to the King, and his Majesty, in the goodness of his heart,
had promised it to a certain one, - nay, had sworn by his kingdom
that it should be his. Well, sir, that man put forth his hand to claim
his own - when lo! the jewel vanished! Where it went no man
could tell. There was, as you may believe, a mighty running up and
down and looking into dark corners, all for naught, - it was clean
gone. But the man to whom that bright gem had been promised
was not one easily hoodwinked or baffled. He swore to trace it,
follow it, find it, and wear it."
His bold eyes left the Governor, to rest upon the woman beside
me; had he pointed to her with his hand, he could not have more
surely drawn upon her the regard of that motley throng. By degrees
the crowd had fallen back, leaving us three - the King's minion, the
masquerading lady, and myself - the centre of a ring of staring
faces; but now she became the sole target at which all eyes were
directed.
In Virginia, at this time, the women of our own race were held in
high esteem.
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