“Well,” he said, “I see it. What is it?”
“It is the Yellow Sign,” I said, angrily.
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” said Louis, in that flattering voice which Dr. Archer used to employ with me, and would probably have employed again, had I not settled his affair for him.
I kept my rage down and answered as steadily as possible, “Listen, you have engaged your word?”
“I am listening, old chap,” he replied, soothingly.
I began to speak very calmly: “Dr. Archer, having by some means become possessed of the secret of the Imperial Succession, attempted to deprive me of my right, alleging that, because of a fall from my horse four years ago, I had become mentally deficient. He presumed to place me under restraint in his own house in hopes of either driving me insane or poisoning me. I have not forgotten it. I visited him last night and the interview was final.”
Louis turned quite pale, but did not move. I resumed, triumphantly: “There are yet three people to be interviewed in the interests of Mr. Wilde and myself. They are my cousin Louis, Mr. Hawberk, and his daughter Constance.”
Louis sprang to his feet, and I arose also, and flung the paper marked with the Yellow Sign to the ground.
“Oh, I don’t need that to tell you what I have to say,” I cried, with a laugh of triumph. “You must renounce the crown to me do you hear, to me?”
Louis looked at me with a startled air, but, recovering himself, said kindly, “Of course I renounce the what is it I must renounce?”
“The crown,” I said, angrily.
“Of course,” he answered. “I renounce it. Come, old chap, I’ll walk back to your rooms with you.”
“Don’t try your doctor’s tricks on me,” I cried, trembling with fury. “Don’t act as if you think I am insane.”
“What nonsense!” he replied. “Come, it’s getting late, Hildred.”
“No,” I shouted, “you must listen. You cannot marry; I forbid it. Do you hear? I forbid it. You shall renounce the crown, and in reward I grant you exile; but if you refuse you shall die.”
