He closed the door, leaving us in the wide carpeted hall, the statuary
in which showed us that it was a richly-furnished place, and when a few
minutes later he returned, he conducted us upstairs to a fine gilded
salon, where an elderly gray-haired lady in black stood gravely to
receive us.
"Allow me to present Mademoiselle Elma Heath, Princess," I said,
speaking in French and bowing, and afterwards telling her my own name.
Our hostess welcomed my love in a graceful speech, but I said--
"Mademoiselle unfortunately suffers a terrible affliction. She is deaf
and dumb."
"Ah, how very, very sad!" she exclaimed sympathetically. "Poor girl!
poor girl!" and she placed her hand tenderly upon Elma's shoulder and
looked into her eyes. Then, turning to me, she said: "So the Red Priest
has sent you both to me! You are in danger of arrest, I suppose--you
wish me to conceal you here?"
"I would only ask sanctuary for Mademoiselle," was my reply. "For
myself, I have no fear. I am English, and therefore not a member of the
Party.
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