"But, goodheavens!" criedtheDuchess, almostinhysterics, "therearen' tanytwo-handedswordsandbattle-axesroundhere."
Valentinwasstillbusywiththepaperinfrontofhim."Tellme, " hesaid, stillwritingrapidly, "couldithavebeendonewithalongFrenchcavalrysabre? "
Alowknockingcameatthedoor, which, forsomeunreasonablereason, curdledeveryone': "Asabre—yes, Isupposeitcould."
"Thankyou, " saidValentin."Comein, Ivan."
TheconfidentialIvanopenedthedoorandusheredinCommandantNeilO' Brien, whomhehadfoundatlastpacingthegardenagain.
TheIrishofficerstoodupdisorderedanddefiantonthethreshold."Whatdoyouwantwithme? " hecried.
"Pleasesitdown, " saidValentininpleasant, leveltones."Why, youaren' ? "
"Ileftitonthelibrarytable, " saidO' Brien, hisbroguedeepeninginhisdisturbedmood."Itwasanuisance, itwasgetting— "
"Ivan, " saidValentin, "pleasegoandgettheCommandant'sswordfromthelibrary." Then, astheservantvanished, "? "
TheCommandantflunghimselfrecklesslyintoachair."Oh," hecriedinpureIrish, ", me? "
Aheavysilencesankandendured, , carryinganemptysteelscabbard."ThisisallIcanfind, " hesaid.
"Putitonthetable, " saidValentin, withoutlookingup.
Therewasaninhumansilenceintheroom, ' ' .
"IthinkIcantellyou, " criedLadyMargaret, inthatclear, quiveringvoicewithwhichacourageouswomanspeakspublicly."IcantellyouwhatMr.O' Brienwasdoinginthegarden, ; ; , " sheadded, withratherawansmile, "."
LordGallowayhadedgeduptohisdaughter, andwasintimidatingherinwhatheimaginedtobeanundertone."Holdyourtongue, Maggie, " hesaidinathunderouswhisper."Whyshouldyoushieldthefellow? Where' shissword? Where' shisconfoundedcavalry—"
Hestoppedbecauseofthesingularstarewithwhichhisdaughterwasregardinghim, alookthatwasindeedaluridmagnetforthewholegroup.
