“Yes,” she said, “you are right⁠—it was mean and miserable of me to say that. I try to be patient, Walter, and succeed better now than I did in happier times. But I have a little of my old temper still left, and it will get the better of me when I think of the Count!”

“His turn will come,” I said. “But, remember, there is no weak place in his life that we know of yet.” I waited a little to let her recover her self-possession, and then spoke the decisive words⁠—

“Marian! There is a weak place we both know of in Sir Percival’s life⁠—”

“You mean the Secret!”