But at his words she sprang up, her eyes glowing with a great joy.
"It is no burden!" she said--"I have prayed to be his slave--and now I am his wife! That is more than I ever dared to dream of!--for now I have the right to care for him, to work for him, and no one can separate me from him! What happiness for me! But I will not take a mean advantage of this--ah, no!--no good, Father! Listen!--I swear before you and the holy Cross you wear, that if he recovers he shall never know!--I will leave him at once without a word--he shall think I am a servant in his employ--or rather he shall not think at all about me for I will go where he can never find me, and he will be as free as ever he was! Yes, truly!--by the blessed Madonna I swear it! I will kill myself rather than let him know!"
She looked regally beautiful, her face flushed with the pride and love of her soul,--and in her newly gained privilege as a wife she bent down and kissed the pallid face that lay like the face of a corpse on the pillow before her.
"He is a poor wounded child just now!" she murmured, tenderly--"But I will care for him in his weakness and sorrow! The doctor will tell me what to do--and it shall all be done! I will neglect nothing--as for money, I have none--but I will work--"
Morgana put an arm about her.
"Dear, do not think of that!" she said--"For the present you will stay here--I am going on a journey very soon, and you and Lady Kingswood will take care of my house till I return. Be quite satisfied!--You will have all you want for him and for yourself. Professor Ardini will talk to you now and tell you everything--come away--"
But Manella was gazing intently at the figure on the bed--she saw its grey lips move. With startling suddenness a harsh voice smote the air-"There shall be no more wars! There can be none! My Great Secret! I am Master of the World!"
She shrank and shivered, and a faint sobbing cry escaped her.
"Come!" said Morgana again,--and gently led her away. The spray of orange-blossom fell from her hair as she moved, and Don Aloyslus, stooping, picked it up. Marco Ardini saw his action.
"You will keep that as a souvenir of this strange marriage?" he said.