Trescorre looked down and thoughtfully fingered the documents in his
hands.
"Your Highness," said he, "is as well-acquainted as your ministers with
the difficulties that beset us. Monte Alloro is one of the richest
states in Italy. It is a pity to alienate such revenues from Pianura."
The new Duke was silent. His minister's words were merely the audible
expression of his own thoughts. He knew that the future welfare of
Pianura depended on the annexation of Monte Alloro. He owed it to his
people to unite the two sovereignties.
At length he said: "You are building on an unwarrantable assumption."
Trescorre raised an interrogative glance.
"You assume her Highness's consent."
The minister again paused; and his pause seemed to flash an ironical
light on the poverty of the other's defences.
"I come straight from her Highness," said he quietly, "and I assume
nothing that I am not in a position to affirm."
Odo turned on him with a start. "Do I understand that you have
presumed--?"
His minister raised a deprecating hand. "Sir," said he, "the Archduke's
envoy is in Pianura."
4.2.
Odo, on his return to Pianura, had taken it for granted that de Crucis
would remain in his service.
There had been little talk between the two on the way. The one was deep
in his own wretchedness, and the other had too fine a tact to intrude on
it; but Odo felt the nearness of that penetrating sympathy which was
almost a gift of divination. He was glad to have de Crucis at his side
at a moment when any other companionship had been intolerable; and in
the egotism of his misery he imagined that he could dispose as he
pleased of his friend's future.
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