'
"He clasped my hand in both of his.
"'I shall make an excuse to move one of the candles on to the table in
the window,' said he, and hurried into the house, whilst I was left
waiting beside the carriage.
"Well, if we could but secure ourselves from interruption for a single
half-hour the day would be our own. I had hardly begun to form my plans
when I saw the lights of a carriage coming swiftly from the direction of
Oxford Street. Ah! if it should be the messenger! What could I do?
I was prepared to kill him--yes, even to kill him--rather than at this
last moment allow our work to be undone. Thousands die to make a
glorious war. Why should not one die to make a glorious peace?
What though they hurried me to the scaffold? I should have sacrificed
myself for my country. I had a little curved Turkish knife strapped to
my waist. My hand was on the hilt of it when the carriage which had
alarmed me so rattled safely past me.
"But another might come. I must be prepared. Above all, I must not
compromise the Embassy. I ordered our carriage to move on, and I
engaged what you call a hackney coach. Then I spoke to the driver, and
gave him a guinea. He understood that it was a special service.
"'You shall have another guinea if you do what you are told,' said I.
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