He spoke English
perfectly--though I thought he was a Frenchman. The name on his card
was Herbert Wilkes; but, I knew that was assumed, and I have learned,
lately, who he is. Since you, too, know, it is quite unnecessary to
repeat it. His offer to me was this: If I would go immediately to
Dornlitz and publicly claim the American, Armand Dalberg--who had just
been restored to his rightful place as a Grand Duke of Valeria--as my
husband, I was to receive an enormous sum of money (the amount Your
Highness also knows) and all expenses. I accepted instantly, mainly
for the money; but, also, to satisfy a personal grudge I had against
Major Dalberg. I made the one condition, however, that a marriage
certificate must be procured--the date for which I gave; choosing one
on which I happened to know Major Dalberg was in New York. And it was
done. How, I neither knew nor cared. One-half the money was given me
in advance--the balance to be paid the day I executed my mission. I
received it the morning following that scene at the Grand Duke's supper
party at the Hanging Garden. And, God knows, I earned every cent of
it! I was guaranteed protection while in Valeria, and to be at liberty
to depart one week after I had made the public assertion of the
marriage and had exhibited the certificate.
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