And a month?
Her heart leapt up.

A month seemed a lifetime, an eternity, to her who had but until to-morrow! Yet there was one consideration which might have daunted a spirit less brave.

To obtain aught from Tavannes it was needful to ask him, and to ask him it was needful to see him; and to see him _before_ that to-morrow which meant so much to her.

It was necessary, in a word, to run some risk; but without risk the card could not be played, and she did not hesitate.

It might turn out that she was wrong, that the man was not only pitiless and without bowels of mercy, but lacked also the shred of decency for which she gave him credit, and on which she counted.