Kensky spread out his expressive hands.
"Who knows?" he said. "Men and women are the slaves of their ambition."
She looked at him intently.
"He would never dare," she said slowly. "No, no, I cannot believe that."
The old man made no reply.
"Where did you learn this, Israel Kensky?" she asked.
"From a good source, Highness," he replied evasively, and she nodded.
"I know you would not tell me this unless there were some foundation," she said. "And your friend?" She looked inquiringly at the silent Hay. "Does he know?"
Israel Kensky shook his head.
"I would wish that the gospodar knew as much as possible, because he will be in Kieff, and who knows what will happen in Kieff? Besides, he knows London."
Malcolm did not attempt to deny the knowledge, partly because, in spite of his protest, he had a fairly useful working knowledge of the metropolis.
"I shall ask the gospodar to discover the meeting-place of the rabble."
"Do you suggest," she demanded, "that Prince Serganoff is behind this conspiracy, that he is the person who inspired this idea of assassination?"
