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An attendant threw open the lid of the chest It was filled with gold coins

"This box contains one hundred thousand gavvos There are in your halls nine boxes holding nine times as much as you see here And there are nine tiood faith Here is the gold Pay Bolaroz and owe Gabriel, the greatest happiness that could come to him"

There was a dead silence after this theatrical action

"The interest on this loan is not all you ask, I understand," said Halfont, slowly, his black eyes glittering "You ask so that Graustark cannot and will not barter--the hand of its Sovereign If you are willing toyour proposal of reement"

Gabriel's eyes deadened with disappointers twitched

"I have the happiness of your Sovereign at heart as much as my own," he said "She shall never want for devotion, she shall never know a pain"

"You are deterinal proposition?" demanded the Count

"She would have married Lorenz to save her land, to protect her people Aan Gabriel, viciously, but Yetive arose, and, with glea cheeks, interrupted him

"Go! I will not hear you--not one word!"

He passed fro straight and iured