prɪˈsaɪsli ˈsəʊ || bət ˈhaʊ
ˈwɒz ðər ə ˈsiːkrəp ˈmærɪʤ
ˈnʌn
ˈnəʊ ˈliːɡl̩ ˈpeɪpəz | ɔː səˈtɪfəkəts
ˈnʌn
ðen aɪ ˈfeɪl tə ˈfɒləu jɔː ˈmæʤəsti
|| ɪf ˈðɪs ˈjʌŋ ˈpɜːsn̩ | ʃəb prəˈʤuːs ɜː ˈletəz | fə ˈblækmeɪlɪŋ
| ɔːr ˈʌðə ˈpɜːpəsɪz | ˈhaʊ ɪʒ ʃi tə ˈpruːv ðeər ˈɔːθenˈtɪsəti
ðəz ðə ˈraɪtɪŋ
ˈpuː ˈpuː || ˈfɔːʤəri
maɪ ˈpraɪvɪt ˈnəʊp ˈpeɪpə
ˈstəʊlən
maɪ ˈəʊn ˈsiːl
ˈɪməteɪtɪd
maɪ ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf
ˈbɔːt
wi wə ˈbəʊθ ɪn ðə ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf
ˈəʊ ˈdɪə || ˈðæts ˈveri
ˈbæd || jɔː ˈmæʤəsti hæz ɪnˈdiːɡ kəˈmɪtɪd ən ˈɪndɪˈskreʃn̩
aɪ wəz ˈmæd | ɪnˈseɪn
juv ˈkɒmprəmaɪzʤəˈself ˈsɪəriəsli
aɪ wəz ˈəʊnli ˈkraʊm ˈprɪns ˈðen
|| aɪ wəz ˈjʌŋ || aɪ ˈæm bət ˈθɜːti ˈnaʊ
ɪp ˈmʌs bi rɪˈkʌvəd
wiv ˈtraɪd n̩ ˈfeɪld
jɔː ˈmæʤəsti məs ˈpeɪ || ɪp ˈmʌs
bi ˈbɔːt
ʃi ˈwɪl ˈnɒt ˈsel
ˈstəʊlən ˈðen
ˈfaɪv əˈtemps əv biːm ˈmeɪd ||
ˈtwaɪs ˈbɜːɡləz ɪm maɪ ˈpeɪ | ˈrænsækt ɜː ˈhaʊs || ˈwʌns wi daɪˈvɜːtɪd
ɜː ˈlʌɡɪʤ | wen ʃi ˈtrævl̩d || ˈtwaɪʃ ʃiz ˈbiːn ˈweɪˈleɪd
|| ðəz biːn ˈnəʊ rɪˈzʌlt
ˈnəʊ ˈsaɪn əv ɪt
ˈæbsəˈluːtli ˈnʌn
“Precisely so. But how—”
“Was there a secret marriage?”
“None.”
“No legal papers or certificates?”
“None.”
“Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If
this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other
purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?”
“There is the writing.”
“Pooh, pooh! Forgery.”
“My private note-paper.”
“Stolen.”
“My own seal.”
“Imitated.”
“My photograph.”
“Bought.”
“We were both in the photograph.”
“Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your
Majesty has indeed committed an indiscretion.”
“I was mad—insane.”
“You have compromised yourself
seriously.”
“I was only Crown Prince then. I was young.
I am but thirty now.”
“It must be recovered.”
“We have tried and failed.”
“Your Majesty must pay. It must be
bought.”
“She will not sell.”
“Stolen, then.”
“Five attempts have been made. Twice
burglars in my pay ransacked her house. Once we diverted her luggage when she
travelled. Twice she has been waylaid. There has been no result.”
“No sign of it?”
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