“If I have erred,” she ventured, “it has been done within the limitations of human wisdom; yet my convictions were absolutely sincere—­at least I may assure you of so much.  I have not wished to break any law, to violate convictions on either side.  I only wanted to do some good in the world.”

“We are quite sure, my dear lady, that the sentiments of your mind are precisely those of our own.  But perhaps you may be less aware than ourselves of complications which may rise.  Our friend who sits by you has found occasion to write again in unmeasured terms to the representatives of Austria.  We are advised of your affiliations with the Hungarian movement—­in short, we are perhaps better advised of your movements than you yourself are aware.  We know of these blacks which have been purchased and deported by your agents, but we also know that large numbers of slaves have been enticed away from their owners, that whole plantations have been robbed of their labor, and this under the protection—­indeed, under the very name—­of this attempt which you have set on foot.  Has this been done by your knowledge, Madam?  I anticipate your answer.  I am sure that it has not.”

“No!  No!” she rejoined.  “Assuredly, no!  That is a matter entirely without my knowledge.  You shock me unspeakably by this news.  I have not heard of it.  I should be loath to believe it!  I have spent my own funds in this matter, and I have told my own agents to do nothing in the slightest contravention of the laws.”

“None the less, these things have been done, my dear lady.  They have awakened the greatest feeling in the South—­a feeling of animosity which extends even to the free colonies of blacks which have been established.  The relations between the two great sections of this country are already strained sufficiently.  We deprecate, indeed we fear, anything which may cause a conflict, an outbreak of sectional feeling.”

“Gentlemen, you must believe me,” she replied, firmly and with dignity, “I have been as ignorant as I am innocent of any such deeds on the part of my agents.  While I do not agree that any human being can be the property of another, I will waive that point; and I have given no aid to any undertaking which contemplated taking from any man what he himself considered to be his property, and what the laws of the land accorded him as his property.  My undertaking was simply intended as a solution of all those difficulties—­for both sides, and justly—­”

“Madam, I rejoice to hear those words,—­rejoice beyond measure!  They accord entirely with the opinion we have formed of you.”

“Then you have watched me!—­I have been—­”

“This is a simple and democratic country, Madam,” was the quiet answer, although perhaps there might have been the trace of a smile on the close-set mouth of the speaker.  “We do not spy on any one.  Your acts have been quite within public knowledge.  You yourself have not sought to leave them secret.  Should these facts surprise you?”