Page:The Prime Minister by Hall Caine.djvu/142

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118
THE PRIME MINISTER

Margaret.
[As before.] Oh! Oh!

Doctor.
You think you would be saving your brother's life. My poor child, you would be taking it—deliberately taking it.

Margaret.
Oh! Oh! Oh!

Doctor.
No! When you went into the Minister's house you took a step from which there was no return. It was destiny. And if destiny has marked out Otto for this sacred task of ridding the world of a tyrant, why should you keep him back from it?

Margaret.
[Recovering herself and throwing up her head.] Because I must!

Fritz.
[Laughing bitterly.] If you dare!

Margaret.
Oh, you can't frighten me with what will happen to myself. Perhaps I have other reasons than you know of for not wishing Sir Robert Temple to find out that I've deceived him, but since it is necessary that he should know, he shall know. You can't frighten me about Otto either. If the worst comes to the worst it is better that he should be punished for consenting to commit a crime than for committing it. But he will not be punished. The Minister will