‘It must be so, since I CAN feel no more,’ she decisively replied, adding, as she stopped her seriousness: ‘You must pray for strength to get over it.’ ‘One thing I shall never pray for; to see you give yourself to another man. But I suppose I shall witness that some day.’ ‘You may,’ she gravely returned. ‘You have no doubt chosen him already,’ cried the captain bitterly. ‘No, Captain De Stancy,’ she said shortly, a faint involuntary blush coming into her face as she guessed his allusion. This, and a few glances round at the pictures and curiosities, completed their survey of the castle. De Stancy knew better than to trouble her further that day with special remarks. During the return journey he rode ahead with Mr. Power and she saw no more of him. She would have been astonished had she heard the conversation of the two gentlemen as they wound gently downwards through the trees. ‘As far as I am concerned,’ Captain De Stancy’s companion was saying, ‘nothing would give me more unfeigned delight than that you should persevere and win her. But you must understand that I have no authority over her--nothing more than the natural influence that arises from my being her father’s brother.’ ‘And for exercising that much, whatever it may be, in my favour I thank you heartily,’ said De Stancy. ‘But I am coming to the conclusion that it is useless to press her further. She is right! I am not the man for her. I am too old, and too poor; and I must put up as well as I can with her loss--drown her image in old Falernian till I embark in Charon’s boat for good!--Really, if I had the industry I could write some good Horatian verses on my inauspicious situation!... Ah, well;--in this way I affect levity over my troubles; but in plain truth my life will not be the brightest without her.’ ‘Don’t be down-hearted! you are too--too gentlemanly, De Stancy, in this matter--you are too soon put off--you should have a touch of the canvasser about you in approaching her; and not stick at things. You have my hearty invitation to travel with us all the way till we cross to England, and there will be heaps of opportunities as we wander on. I’ll keep a slow pace to give you time.’ ‘You are very good, my friend! Well, I will try again. I am full of doubt and indecision, mind, but at present I feel that I will try again. There is, I suppose, a slight possibility of something or other turning up in my favour, if it is true that the unexpected always happens--for I foresee no chance whatever.... Which way do we go when we leave here to-morrow?’ ‘To Carlsruhe, she says, if the rest of us have no objection.’ ‘Carlsruhe, then, let it be, with all my heart; or anywhere.’