"I wonder if many dreams of this grand Alhambra came to Queen Catharine of Arragon, when she lay down to rest--that is, if much rest came to her?" "Why should not rest come to her?" asked Lord Chandos, and the fair face, raised to answer him, grew pale. "Why? What a question to ask me. Was she not jealous and with good cause? How can a jealous woman know rest? I am quite sure that she must have thought often with longing and regret, of her home in sunny Granada." "I have never been jealous in my life," said Lord Chandos. "Then you have never loved," said Lady Marion. "I do not believe that love ever exists without some tinge of jealousy. I must say that if I loved any one very much, I should be jealous if I saw that person pay much attention to any one else." He looked at her carelessly, he spoke carelessly; if he had known what was to follow, he would not have spoken so. "But do you love any one very much?" he said. The next moment he deeply repented the thoughtless words. Her whole face seemed on fire with a burning blush. She turned proudly away from him. "You have no right to ask me such a question," she said. "You are cruel to me, Lord Chandos." The red blush died away, and the sweet eyes filled with tears. That was the _coup de grace_; perhaps if that little incident had never happened, this story had never been written; but the tears in those sweet eyes, and the quiver of pain in that beautiful face, was more than he could bear. The next moment he was by her side, and had taken her white hands in his. "Cruel! how could I be cruel to you. Lady Marion? Nothing could be further from my thoughts. How am I cruel?" "Never mind," she said, gently. "But I do mind very much indeed. What did I say that could make you think me cruel? Will you not tell me?" "No," she replied, with drooping eyes, "I will not tell you." "But I must know. Was it because I asked you, 'if you ever loved any one very much?' Was that cruel?" "I cannot deny, but I will not affirm it," she said. "We are very foolish to talk about such things as love and jealousy; they are much better left alone."