“At any rate,” said Nadia, with tremendous resolution, “I know what I shall do. I will make it a matter of conscience always to obey any order or suggestion of yours without the slightest hesitation. It only makes trouble when I try to settle things for myself.” “What!” cried Caerleon, stepping back a pace and looking at her in consternation, “do you intend to use me as a means of self-discipline? I can’t stand that. And who talks about _orders_? You certainly have a most unflattering opinion of me, Nadia. Am I such a tyrant as all that? Haven’t I made you understand yet that what made me take to you at the very first was that you looked at things so differently from myself? I want you to differ from me. I want you to criticise my plans, to show me where I am wrong, to tell me how everything strikes you. Then we can thresh the matter out together, and decide it by our joint wisdom. But tell me, do you really look upon me as such a fearful despot?” “It’s not that,” said Nadia, slowly. “It is only that I feel I ought to obey you--that I should like it--because you are so good, and I have treated you so badly, and----” But her further reasons for obedience cannot be known, for Caerleon interrupted her suddenly and forcibly, and it was some little time before she freed herself and spoke again. “But would you really like me to marry you, Carlino?” She brought out the name with an effort, and yet from her lips it sounded like a caress. “I have thought lately that you must certainly have left off caring for me.” “Did you really think that? What have I been doing? You didn’t believe that I could possibly give you up? Won’t you ever trust me, Nadia? I do entreat you, the next time you have anything against me, let us have it out at once. Don’t accuse me in your mind for weeks without my knowing it, and take everything I say and do as a sign of guilt. It’s not fair. Only come and tell me what it is that you don’t like, and give me a chance of explaining things. You will have a lot of trouble with me, my darling, for I’m such a stupid fellow that I can’t see a thing unless it’s plainly pointed out to me, but I will do my best to look at things from your point of view. I do want to make you happy.” “A little time ago,” said Nadia, meditatively, “I should have said ‘I want to try to help you to be good,’ but I know better now. I want you to help me.” “Oh, that’s absurd,” cried Caerleon. “You will have to educate me up to your level, you know. Don’t be too hard on me, dearest. I’m only an ordinary man, and I haven’t been practising martyrdom from my youth up, as you have. Let me off easily in the way of hurting my feelings, and that sort of thing, just at first. By the bye, why did you send me that cruel message through Cyril the time you came to Bellaviste?”