“Because I was sure that I could not hold out if you came and spoke to me yourself. I would have given worlds to stretch out my hands and call to you to come to me when I saw you standing by the gate, Carlino.” “If you had only yielded to that impulse!” said Caerleon. “Or if you hadn’t refused me that night I asked you first to marry me! I am sure that it would have been happier for both of us, dear.” “Not for you,” said Nadia, decidedly. “I have learnt one or two lessons since then. But you would in all probability have been King of Thracia still, so that you have to thank me for losing you your kingdom, after all. But there is one thing I want to say now, Carlino, just that you may see that I know all about it, and then we will never mention the subject again. It is about that other girl to whom you were engaged, and who married the Prince of Dardania. I quite understand how it was. It was all my fault, for I made you so angry with me that you took me at my word. You must not think that I am vexed with you about it, for I know that you were not to blame. I should only have been rightly punished if you had married her. Now please don’t let us say anything more about it.” “But I must just say one thing,” said Caerleon. “Let me defend myself, for I wasn’t quite the mean scoundrel you think me,--getting engaged to one girl simply in order to punish another. Princess Ottilie asked me to pretend to be engaged to her just for a fortnight or so, that suspicion might be averted from her real lover, and I was fool enough to do as she asked. She led me a pretty dance. I think even you would have pitied me, Nadia, if you had seen me then. It served me right for being such a fool, but I don’t think I was a cad. I never even kissed her.” “If you had, you should never have kissed me,” said Nadia, hotly; and Caerleon wondered anew at the intricacies of the feminine mind. “But I am glad you have told me this,” she went on, after an interval, “because it makes me more ashamed of myself. When you find me very troublesome and very unbelieving, please whisper in my ear, ‘Remember Princess Ottilie.’” “I had rather forget her, myself,” said Caerleon; “but I’ll do it if you are sure you’ll like it. Oh, bother it all! there are the Princess and Cyril going down to the boat. We’ll let them get on a little, and catch them up afterwards.” “But the gig was to go to the mainland for the letters,” said Nadia, innocently. “Are you not in a hurry to see yours?” “I had much sooner talk to you. Who knows when I shall find you in this angelic frame of mind again?” “I knew you could not depend upon me,” and the tears began to rise once more in Nadia’s eyes. “You can never feel certain that I shall behave properly.”