“You must be awfully tired! You had better let me take you somewhere to rest!” Lord Delaval says, rather tenderly. Zai is tired, and does not demur; and he takes her out of the ball-room into a long corridor, in which the waxlights are a little dim, and in which fewer flirting couples than usual are to be seen. Like a huge maelstrom, the _salle de danse_ has engulphed them, so there is not much difficulty in finding the quiet and secluded corner, free from interruption, of which Lord Delaval is in search. He wheels a cosy velvet-cushioned chair near an open window, and when she has dropped into it he settles himself opposite her on the window sill. Zai shuts her eyes, it may be from physical fatigue, or it may be that she does not care to meet the keen searching gaze--anyway, a short silence follows, during which she slowly fans herself, and he--well--he is considering how to plunge at once into the subject nearest his heart--for he hates to wait for anything. “I don’t care to talk about myself,” he says, after a minute or two. “If there is an abomination in the world, it is an egotistical man; but I should like to know if you have ever heard things about me which have caused you to shun my society at times? I know I have a number of kind friends in Town ready to tell you that I am a flirt, and worship myself only.” “Yes,” she answers, truthfully. “I have certainly heard your friends say both things of you.” “Perhaps in one thing they were right enough--I have flirted desperately in my life--every man who has never felt a strong exclusive attachment does flirt, you know, but never more! never more! I shall never flirt again--for----” He bends forward until his face almost touches hers, and whispers low-- “The strong exclusive attachment has come to me!” Zai does not answer, though she flushes in spite of herself. “You cannot doubt that I love you, Zai!” he pleads, passionately, “and that I shall be the happiest man on earth if I can persuade you to marry me. Zai, do you think you will ever care for me enough to do that?”