“You do make the funniest speeches,” she replied. “I don’t know half the time what you mean. But I am getting tired of sitting so long. Here is Antonia. You talk to her about love, and I’ll go over and see Foedric.” The lightness of her manner, when I was so deeply in earnest, gave me a feeling of uneasiness, which was increased when I saw her easy, familiar way with Foedric and heard her merry song as she chatted with him. I was not very pleasant company for Antonia, for I could not prevent a return of that dreadful jealousy. I wondered if this was always to be the history of my wooing--an hour of the supremest happiness, followed so speedily by a period of such anguish. I could not possibly talk on any other subject, and so I said to Antonia: “They seem well pleased with each other’s society. Are you not afraid Foedric will lose his heart to her?” “My friend,” she replied, “we never even think of such things as that. I hope you are not serious in asking the question.” “Forgive me, Antonia,” I answered; “I hardly know what I am saying.” And then I rose and followed Mona, and said to her when I came near: “Well, my dear, what do you and Foedric find so pleasant to talk about?” “Why, you see,” she replied, “Foedric was the first one to find me after you were hurt, and has been very kind to me since, and I have just been telling him I love him. You said it made you happy to hear me say it to you, and I wanted to make him happy too. And then I wanted to see if Foedric would make such funny speeches as you did.” I controlled myself enough to ask: “And what did Foedric say?” “Why, his answer made me laugh more than yours did. He said it would make you unhappy to know I had said such a thing to him. I replied that I would tell you myself, and that you were always happy when I said anything to you; and then you came up just in time.” “Now, Mona, do you think it is right to make sport of such a serious matter?” “I assure you I am in earnest in all I have said.” “Then are you trying to deceive Foedric?” “Deceive him? What is that?” “Telling him what isn’t true.” “No, indeed. I would never do that.” “It is true, then, that you love him?” “Certainly it is; isn’t it, Foedric?” I did not wait for Foedric to answer, but continued: “And still a short time ago you said you loved me.” “Well, is that any wonder, after what you have done for me?” “But do you love us both at once?” “I do.” “And do you love Foedric as much as you do me?” “Certainly. Why shouldn’t I? And now let me ask you a question. Do you love me?” “With all my heart.” “Then why do you bother me so, asking all these questions, and saying things I don’t understand? You appear to be surprised to find that I love Foedric. Why, I love everybody. What am I going to do, if I cannot love people as much as I want to?”