"I know, Theodore," she replied; "you have proved that you, at least, are no coward--but I believed her then. And I wrote you a line to say that I had altered my mind, and did not think it right to expose you or myself to such danger, and that I would wait for you by the Myddelton Statue. She promised to give you the letter at once!" "I never got it," I said. "No, she took care you should not. And I waited for you--how long I don't know--_hours_, it seemed--but you never came! Then I saw the people beginning to come out, and--and I went across and asked someone whether there had been any marriage or not, and he said, 'Yes, it had gone off without any accident, the bridegroom looked pale but was plucky enough, and so was the bride, though he couldn't tell how _she_ looked, because of her veil.' And then of course, I knew that the deceitful cat had taken my place and managed to make you marry her! And at first I wanted to go back and stab her with my hat pin, but I hadn't one sharp enough, so I came home instead. And oh, Theodore, I _do_ feel so ashamed! After boasting so much of my Spanish blood, and taunting you with being afraid as I did, to think that you should have shown the truer courage after all!" I could not triumph over her then; I was too happy. "Courage, my darling, is a merely relative quality," I said. "Heaven forbid that we should be held accountable for the state of our nerves--even the bravest of us." "But this marriage, Theodore," she said, "what can you do to have it set aside?" "Do! Nothing," I replied; "after what you have told me, I no longer care to try." "You despise me, then, because I broke down at the critical moment?" "Not at all. I can never be grateful enough to you!" "Grateful! Then do you mean to say you prefer that coarse, middle-aged, lion-taming person to me, Theodore?" "Lurana," I said, "prepare yourself for a great surprise--a _pleasant_ surprise. If anybody is now that lady's lawful husband it is Niono--not I; and a very suitable match too," I added (I saw now why the authorities had been compelled to waive their objections to it). "The fact is, I never went into the cage at all." "You didn't go into the cage, Theodore! but how, why?" "Do you imagine," I asked, "can you really suppose I should be capable of entering that cage with anybody but yourself, Lurana? How little you know me! Of _course_ I declined!" "But you didn't know I had run away _then_, Theodore! Why, you thought only a few minutes ago _I_ was the person Mr Niono married! Perhaps you will kindly explain?" For the moment I was in a fix, but I saw that the moment had arrived for perfect candour, and accordingly I told her the facts pretty much as they have been set down here.