"Alas! Alas! My poor Zonella! And is it possible that love, which has been so sweet to me, should bring to you but pain and suffering? I almost fear for my own happiness; that my selfishness in yielding to it has blinded me to what was going on with the others. But it never occurred to me that love that is to me so wonderful in the joy and pleasure it confers, could also be the cause of misery and sorrow. And yet," she added thoughtfully, "you are not without one to love you. Poor Ergalon has long been faithful to his love for you. Oh, how strange and contrary it all seems! Poor fellow! Perhaps you have made him suffer even as you yourself have suffered. Can his love not console you? I know so little myself that what I say may be only foolishness, yet----" Zonella smiled faintly, and shook her head. Then she kissed the other tenderly. "Let us say no more, my dear," she said. "I am sorry I gave way as I did; but you took me by surprise. Perhaps, too, your implied advice is wise. It might be better to try to love the one you _know_ does truly love you, than to fret your heart out after one who loves you not, and who is beyond your reach. At least, as you say, there _is_ one in the world who loves me." Thus the time sped on. Monella was much away; sometimes for a week together; so the young men saw comparatively little of him. Templemore, on one occasion, expressed a wish to visit Myrlanda with him, but Monella said there were difficulties in the way. "It is better you two should remain here for the present," he declared. "At a future time, let us hope it may be different." But one day Monella came to him with a look of gravity that at once aroused his interest. "It is time," he said, "that I should show you something of the truth, that you may understand what lies before us. Can you brace up your courage and your nerve to stand a severe trial?" Templemore opened his eyes in astonishment. "Need you ask?" he answered. "Have you ever known me wanting in courage?" "Ah, no. But this that I refer to requires courage of a different sort. Yet it must be faced. But I warn you it will be a shock. Make up your mind to a test that will tax all the nerve you can summon to your aid." "And Leonard too?" Jack inquired, wondering. "No. Say nothing to him. Let his dream be happy while it may. Be ready to come out with me to-night, when Ergalon shall come to seek you. And bring your rifle." CHAPTER XXIII. THE DEVIL-TREE BY MOONLIGHT. It was about ten o'clock when Templemore, with Ergalon as guide, came out from the king's palace by a side-entrance that was little used, and the door of which the latter now opened with a key. Outside, at a short distance, they found Monella pacing up and down. Before leaving, Templemore had told Leonard just so much as would explain his absence; then had managed to slip away unobserved by their friends of the king's court.