“My dear Lenchen, let me entreat you not to make that remark to your husband when you tell him this, or he will set you down for ever as a fool. Valerian goes on: ‘There were servants and luggage, and all the necessaries for a long journey, apparently. Doubtless your friend was bound, by way of Dardania, for the Ionian Isles, or some similar region of delight, where a spot or two may yet be found destitute of the moral code, as I once heard an Englishman say of the East generally. Happy he! What are your plans for the autumn? I am too late for Ludwigsbad this year, alas!’ That is all that concerns the Count,” said the Princess, folding the letter, as Helene sat dumb. “And here is your husband, come to sweep you into the train with the rest of the luggage, I suppose. How do you do, Lord Usk? So delightful to get this short glimpse of little Lenchen! She really looks younger than ever since you married her.” Helene was still speechless as the Princess bade her an affectionate farewell, and gave her hand to Usk that he might lead her to her carriage. When he returned to warn Helene that their train was coming in, she turned an ashy face to him. “Oh, Nym, I must tell you. She says such things----” “Wait until we’re in the train,” said Usk; and it was only when they were moving out of the station that he turned to her with, “Well, what is it, Nell?” “She says that the dear Count went away of his own accord, with--with a lady, and that he doesn’t want to be found.” “Not content with kidnapping him, they try to take away his character, do they?” said Usk savagely. “She wants to hurt Aunt Ernestine, do you see, Nell? We won’t tell her if we can help it. Of course you don’t believe the story?” “Of course not. But it is so dreadful that people should say such things about him, when we know how good he is, how----” Helene’s voice failed. “Well, we know that no one will believe it who knows anything of him. She must have thought you very young, and ready to believe anything, mustn’t she? Poor little Nell!” He put his arm round her, and drew her close to him, regardless of the fact that the guard might appear at any moment. “But how terrible that she should say such things, when she knows they are not true! Our own cousin, Nym!” “Oh, well, you see, she has a grudge against him.” “But why? What has he done?” “Well, she wishes it to be understood that he proposed to her at Ludwigsbad a year or two back, and she refused him. That sort of thing generally makes a woman pursue a man with implacable hatred, doesn’t it? What do you say?” “Why, I should have thought just the opposite--that she would be as kind to him as possible, and fearfully sorry that he should love her in vain.” “So should I. And we think, all of us--mind, he has never said a word on the subject--that she--well, that it was the other way about.” “That she proposed to him, and he refused her? Oh, Nym!”