"Always modest, loyal, and true, dear Karl but--" "But? I will have no 'buts.'" "It is not a very terrible 'but,' as you will see. You are a great noble, Karl, compared to my little sister Helen." "I am the last of my race, there is no one to make objections." "And you are very rich for a dowry of two hundred thousand francs." "I can dispose of my own fortune as I choose." "These are observations I felt bound to make to you." "Do you consider them really serious?" "I acknowledge objections to them would be much more so." "Is it of no consequence to ascertain whether Helen loves me or not?" "That can be decided at once." "How?" "I will send for her, the shortest explanations are always the best." The count became as pale as he had been red the moment before. In a trembling voice he exclaimed: "Not now, for Heaven's sake! not now!" "But, my dear Karl!" "Frederic!" "Do you believe I am your friend?" "Good heavens! yes." "Well, do you suppose I would subject you to an interview which could only make you unhappy? "You mean--" "I mean that I believe--" "Believe what?" "I believe that she loves you as much as you love her." "My friend, you will kill me with joy." "Well, since you are so afraid of an interview with Helen, go and do your hunting in the Taunus, kill your wild boar and come back again, the thing will be done." "Done, how?" "I will undertake it." "No, Frederic, I will not go." "What, you will not go? Only think of your men waiting there with their flutes." "They may wait." At this moment the door opened, and Helen appeared on the threshold. "Helen!" exclaimed Karl. "You will be careful--you must not be too long with my brother," she said, remaining at the door. "He is waiting for you," observed Frederic. "For me?" "Yes, come here." "But I don't understand in the least." "Never mind! Come here." Karl offered his hand to Helen. "Oh, mademoiselle," he said, "do what your brother asks, I entreat you." "Well," she said, "what shall I do?" "You can lend your hand to Karl; he will return it." Karl seized her hand and pressed it to his heart. Helen uttered a cry. Timid as a child, Karl released the hand. "You did not hurt me," said Helen. Karl promptly repossessed himself of the released hand. "Brother," said Frederic, "did you not say you had a secret you wished to confide to Helen?" "Oh yes, yes," cried Karl. "All right, I am not listening." Karl bent towards Helen's ear, and the sweet words "I love you" fell from his lips with a whisper as of a moth's wings, which flitting by your ear on a spring evening breathes the eternal secret of Nature. "Oh! Frederic, Frederic!" cried Helen, hiding her forehead on his couch, "I was not mistaken!" Then raising her head and languidly opening her beautiful eyes. "And I," she said, "I love you." CHAPTER XIV THE GRANDMOTHER