Then she caught sight of Paul Deulin a long way off, despite her short sight, which was perhaps spasmodic, as short sight often is. She stopped, and half turned, as if to dismiss Martin. When Deulin perceived them he was standing in the middle of the pavement, as if they had just met. He came up with a bow to Netty and his hand stretched out to Martin--his left hand, which conveyed the fact that he was an old and familiar friend. “I suppose you are on your way back to the Europe to lunch?” he said to Netty. “I am in luck. I have come just in time to walk back with you, if you will permit it.” And he did not wait for permission, but walked on beside Netty, while Martin took off his hat and went in the opposite direction. It was not the way he wanted to go but something had made him think that Netty desired him to go, and he departed with a pleasant sensation as of a secret possessed in common with her. He walked back quickly to the flower-shop kept by Ulrich, in the Senatorska. A rare thing happened to Paul Deulin at this moment. He fell into a train of thought, and walked some distance by the side of Netty without speaking. It was against his principles altogether. “Never be silent with a woman,” he often said. “She will only misconstrue it.” “It was odd that I should meet you at that moment,” he said, at length, for Netty had not attempted to break the silence. She never took the initiative with Paul Deulin, but followed quite humbly and submissively the conversational lead which he might choose to give. He broke off and laughed. “I was going to say that it was odd that I should have met you at a moment that I was thinking of you; but it would be odder still if I could manage to meet you at a moment when I was not thinking of you, would it not?” “It was very kind of you,” said Netty, “to think of me at the race-meeting the other day, and to introduce me to the Bukatys. I am so interested in the princess. She is so pretty, is she not? Such lovely hair, and I think her face is so interesting--a face with a history, is it not?” “Yes,” answered Deulin, rather shortly, “Wanda is a nice girl.” He did not seem to find the subject pleasing, and Netty changed her ground. “And the prince,” she said, “the old one, I mean--for this one, Prince Martin, is quite a boy, is he not?” “Oh yes--quite a boy,” replied Deulin, absently, as he looked back over his shoulder and saw Martin hurry into the flower-shop where he had first perceived Netty and the young prince talking together. “It is so sad that they are ruined--if they are really ruined.” “There is no doubt whatever about that,” answered Deulin. “But,” said Netty, who was practical, “could nothing induce him--the young prince, I mean--to abandon all these vague political dreams and accept the situation as it is, and settle down to develop his estates and recover his position?”