"There is nothing to be said," answered Peter. "Under no circumstances will I recognize a secret engagement. To do so is to engage my daughter to sorrow, and hope deferred, and miserable backbiting! Any engagement between Yanna and yourself, Mr. Filmer, must be openly acknowledged on both sides. I make no point of it being acknowledged at the ball to-morrow; that was perhaps an old man's romancing--but if you will have no publicity, I will have no secrecy." "May I speak alone with Yanna, sir?" "You may. I put no bond on Yanna's words or actions, in any way. Honor will constrain her to treat herself, and her father also, with honor!" Then he went out of the room, and left Harry standing by Yanna's side. He took her in his arms, and she did not immediately, or with anger, withdraw herself. She was more able than Peter to understand the 'great strait' in which the young man found himself. She suffered Harry to kiss the tears off her eyelids and to whisper anew his adoring affection for her. "Cannot you trust me, Yanna?" he asked. "Cannot you trust me a little while, dearest one?" "I will trust you, Harry; and you must trust me; for there can be no engagement between us until father is satisfied. Perhaps Antony will explain things in some better way to him." "No, he will not! Antony is perfectly ferocious on a question relating to any woman's honor. I know that he loves my sister Rose to distraction, and I know equally well that if he ever dares to ask her to be his wife he will do so in the most straightforward, conventional manner. Once when I complained of the strictness of society's rules about women, he said, 'Considering the usual man, society could not make rules too strict.' Antony will not help us by a syllable." "Then speak to your mother again. Our marriage may be delayed; but our engagement ought to be a recognized one." "But privately. Cannot we understand each other privately? Look in my eyes, darling, and see my promise there! Give me yours in a kiss." "Harry, why do you ask me to deceive my father?" "You love your father better than you love me, Yanna." She did not answer this accusation in words, though he saw the answer fly into her face; and he was so ashamed of his unreasonableness that he went into the hall and put on his overcoat, and she stood silent, watching him the while. In a few minutes he turned to her with his hat in his hand. "Well, then, Yanna, I am to go away without a promise from you? When may I come again?" "When you love me with _all_ your heart--when you can put me before every other human being. Please, Harry, say nothing of this event to Rose. Why should we trouble her? And as I have promised to be at Filmer to-morrow morning, it will be best, dear, if you can avoid meeting me. I shall not remain more than an hour or two." "Very well. I will keep myself out of your way." "You know what I mean, Harry. Why do you make my meaning worse than it is?"