"My friend," said I, when he was seated, "I have two communications of importance to make. The first I know thou shalt be pleased to hear, the other is not so pleasant; for it may mean great trouble to us all, if mine interpretation of what I overheard be correct. The first is this,--" and there I stopped and stood first on the one foot and then on the other, and felt my face get red, for all the world like a small boy making a confession when he has done something wrong. Why I should feel like this I know not, unless it be one of the many peculiarities of that very eccentric person known as Master Human Nature, of whom we know so little. My friend regarded me with the faintest suspicion of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth, and also showing itself in a barely perceptible twinkle in his eyes. At length he said:--"Well, Walter, what is it? Out with it man, or thou shalt never know whether I will be glad to hear it or no." "Well, then,--_I have told her_," I almost whispered. "Told her what?" he asked, laughing outright at mine embarrassment. "Why,--why,--that,--that,--" "What in the devil's name is the matter with thee?" cried he, not giving me time to finish. "That I love her,--Hazel,--Lady Hazel Woodville, Lady-in-waiting on her Majesty the Queen," I answered; thus trying to give the impression that I had made it perfectly clear before, but that his skull was too thick to permit my meaning to pass through. "Bravo, bravo! my dear friend," cried he, as he sprang to his feet and grasped my hand and slapped me on the shoulder. "Thou didst get it out at last. Why, Bradley, I knew it the moment thou didst start to hesitate and fidget so. Those symptoms, following those dreamy fits, from which thou hast been suffering of late, are the surest indications of that peculiar disease of the heart which so sadly affects the mind. One is almost sure to catch it when one doth come in frequent contact with fair maidens. Now the one with which thou hast been associated so much is simply a human moon, to make men mad. Therefore, my dear fellow, I was quite certain that thou wouldst soon cry out for it. But tell me," he said, more seriously, "what did she say?" Then before I could tell him:--"I need not ask; 'tis writ upon your smiling countenance." He had scarcely finished his congratulations when in walked Hazel and Mary, arm in arm. When they came up to us, my dear maid's face was crimson with blushes, and Mary's contracted with joyous smiles. "Hast thou told him yet?" asked Hazel, glancing in Harleston's direction. I nodded. "And doth Mary know?" I asked. "I just told her," she whispered. Then Harleston and Mary came up to us, and as my little golden haired cousin took my hand and congratulated me for having won the dearest maid in Christendom, Frederick reached across, and taking Hazel's hand, wished her all happiness, and said some pleasant things of me, the which I shall not put down.