Yolanda cast a surprised glance toward me and then broke into a merry laugh. "That is to say _I_ have asked too many questions. Good for you, Sir Karl! I have had the worst of this encounter. I will ask no more questions nor give you further cause to wander from the truth. Your memory, Sir Karl, is poor. 'To be a good liar, one must have a good memory,' as King Louis of France has said." "Ask all the questions you wish, Fräulein," I responded penitently, "I will answer with the truth." "There is no need to ask questions," she said, giving me a side glance full of sauciness. "I already know all that I wish to know." I could not resist saying:-- "Perhaps, Fräulein, I know quite as much about you as you know about us." "There is little to know about me that is really worth while, but what little there is I sincerely hope you do not know," she replied half angrily. "If you do know anything which I have left untold, or if, in your vanity, you think you have discovered some great mystery concerning me, I advise you to keep your supposed knowledge to yourself. The day that I am made sure you know too much, our friendship ceases, and that, Sir Karl, would give me pain. I hope it would pain you." I at once began an orderly though hasty retreat. "I do not know to what you refer concerning yourself," I explained. "All I know about you is that you are Fräulein Castleman, and a very charming person, whom I would have for my friend, if that be possible. I spoke but jestingly. I have often doubted that you are a burgher maiden, but there my knowledge ceases; and I am willing that it should so remain till you see fit to enlighten me." "There is little knowledge in doubt," said Yolanda, with a nervous laugh, "though a doubt usually precedes wisdom." Although I was looking at my horse's ears, I could see the light of her eyes as she watched me inquiringly. After a long pause she stroked her horse's mane with her whip, and said, musingly:-- "A man should seek to know only the languages, philosophy, and other useful learning. Useless knowledge has cost many a man his head." After a long pause she turned to me with a broad smile:-- "But it is usually not dangerous so long as it does not lodge in the tongue." I replied quickly:-- "Fräulein, when my tongue makes a fool of me, I pray God I may lose it." "God save all fools by a like fate," she answered. I was sure she did not mean to include me in the category of fools.