your society, my choice had never wavered, had the choice been mine.

You were a girl, a bud, when you were given me - '

'Heavens!' she cried, 'is this to be a love-scene?'

'I am never ridiculous,' he said; 'it is my only merit; and you may

be certain this shall be a scene of marriage A LA MODE. But when I

remember the beginning, it is bare courtesy to speak in sorrow. Be

just, madam: you would think me strangely uncivil to recall these

days without the decency of a regret. Be yet a little juster, and

own, if only in complaisance, that you yourself regret that past.'

'I have nothing to regret,' said the Princess. 'You surprise me. I

thought you were so happy.'

'Happy and happy, there are so many hundred ways,' said Otto. 'A

man may be happy in revolt; he may be happy in sleep; wine, change,

and travel make him happy; virtue, they say, will do the like - I

have not tried; and they say also that in old, quiet, and habitual

marriages there is yet another happiness. Happy, yes; I am happy if

you like; but I will tell you frankly, I was happier when I brought

you home.'

'Well,' said the Princess, not without constraint, 'it seems you

changed your mind.'

'Not I,' returned Otto, 'I never changed. Do you remember,

Seraphina, on our way home, when you saw the roses in the lane, and

I got out and plucked them? It was a narrow lane between great

trees; the sunset at the end was all gold, and the rooks were flying

overhead. There were nine, nine red roses; you gave me a kiss for

each, and I told myself that every rose and every kiss should stand

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>