will be an improvement?"

"Perhaps nothing but a hovel by a well under a couple of palm-trees; that
would satisfy me, if I only had you and could be free--free from every
one else!"

"What is this; what does this mean?" muttered the elder woman shaking her
head. "You were quite content only the day before yesterday. Something
must have. . . ."

"Yes, must have happened and has," interrupted the girl almost beside
herself. "My uncle's son.--You were there when he arrived--and I
thought, even I firmly believed that he was worthy of such a
reception.--I--I--pity me, for I . . . You do not know what influence that
man exercises over hearts.--And I--I believed his eyes, his words, his
songs and--yes, I must confess all--even his kisses on this hand! But it
was all false, all--a lie, a cruel sport with a weak, simple heart, or
even worse--more insulting still! In short, while he was doing all in his
power to entrap me--even the slaves in the barge observed it--he was in
the very act--I heard it from Dame Neforis, who is only too glad when she
can hurt me--in the very act of suing for the hand of that little
doll--you know her--little Katharina. She is his betrothed; and yet the
shameless wretch dares to carry on his game with me; he has the
face. . . ."

Again Paula sobbed aloud; but the older woman did not know how to help in
the matter and could only mutter to herself: "Bad, bad--what, this
too!--Merciful Heaven! . . ." But she presently recovered herself and
said firmly: "This is indeed a new and terrible misfortune; but we have
known worse--much, much worse! So hold up your head, and whatever liking
you may have in your heart for the traitor, tear it out and trample on
it. Your pride will help you; and if you have only just found out what my
lord Orion is, you may thank God that things had gone no further between
you!" Then she repeated to Paula all that she knew of Orion's misconduct
to the frenzied Mandane, and as Paula gave strong utterance to her
indignation, she went on:

"Yes, child, he is a man to break hearts and ruin happiness, and perhaps
it was my duty to warn you against him; but as he is not a bad man in
other things--he saved the brother of Hathor the designer--you know
her--from drowning, at the risk of his own life--and as I hoped you might
be on friendly terms with him at least, on his return home, I
refrained. . . . And besides, old fool that I am, I fancied your proud
heart wore a breastplate of m