Ask the Prince to come in, and put another place at the table," said
Corona.

A moment later the old man entered, and Corona rose to receive him. There
was something refreshing in the ring of his deep voice and the clank of
his spurs as he crossed the marble floor.

"Signora Duchessa, you are very good to receive me. I did not know that
this was your breakfast-hour. Ah!" he exclaimed, glancing at Sister
Gabrielle, who had also risen to her feet, "good day, my Sister."

"Sister Gabrielle," said Corona, as an introduction; "she is good enough
to be my companion in solitude."

To tell the truth, Corona felt uneasy; but the sensation was somehow
rather pleasurable, although it crossed her mind that the Prince might
have heard of her excursion, and had possibly come to find out why she
had been so near to his place. She boldly faced the situation.

"I nearly came upon you the other day as unexpectedly as you have visited
me," she said with a smile. "I had a fancy to look over into your valley,
and when I reached the top of the hill I found I was almost in your
house."

"I wish you had quite been there," returned the Prince. "Of course I
heard that you had been seen, and we guessed you had stumbled upon us in
some mountain excursion. My son rode all the way to Aquaviva to see the
man who had spoken with you."

Saracinesca said this as though it were perfectly natural, helping
himself to the dish the servant offered him. But when he looked up he saw
that Corona blushed beneath her dark skin.

"It is such a very sudden view at that point," she said, nervously, "that
I was startled."

"I wish you had preserved your equanimity to the extent of going a little
further. Saracinesca has rarely been honoured with the visit of a
Duchessa d'Astrardente. But since you have explained your visit--or the
visit which you did not make--I ought to explain mine. You must know, in
the first place, that I am not here by accident, but by intention,
preconceived, well pondered, and finally executed to my own complete
satisfaction. I came, not to get a glimpse of your valley nor a distant
view of your palace, but to see you, yourself. Your hospitality in
receiving me has therefore crowned and complimented the desire I had of
seeing you."

Corona laughed a little.

"That is a very pretty speech," she said.

"Which you would have lost if you had not received me," he answered,
gaily. "I have not done yet. I have many pretty speeches for