oves you very truly.
Pardon me, it is no disrespect to you, now, that he should have told me
so. I am his father, and I have no one else to care for. He is too honest
a gentleman to have spoken of his affection for you at an eailier period,
but he has told me of it now."

Corona stood still in the midst of the great hall, and faced the old
Prince. She had grown pale while he was speaking. Still she was silent.

"I have nothing more to say--that is all," said Saracinesca, gazing
earnestly into the depths of her eyes. "I have nothing more to say."

"Do you then mean to repeat the warning you once gave me?" asked Corona,
growing whiter still. "Do you mean to imply that there is danger to your
son?"

"There is danger--great danger for him, unless you will avert it."

"And how?" asked Corona, in a low voice.

"Madam, by becoming his wife."

Corona started and turned away in great agitation. Saracinesca stood
still while she slowly walked a few steps from him. She could not speak.

"I could say a great deal more, Duchessa," he said, as she came back
towards him. "I could say that the marriage is not only fitting in every
other way, but is also advantageous from a worldly point of view. You
are sole mistress of Astrardente; my son will before long be sole master
of Saracinesca. Our lands are near together--that is a great advantage,
that question of fortune. Again, I would observe that, with your
magnificent position, you could not condescend to accept a man of lower
birth than the highest in the country. There is none higher than the
Saracinesca--pardon my arrogance,--and among princes there is no braver,
truer gentleman than my son Giovanni. I ask no pardon for saying that; I
will maintain it against all comers. I forego all questions of advantage,
and base my argument upon that. He is the best man I know, and he loves
you devotedly."

"Is he aware that you are here for this purpose?" asked Corona, suddenly.
She spoke with a great effort.

"No. He knows that I am here, and was glad that I came. He desired me to
ascertain if you would see him. He would certainly not have thought of
addressing you at present. I am an old man, and I feel that I must do
things quickly. That is my excuse."

Corona was again silent. She was too truthful to give an evasive answer,
and yet she hesitated to speak. The position was an embarrassing one; she
was taken unawares, and was terrified at the emotion she felt. It had
never entered