ing from
his approaching steps. I came to crave a boon from thee."

"It is granted thee, fairest lady, even before thou dost utter it. But
what is it, the most beautiful, most lovely of her beautiful, lovely
sex would ask? Be it even unto the half of my kingdom--"

"It is not the half of thy kingdom, but the whole of it, together with
thy kingdom's lord, that I would be freed from."

"Thou art pleased to be facetious, most charming Lady Isoleth. Pray
explain thyself, that my dull understanding may comprehend thy
meaning."

"Ferdinand, Prince of Bernstorf--"

"Yes--"

"Is one that I never, never can love--one that I had rather should see
me in the grave ere he shall call me wife."

"Ha! well, loveliest cousin, that is plain, and easy to be understood
even by the slowest comprehension. Thou hatest him, dost thou?"

"Most cordially."

"My son thanks thee, fair cousin--and I also, in his name."

"Thy son!"

"Ay, and here he is to thank thee himself. How now, scapegrace! Thou
art tardy in paying thy respects to this beautiful, noble lady. Thou
shouldst have been here days ago. Even now thy fair cousin was on the
point of refusing thee. I tell thee, lad, thou'lt never find a fairer.
Courting was not done in this slipshod way when I was a boy."

All this while Isoleth was gazing in mute astonishment upon--yes, she
was not mistaken--he was the very one--the very most beautiful being
to whom she had given, only the night before, her precious little
heart. And those dark, earnest eyes were passionately regarding her,
drinking in rapturously her glowing beauty, until her eyes, abashed,
sought the floor, unable to bear the light of those intensely loving
ones.

"Then thou'rt the _Duke_ of Bernstorf, my father's cousin?" suddenly
asked she, of Ferdinand the elder.

"Who else, fairest cousin? Ha! thou didst then think--" a sudden light
seemed to break through the chambers of his brain. "Ha! ha! ha!"
laughed he, "Thou thoughtest that _I_ was the one. I could not wish a
fairer, more beautiful bride than thou; but--ha! ha! ha! I have one
goodly wife already, who is to be here this very day; and, between you
and I, one is more than I can manage, although she is one of the best
of her perfect, bewitching sex. Still--So, that was the reason thou
wert so shy of me, sweet flower." And the father, Ferdinand, threw
himself back in his chair, and gave way to the most uncontrollable
bursts of laughter; while Ferdinand, the son