nd her response.

De S. Fair Princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.
Paula. Fair, I give you back again: and welcome, I have
not yet.

Somerset listened to this and to all that which followed of the same
sort, with the reflection that, after all, the Princess never throughout
the piece compromised her dignity by showing her love for the King; and
that the latter never addressed her in words in which passion got the
better of courtesy. Moreover, as Paula had herself observed, they did
not marry at the end of the piece, as in Shakespeare's other comedies.
Somewhat calm in this assurance, he waited on while the other couples
respectively indulged in their love-making, and banter, including Mrs.
Camperton as the sprightly Rosaline. But he was doomed to be surprised
out of his humour when the end of the act came on. In abridging the play
for the convenience of representation, the favours or gifts from the
gentlemen to the ladies were personally presented: and now Somerset saw
De Stancy advance with the necklace fetched by Paula from London, and
clasp it on her neck.

This seemed to throw a less pleasant light on her hasty journey. To
fetch a valuable ornament to lend it to a poorer friend was estimable;
but to fetch it that the friend's brother should have something
magnificent to use as a lover's offering to herself in public, that
wore a different complexion. And if the article were recognized by
the spectators as the same that Charlotte had worn at the ball, the
presentation by De Stancy of what must seem to be an heirloom of his
house would be read as symbolizing a union of the families.

De Stancy's mode of presenting the necklace, though unauthorized by
Shakespeare, had the full approval of the company, and set them in
good humour to receive Major Camperton as Armado the braggart. Nothing
calculated to stimulate jealousy occurred again till the fifth act; and
then there arose full cause for it.

The scene was the outside of the Princess's pavilion. De Stancy, as
the King of Navarre, stood with his group of attendants awaiting the
Princess, who presently entered from her door. The two began to converse
as the play appointed, De Stancy turning to her with this reply--

'Rebuke me not for that which you provoke;
The virtue of your eye must break my oath.'

So far all was well; and Paula opened her lips for the set rejoinder.
But before she had spoken De Stancy continued--

'If I profan