exclaimed. "But do let's stop, because
such a knightly castle wouldn't be rude enough to vanish right before
our eyes."

"No, it won't vanish, because it's a most courteous little castle, which
has been well brought up, and even though its greatness is gone, tries
to live up to its traditions," said Jack. "It always appears to everyone
it thinks likely to appreciate it; and I was certain it would be here in
its place to welcome you."

We smiled into each other's eyes, and I felt as if the castle were a
present from him to me. How I should have loved to have it for mine, to
make up for one poor old chateau, now crumbled hopelessly into ruin, and
despised by the least exacting of tourists! Coming upon it unexpectedly
in this green dell, at the foot of the precipice, seeing it rise from
the water on one side, reflected as in a broken mirror, and draped in
young, golden foliage on the other, it really was an ideal castle for a
fairy tale. A connoisseur in the best architecture of the Renaissance
would perhaps have been ungracious enough to pick faults; for to a
critical eye the turrets and arches might fall short of perfection; and
there was little decoration on the time-darkened stone walls, save the
thick curtain of old, old ivy; but the fairy grace of the towers rising
from the moat of glittering, bright green water was gay and sweet as a
song heard in the woods.

"Some beautiful nymph ought to have lived here," I said dreamily, when
we had got out of the car. "A nymph whose beauty was celebrated all over
the world, so that knights from far and near came to this lovely place
to woo her."

"Why, you might have heard the story of the place!" said Jack. "It's the
Chateau de la Caze, usually called the Castle of the Nymphs, for instead
of one, eight beautiful nymphs lived in it. But their beauty was their
undoing. I don't quite know why they were called 'nymphs,' for nymphs
and naiads had gone out of fashion when they reigned here as Queens of
Beauty, in the sixteenth century. But perhaps in those days to call a
girl a 'nymph' was to pay her a compliment. It wouldn't be now, when
chaps criticize the 'nymphery' if they go to a dance! Anyhow, these
eight sisters, were renowned for their loveliness, and all the unmarried
gentlemen of France--according to the story--as well as foreign knights,
came to pay court to them. The unfortunate thing was, when the cavaliers
saw the eight girls together, they were all so frightfully p