pa. I am engaged to marry Prince Max."

The Archbishop paused for a moment, thinking how best to avoid any
appearance of foreknowledge.

"My child," he said, "what Prince Max do you mean?"

"The only one that I know of," she answered.

"You mean the heir to the throne?"

"Yes, papa."

"You say you are engaged to him?"

"Yes."

"With whose knowledge, may I ask?"

"The King knows; he has just given his consent. That is why I am telling
you now."

"Why only now?" There was reproach in his tone.

"Until we had his consent we were not engaged."

"And now--being engaged--you come for mine?"

"No, papa; only to let you know." She paused. "Of course I should be
glad of your approval."

The Archbishop sat silent for a while. "How long have you known Prince
Max?" he inquired at last.

"About six months."

"Is not that rather a short time?"

"Yes."

"For so important a decision, I mean."

"Yes; it is, I know."

"For learning a man's character, shall I say?"

"Some characters one learns more quickly than others. I know him, papa,
better than I do you."

"That may well be, youth does not easily understand age. And so my
question remains: Do you know him well enough to marry him?"

"I want to marry him," she said.

"You know there are objections?"

"Oh, yes."

"Very serious ones."

"Yes, I told him; I said it was quite impossible. He said he could get
the King's consent. I did not think so: I felt sure, indeed, that he
could not. But to-day he came and showed it to me in writing--a promise
made conditionally more than two months ago."

"Conditionally?"

"Yes; it named a date. That is why until to-day there was nothing that I
could tell you."

"Not even the fact that he had asked you to marry him?"

"I could not wish that to be known, if nothing was to come if it--not by
any one."

"It would have been better, my child."

"No, papa; why should you, or any one, know what I had had to give up?"

"Of course, it would have been painful; that I can understand."

"I can smile at it now," she said; "but at the time it was terrible! For
I found, then, how much I loved him."

The Archbishop withheld all speech for a moment, then said tenderly--

"I am very sorry for you, my child."

"Ah, but there is no need to be now!" she cried joyfully.

Once more he paused; then he repeated the words.

There was quick attention then in her look, but she showed no fear; and
he shifted to easier ground.