soothing him. And to
be soothed, after all, to be tided over, in his mystic impatience, to
be told what he could understand and believe--that was what he had
come for. "Marriage then," said Mrs. Assingham, "is what you call the
monster? I admit it's a fearful thing at the best; but, for heaven's
sake, if that's what you're thinking of, don't run away from it."

"Ah, to run away from it would be to run away from you," the Prince
replied; "and I've already told you often enough how I depend on you to
see me through." He so liked the way she took this, from the corner
of her sofa, that he gave his sincerity--for it WAS sincerity--fuller
expression. "I'm starting on the great voyage--across the unknown sea;
my ship's all rigged and appointed, the cargo's stowed away and the
company complete. But what seems the matter with me is that I can't sail
alone; my ship must be one of a pair, must have, in the waste of waters,
a--what do you call it?--a consort. I don't ask you to stay on board
with me, but I must keep your sail in sight for orientation. I don't in
the least myself know, I assure you, the points of the compass. But with
a lead I can perfectly follow. You MUST be my lead."

"How can you be sure," she asked, "where I should take you?"

"Why, from your having brought me safely thus far. I should never have
got here without you. You've provided the ship itself, and, if you've
not quite seen me aboard, you've attended me, ever so kindly, to the
dock. Your own vessel is, all conveniently, in the next berth, and you
can't desert me now."

She showed him again her amusement, which struck him even as excessive,
as if, to his surprise, he made her also a little nervous; she treated
him in fine as if he were not uttering truths, but making pretty figures
for her diversion. "My vessel, dear Prince?" she smiled. "What vessel,
in the world, have I? This little house is all our ship, Bob's and
mine--and thankful we are, now, to have it. We've wandered far, living,
as you may say, from hand to mouth, without rest for the soles of our
feet. But the time has come for us at last to draw in."

He made at this, the young man, an indignant protest. "You talk about
rest--it's too selfish!--when you're just launching me on adventures?"

She shook her head with her kind lucidity. "Not adventures--heaven
forbid! You've had yours--as I've had mine; and my idea has been, all
along, that we should neither of us begin again. My own last, pr