r cheeks.

"Alas! alas!" said Gerard. "Weep not, sweet lady; your tears they
do accuse me, and I am like to weep for company. My kind patron, be
yourself; you will live to see how much better a friend I was to you
than I seemed."

"I see it now, Gerardo," said the princess. "Friend is the word! the
only word can ever pass between us twain. I was mad. Any other man had
ta'en advantage of my folly. You must teach me to be your friend and
nothing more."

Gerard hailed this proposition with joy; and told her out of Cicero how
godlike a thing was friendship, and how much better and rarer and more
lasting than love: to prove to her he was capable of it, he even told
her about Denys and himself.

She listened with her eyes half shut, watching his words to fathom his
character, and learn his weak point.

At last, she addressed him calmly thus: "Leave me now, Gerardo, and come
as usual to-morrow. You will find your lesson well bestowed."

She held out her hand to him: he kissed it; and went away pondering
deeply this strange interview, and wondering whether he had done
prudently or not.

The next day he was received with marked distance, and the princess
stood before him literally like a statue, and after a very short
sitting, excused herself and dismissed him. Gerard felt the chilling
difference; but said to himself, "She is wise." So she was in her way.

The next day he found the princess waiting for him surrounded by young
nobles flattering her to the skies. She and they treated him like a
dog that could do one little trick they could not. The cavaliers in
particular criticised his work with a mass of ignorance and insolence
combined that made his cheeks burn.

The princess watched his face demurely with half-closed eyes at each
sting the insects gave him; and when they had fled, had her doors closed
against every one of them for their pains.

The next day Gerard found her alone: cold and silent. After standing to
him so some time, she said, "You treated my company with less respect
than became you."

"Did I, Signora?"

"Did you? you fired up at the comments they did you the honour to make
on your work."

"Nay, I said nought," observed Gerard.

"Oh, high looks speak as plain as high words. Your cheeks were red as
blood."

"I was nettled a moment at seeing so much ignorance and ill-nature
together."

"Now it is me, their hostess, you affront."

"Forgive me, Signora, and acquit me of design. It would ill