Not a day had passed during the fortnight gone that she
had not conjured up some feature of that intelligent countenance;
sometimes it had been the eyes, sometimes the chin and mouth,
sometimes the shapely head. It was wrong; but this little sin
was so sweet. She had never expected to see him again. He had
come and gone, and she had thought that the beginning and the
end. Ah, if only she were not a princess! If only some hand
would sweep aside those insurmountable barriers called birth and
policy! To be free, to be the mistress of one's heart, one's
dreams, one's desires!
"And you did it all alone," she said, softly; "all alone."
"O, I had the advantage; I was not expected. It was all over
before they knew what had happened."
"And you had the courage to take a poor dog's part? Did you know
whose dog it was?"
"Yes, your Highness, I recognized him."
A secret gladness stole into her heart, and to cover the flame
which again rose to her cheeks, she bent and smoothed the dog's
head. This gave Maurice an opportunity to look at her. What a
beautiful being she was! He was actually sitting beside her,
breathing the same air, listening to her voice.
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