ide-elect, to whom your real name, if she's not heard it already, could
easily be made to seem anathema maranatha. But that's not all. You're here
under a name not your own. If you should by luck or ill-luck get a chance
to meet Lady Monica, you couldn't be introduced to her as Christopher
Trevenna; it would be a false pretence; still less could you throw your
real name in her face; for between the King of Spain as a friend, and you
as an acquaintance, the girl would be in an uncomfortable position, to say
the least. No, my dear fellow, you can't meet this young lady; and the
only thing for your peace of mind, if you've really fallen in love, is to
go away."

I had no arguments with which to meet Dick's. I listened in silence, but--I
made no preparation for departure. If there was nothing to be gained by
staying, at least there was as little to be gained by going; for I knew
that I should not forget the girl. If I were struck blind, her face would
still live for my eyes, white and pure against a background of darkness.

We stayed on at Biarritz, but I behaved with circumspection, and made no
further attempts to put myself in the King's Way, though he arrived at the
Villa Mouriscot every morning from San Sebastian. Dick approved my conduct
and, pitying my depression, perhaps repented his hardness. He found
several Parisian friends at Biarritz, and when we had been there for three
days, he came back to the hotel from the Casino one night with an
important air.

"Strange how one's tempted to do things one knows one oughtn't to do,"
said he. "Now, it's unwise to tell you I've met a man who knows Lady
Monica Vale, yet I'm doing it."

"What did the man say?" I asked.

"A number of things--charming, of course. She's not engaged, if that's any
consolation."

"Oh, I knew that."

"How?"

"By her eyes."

"Apparently she observed yours also."

"What? She's spoken of--she--"

"The sister of my man is a friend of Lady Monica's. She told the sister
about the motor-car adventure."

"For goodness sake don't force me to ask questions."

"I won't. I've a soft heart, which has often been my undoing. She said
she'd seen the most interesting man in the world. Don't faint."

"Don't be an ass."

"I'm not chaffing. She did say that--honest Injun. At least, I've Henri de
la Mole's word for it. His sister was at school at the convent of the
Virgin of Tears with Lady Monica Vale. Lady Monica supposed the other day
that we were