.

"Have I done well, Jacqueline, to answer the king as I have done?" he
said finally. "Are you content to resign all--forever--here in France?
To go with me--"

"Into a new world," she interrupted. "Once I asked you to take me, but
you hesitated, and were like to leave me behind you."

"But now 'tis I who ask," he answered.

"And I--who hesitate?" looking out over the valley, where the shadow of
a cloud crossed the land.

"Do you hesitate, Jacqueline?"

She turned. About her lips trembled the old fleeting smile.

"What woman knows her mind, Sir Fool? Yet if it were not so--"

"If it were not so?" he said, eagerly.

Her eyes became grave on a sudden. "I might believe I had been of one
mind--long."

"Jacqueline!--sweet jestress!--"

He caught her suddenly in his arms, his fine young features aglow.
This then was the goal of his desires; a goal of delight, far, far
beyond all youthful dreams or early imaginings. With drooping eyelids,
she stood in his embrace; she, once so proud, so self-willed. He drew
her closer--kissed her hair!--the rose!--

She raised her head, and--sweeter still--he kissed her lips.

Across the valley the shadow receded; vanished. In the full glory of
nightly splendor lay the earth, and as the mystic radiance lighted up a
world of beauty, it seemed at last they beheld their world; the light
more beautiful for the shade and the purple mists.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNDER THE ROSE***

******* This file should be named 23675.txt or 23675.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/3/6/7/23675

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook