y day in the week."

"But not when they are so pretty as yours are!"

"Poh! poh! handsome is that handsome does; and as for Alexina, she wants
to be married."

"Very natural. Let her marry, by all means."

"But Helena wants to do the same."

"More natural still; for, if possible, she is prettier. For my part, I
could marry them both."

"Ay, ay! that is all very well; but handsome is that handsome does. I
have no objection to Alexina marrying, and even Helena; but then there
is Lais--"

"Hah! hah! hah!" exclaimed the prince. "I see, my dear Christo, that
my foster sisters give you a very proper portion of trouble. However, I
must be off to my travelling companion. Come in as soon as you can, my
dear fellow, and will settle everything. A good vintage to you, and only
as much mischief as necessary." So saying, the prince tripped away.

"Well! who would have thought of seeing him here!" exclaimed the worthy
Primate. "The same gay dog as ever! What can he have been doing at
Roumelia? Affairs of state, indeed! I'll wager my new Epiphany scarf,
that, whatever the affairs are, there is a pretty girl in the case."

CHAPTER 16

The fair Iduna, after all her perils and sufferings, was at length
sheltered in safety under a kind and domestic roof. Alexina, and
Helena, and Lais, and all the other sisters emulated each other in the
attentions which they lavished upon the two brothers, but especially the
youngest. Their kindness, indeed, was only equalled by their ceaseless
curiosity, and had they ever waited for the answers of Iduna to their
questions, the daughter of Hunniades might, perhaps, have been somewhat
puzzled to reconcile her responses with probability. Helena answered the
questions of Alexina; Lais anticipated even Helena. All that Iduna had
to do was to smile and be silent, and it was universally agreed that
Iskander was singularly shy as well as excessively handsome. In the
meantime, when Nicaeus met Iduna in the evening of the second day of
their visit, he informed her that he had been so fortunate as to
resume an acquaintance with an old companion in arms in the person of
a neighbouring noble, who had invited them to rest at his castle at
the end of their next day's journey. He told her likewise that he
had dispatched a courier to Croia to inquire after Iskander, who, he
expected, in the course of a few days, would bring them intelligence
to guide their future movements, and decide whether they should