tion.

'She lacks a heart!' continued Megret, laughing and without suffering
himself to be interrupted. 'She can only _wound_, not _heal_. She is a
female Charles the XIIth. She holds the amiable weakness of loving in
utter detestation, and if Hymen does not perform a miracle upon her,
the epitaph must some day be inscribed upon her grave-stone, which
England's Elizabeth desired for herself--Here rests the virgin....'

'Shameful!' exclaimed Christine in anger, and striking a heavy blow
upon Megret's cheek, the amazon disappeared.

'The girl is mad!' exclaimed the governor. 'Excuse the impropriety,
colonel; you shall receive full satisfaction.'

'Never mind, governor,' answered Megret with a courtly smile and
rubbing his cheek. 'A cavalier must be content to receive the like from
a lady's hand. I shall occasionally take opportunities to revenge
myself upon the little savage.'

'The table is served,' announced the steward, and two huntsmen placed
themselves behind the wheeled chair of the lord of the castle. 'Follow
me, dear gentlemen and friends,' cried the old man, and then,
commanding his men to move him forward, he led the way to the dining
room.

Megret, however, remained behind, still rubbing his flaming cheek, and
conceitedly smiling at his own reflections.

'I am glad you take the ill-behaviour of my cousin so lightly,' said
Arwed; 'but I wonder at it, almost as much as at the blow itself,
struck so suddenly, and without sufficient cause.'

'It is even that,' said Megret, interrupting him, 'which makes me so
tolerant. An entirely indifferent person would not have caused so
violent, a passion. A girl like her must be allowed to behave somewhat
rudely when she is angry. That is perfectly as it should be. If she
supposed that my penetration had discovered her feelings, my jest must
have been considered by her as a bitter mockery. Under these
circumstances I take the angry blow as a declaration according to the
custom of the country, and have only to regret that the ladies of the
north have such heavy hands.'

He proceeded towards the dining-room. 'Happy self-conceit!' cried
Arwed, following him; 'to what may not thy genius give a favorable
construction!'

CHAPTER XXX.

In the dining room, innumerable dishes were already smoking upon the
supper table as Megret and Arwed entered; yet the governor was sitting
at the sideboard, in accordance with an old Norman custom, amu