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terribly risk； the very thing they would marry for their love。 Love is better an unmarried than a married regret。〃
Nicolete was silent again。
〃Think of your little woodland chalet； and your great old trees in the park；you couldn't live without them。 I have； at most； but one tree worth speaking of to offer you〃
I purposely waived the glamour which my old garden had for my mind； and which I wouldn't have exchanged for fifty parks。
〃Trees！〃 retorted Nicolete；〃what are trees？〃
〃Ah； my dear girl； they are a good deal；particularly when they are genealogical； as my one tree is not。〃
〃Aucassin；〃 she said suddenly； almost fiercely； 〃can you really jest？ Tell me this；do you love me？〃
〃I love you；〃 I said simply； 〃and it is just because I love you so much that I have talked as I have done。 No man situated as I am who loved you could have talked otherwise。〃
〃Well； I have heard it all； weighed it all；〃 said Nicolete； presently； 〃and to me it is but as thistledown against the love within my heart。 Will you cast away a woman who loves you for theories？ You know you love me； know I love you。 We should have our trials； our ups and downs； I know； but surely it is by those that true love learns how to grow more true and strong。 Oh； I cannot argue！ Tell me again； do you love me？〃
And there she broke down and fell sobbing into my arms。 I consoled her as best I might； and presently she looked up at me through her tears。
〃Tell me again；〃 she said； 〃that you love me； just as you did yesterday； and promise never to speak of all those cruel things again。 Ah！ have you thought of the kind of men you would give me up to？〃
At that I confess I shuddered； and I gave her the required assurance。
〃And you won't be wise and reasonable and ridiculous any more？〃
〃No；〃 I answered； adding in my mind； 〃not； at all events； for the present。〃
CHAPTER XI
HOW ONE PLAYS THE HERO AT THIRTY
Had we only been able to see a day into the future； we might have spared ourselves this agonising； for all our doubts and fears were suddenly dispersed in an entirely unexpected manner。 Happily these interior problems are not infrequently resolved by quite exterior forces。
We were sitting the following afternoon in one of those broad bay windows such as one finds still in some old country inns； just thinking about starting once more on our way； when suddenly Nicolete； who had been gazing out idly into the road； gave a little cry。 I followed her glance。 A carriage with arms on its panels had stopped at the inn； and as a smart footman opened the door； a fine grey…headed military…looking man stepped out and strode hurriedly up the inn steps。
〃Aucassin；〃 gasped Nicolete； 〃it is my father！〃
It was too true。 The old man's keen eye had caught sight of Nicolete at the window also； and in another moment we were all three face to face。 I must do the Major… General the justice of saying that he made as little of a 〃scene〃 of it as possible。
〃Now； my girl；〃 he said； 〃I have come to put an end to this nonsense。 Have you a petticoat with you？ Well； go upstairs and get it on。 I will wait for you here 。 。 。 On you； sir； I shall waste no words。 From what I have heard； you are as moonstruck as my daughter。〃
〃Of course；〃 I stammered； 〃I cannot expect you to understand the situation； though I think； if you would allow me； I could in a very few words make it somewhat clearer；make you realise that； after all； it has been a very innocent and childish escapade； in which there has been no harm and a great deal of pleasure〃
But the Major…General cut me short。
〃I should prefer；〃 he said； 〃not to discuss the matter。 I may say that I realise that my daughter has been safe in your hands； however foolish；〃for this I thanked him with a bow；〃but I must add that your eccentric acquaintance must end here〃
I said him neither yea nor nay； and while we stood in armed and embarrassed silence； Nicolete appeared with white face at the door； clothed in her emergency petticoat。 Alas！ it was for no such emergency as this that it had been destined that merry night when she had packed it in her knapsack。 With a stern bow her father turned from me to join her； but she suddenly slipped past him； threw her arms round me； and kissed me one long passionate kiss。
〃Aucassin； be true；〃 she cried； 〃I will never forget you；no one shall come between us； 〃and then bursting into tears； she buried her face in her hands and followed her father from the room。
In another moment she had been driven away； and I sat as one stupefied in the inn window。 But a few short minutes ago she had been sitting merrily prattling by my side； and now I was once more as lonely as if we had never met。 Presently I became conscious in my reverie of a little crumpled piece of paper on the floor。 I picked it up。 It was a little note pencilled in her bedroom at the last moment。 〃Aucassin；〃 it ran； just like her last passionate words； 〃be true。 I will never forget you。 Stay here till I write to you； and oh； write to me soon！ Your broken…hearted Nicolete。〃
As I read； I saw her lovely young face； radiant with love and sorrow as I had last seen it； and pressing the precious little letter to my lips； I said fervently； 〃Yes； Nicolete； I will be true。〃
CHAPTER XII
IN WHICH I REVIEW MY ACTIONS AND RENEW MY RESOLUTIONS
No doubt the youthful reader will have but a poor opinion of me after the last two chapters。 He will think that in the scene with the Major…General I acted with lamentably little spirit； and that generally my friend Alastor would have proved infinitely more worthy of the situation。 It is quite true； I confess it。 The whole episode was made for Alastor。 Nicolete and he were born for each other。 Alas！ it is one of the many drawbacks of experience that it frequently prevents our behaving with spirit。
I must be content to appeal to the wiser and therefore sadder reader； of whom I have but a poor opinion if he too fails to understand me。 He； I think； will understand why I didn't promptly assault the Major… General； seize Nicolete by the waist； thrust her into her ancestral carriage； haul the coachman from his box； and； seizing the reins； drive away in triumph before astonishment had time to change into pursuit。 Truly it had been but the work of a moment； and there was only one consideration which prevented my following this now…I…call…that…heroic course。 It is a consideration I dare hardly venture to write； and the confession of which will； I know； necessitate my changing my age back again to thirty on the instant。 Oh； be merciful； dear romantic reader！ I didn't strike the Major…General； because； oh； because I AGREED WITH HIM！
I loved Nicolete； you must have felt that。 She was sweet to me as the bunch of white flowers that； in their frail Venetian vase； stand so daintily on my old bureau as I write； doing their best to sweeten my thoughts。 Dear was she to me as the birds that out in the old garden yonder sing and sing their best to lift up my leaden heart。 She was dear as the Spring itself； she was only less dear than Autumn。
Yes； black confession！ after the first passion of her loss； the immediate ache of her young beauty had passe