“No; I am speaking the truth. I adore a lovely princess, who is guarded by an elderly dragon breathing the fire of scandal”—
“You must not talk of my mother like that.”
“Then I will not. She is the most charming lady I know.”
“Oh!”
“What! you are not pleased at that? My dearest Eunice, how cruel you are! But indeed I do not love your mother. She will not let me marry you.”
“No; she wants me to marry Maurice,” said Eunice, with a sigh.
“I am afraid that ambition will never be gratified. Maurice is our friend.”
“Do you think he knows we love one another?”
“I am sure he does. But he knows to-night for the first time; I saw it in his eyes when he looked at us.”
“How can he have guessed?”