"'No, you must not begin again like that,' said he, laughing, though annoyed. 'We will try for once to be good comrades just for half an hour. Agreed?'
"His cordiality pleased me. I gave him my hand upon it.
"As we rode out of the courtyard gate Martha stood at the kitchen window and waved to us with her white apron.
"'See here, Martha,' I thought in my mind, 'this is how I would ride out into the wide world with him if I were his paramour.'
"For my ideas as to what a 'paramour' is were as yet very vague, and I did not hesitate to ascribe this dignity to Martha.
"'He rides well.' I went on thinking; 'my prince could not do better.'
"And then I caught myself throwing myself back proudly and joyously in my saddle, swayed by an undefined sense of well-being that made all my nerves tingle.
"He said nothing, only now and again turned towards me and nodded at me smilingly, as if he thought well to secure our compact anew every five minutes. It was needless trouble, for nothing was further from my thoughts than to break it.
"When we had ridden for half an hour at a sharp trot he pulled up his chestnut and said:
"'Well, little one?'