“I shall see that you don’t flirt; but you are very much engaged now, so put on your ring and make no romances about any ‘S. P.’ but myself.”
“I shall wait till you clear your character; I’m not going to care for a deceitful impostor. What made you think of this prank?”
“You did.”
“I? How?”
“When in England I saw your picture, though you were many a mile away, and fell in love with it. Your mother told me much about you, and I saw she would not frown upon my suit. I begged her not to tell you I had come, but let me find you and make myself known when I liked. You were in Switzerland, and I went after you. At Coblentz I met Sigismund, and told him my case; he is full of romance, and when we overheard you in the balcony we were glad of the hint. Sigismund was with me when you came, and admired Helen immensely, so he was wild to have a part in the frolic. I let him begin, and followed you unseen to Heidelberg, meaning to personate an artist. Meeting you at the castle, I made a good beginning with the vaults and the ring, and meant to follow it up by acting the baron, you were so bent on finding him, but Sigismund forbade it. Turning over a trunk of things left there the year before, I came upon my old Polish uniform, and decided to be a Thaddeus.”
“How well you did it! Wasn’t it hard to act all the time?” asked Amy, wonderingly.
“Very hard with Helen, she is so keen, but not a bit so with you, for you are such a confiding soul any one could cheat you. I’ve betrayed myself a dozen times, and you never saw it. Ah, it was capital fun to play the forlorn exile, study English, and flirt with my cousin.”
“It was very base. I should think you’d be devoured with remorse. Aren’t you sorry?”
“For one thing. I cropped my head lest you should know me. I was proud of my curls, but I sacrificed them all to you.”
“Peacock! Did you think that one glimpse of your black eyes and fine hair would make such an impression that I should recognize you again?”