Arms and the Woman

It differed but little from the one I had read in the King's chamber

that morning. I gave it back to her.

"Do you understand?"

"I confess that I do not. It seems that I am never going to understand

anything again."

Phyllis balanced the letter on the palm of her hand. "You are so very

blind, my dear friend. Did you not tell her that there had been

another affair? Do you not believe she thinks your regard for her

merely a matter of pique, of consolation? It was very kind of her to

sacrifice herself for me. Some women are willing to give up all to see

the man they love made happy. My sister is one of those. But I shall

refuse the gift. Jack, can you not see that the poor woman thinks that

you love me?" Phyllis was looking at me with the greatest possible

kindness.

"I know not what she thinks. I only know that she has written me that

she is sorry for having played with my affections. Phyllis, if she

loved me she would not leave me as she has done."

"Oh, these doubting Thomases!" exclaimed Phyllis. "How do you know

that she does not love you? Have you one true proof that she does not?

No; but you have a hundred that she does."

"But--"

"Do you love her?" demanded Phyllis, stamping her foot with impatience.

"Love her? Have I not told you that I do?" gloomily.

"And will you give her up because she writes you a letter? What has

ink to do with love and a woman? If you do not set out at once to find

her, I shall never forgive you. She is my sister, and by that I know

that you cannot win her by sitting still. Go find her and tell her

that you will never leave her till she is your wife. I do not mean to

infer," with a smile, "that you will leave her after. Go to her as a

master; that is the way a woman loves to be wooed. Marry her and be

happy; and I shall come and say, 'Heaven bless you, my children.' I

have accepted the renunciation of her claims so that she may be free to

wed you. If you do not find her, I will. Since I have her promise to

teach me the lesson of being a Princess, she cannot have gone far. And

when you are married you will promise to visit me often? I shall be

very lonely now; I shall be far away from my friends; I shall be in a

prison, and men call it a palace."