talk of this another time. All I now ask, all your mother, Idris, requests
is, that you will not see this upstart during the interval of one month."

"I dare not comply," said Idris, "it would pain him too much. I have no
right to play with his feelings, to accept his proffered love, and then
sting him with neglect."

"This is going too far," her mother answered, with quivering lips, and eyes
again instinct by anger.

"Nay, Madam," said Adrian, "unless my sister consent never to see him
again, it is surely an useless torment to separate them for a month."

"Certainly," replied the ex-queen, with bitter scorn, "his love, and her
love, and both their childish flutterings, are to be put in fit comparison
with my years of hope and anxiety, with the duties of the offspring of
kings, with the high and dignified conduct which one of her descent ought
to pursue. But it is unworthy of me to argue and complain. Perhaps you will
have the goodness to promise me not to marry during that interval?"

This was asked only half ironically; and Idris wondered why her mother
should extort from her a solemn vow not to do, what she had never dreamed
of doing--but the promise was required and given.

All went on cheerfully now; we met as usual, and talked without dread of
our future plans. The Countess was so gentle, and even beyond her wont,
amiable with her children, that they began to entertain hopes of her
ultimate consent. She was too unlike them, too utterly alien to their
tastes, for them to find delight in her society, or in the prospect of its
continuance, but it gave them pleasure to see her conciliating and kind.